What does impotence mean?

Impotence is often mentioned in daily life. It refers to erectile dysfunction, which is generally caused by organic diseases, diseases of the penis itself, urogenital malformations, urogenital diseases, radiation exposure, heavy metal poisoning, psychological causes and mixed causes. Patients need to determine their own causes according to their actual situation and then choose appropriate treatment methods.

1. Impotence

"Impotence" is the former name of "erectile dysfunction (ED)". In 1992, after discussion by relevant experts, the National Institutes of Health of the United States decided to replace the term impotence with erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction (ED) refers to the persistent inability of the penis to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse in the past three months; ED is one of the most common sexual dysfunctions in men. Although ED is not a life-threatening disease, it is closely related to the patient's quality of life, sexual partner relationship, and family stability, and is also an early warning sign of many physical diseases.

2. Causes

1. Organic diseases

(1) Vascular causes include any disease that may lead to decreased blood flow in the cavernous body arteries of the penis, such as atherosclerosis, arterial injury, arterial stenosis, pudendal artery shunt, and abnormal heart function, or penile venous leakage caused by obstruction of venous reflux, closure mechanism of the penis, and decreased smooth muscle in the cavernous sinus of the penis.

(2) Neurogenic central or peripheral nerve disease or damage can lead to impotence.

(3) Surgery and trauma: Major vascular surgery, radical prostatectomy, radical abdominal, perineal, and rectal cancer resection, pelvic fracture, lumbar compression fracture, or straddle injury can cause damage to the blood vessels and nerves related to penile erection, leading to impotence.

(4) Endocrine diseases Impotence is often caused by endocrine diseases, mainly diabetes, hypothalamic-pituitary abnormalities and primary gonadal insufficiency. According to foreign reports, 23% to 60% of male diabetic patients suffer from varying degrees of impotence. Its mechanism of occurrence is mainly related to autonomic neurofibropathies on the corpus cavernosum of the penis, stenosis of penile blood vessels, endocrine abnormalities and mental factors.

2. Diseases of the penis itself

Such as penile induration, penile curvature deformity, severe phimosis and balanitis.

3. Urogenital malformations

Congenital penile curvature, double penis, small penis, penoscrotal displacement, retroversion of bladder, urethral fissure, congenital absence or dysplasia of testicles, scar formation of corpus cavernosum fibers, varicocele, etc., which lead to inability to achieve erection.

4. Urogenital diseases

It is common for impotence to occur after chronic inflammation of the urogenital system, such as orchitis, epididymitis, urethritis, cystitis, and prostatitis. Among them, impotence is most common after chronic prostatitis. Urogenital system surgery and certain injuries, such as prostatic hyperplasia, prostatectomy, urethral fissure, penile and testicular injuries, can all cause impotence. Patients with chronic renal failure often suffer from impotence due to testicular atrophy and decreased testosterone.

5. Other factors

Radiation exposure, heavy metal poisoning, etc. Chronic diseases and long-term use of certain drugs can also cause impotence.

6. Psychological causes

Refers to impotence caused by psychological factors such as tension, stress, depression, anxiety and marital discord.

7. Mixed causes

Refers to impotence caused by both psychological factors and organic causes. In addition, because organic impotence is not treated in time, the patient's psychological pressure increases and he is afraid of sexual intercourse failure, making the treatment of impotence more complicated.