Some isolated case reports and small studies have linked erectile dysfunction drugs with serious vision-related side effects such as retinal detachment, ischemic optic neuropathy, and eye trauma. These conditions can lead to permanent blindness if not treated quickly. This study explores personality and coping in a clinical cohort of patients presenting with female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Relationships between personality traits, coping, and sexual function using the IIEF and the GRISS scale were investigated.
Medications
For men with erectile dysfunction, medication can help restore a more comfortable erection. Vidalista 40, or Viagra, was initially developed for raising blood pressure and was later found to dilate the blood vessels that help maintain an erection. These drugs can cause side effects such as blurred vision and headaches, but these are temporary. Other medications for erectile dysfunction include alprostadil, tadalafil, and vardenafil. All are in a class of medications known as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and can have similar side effects.
Regularly taking erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra and Cialis can lead to serious eye problems, including retinal detachment. The risk of these eye conditions is 85% higher for regular users of these medications, according to research published in JAMA Ophthalmology. This study examined health insurance claims data to see how often men filled prescriptions for the four most popular PDE5 inhibitors — sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), and avanafil (Stendra).
The researchers found that the more a man took these drugs, the more likely he was to suffer from one of three eye conditions: serous retinal detachment, retinal vascular occlusion, or ischemic optic neuropathy. These eye conditions are all associated with low blood flow to the eyes and can lead to blindness if untreated. The authors of the study note that this new evidence isn’t necessarily cause-and-effect, but suggests that these drugs might decrease blood flow to the eyes.
It is also important to note that these pills are not to be taken by men who take nitrate-containing medications, which can lead to dangerous drops in blood pressure. They should also be avoided by people who have a history of heart disease, or by those who are undergoing surgery for cataracts or other eye diseases.
Sex Therapy
For several men, treating their symptoms with medication alone is not enough to overcome sexual dysfunction. Whether they are in a relationship or single, psychotherapy or counseling can help address underlying issues that can cause or contribute to ED, such as anxiety and fear of intimacy. Sexual therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on improving sexual intimacy and pleasure. The goal is to build self-esteem and reduce the anxiety and fear that may be causing or contributing to your sexual problems.
The sex therapist can teach techniques and encourage partners to try new things, such as touching orgasmically or exploring genital areas with their hands. This is a form of touch that helps to soothe nerves and stimulate the pleasure center in the brain, which can improve orgasms and erections.
The sex therapist can also use cognitive-behavioral interventions, such as bibliotherapy or behavioral sex therapy to provide positive sex education and challenge unrealistic expectations about sexual function. A sex therapist may also talk to the man about his past experiences with sex, including nonsexual trauma, that could be creating or contributing to his sexual dysfunction. During a psychosexual assessment, the sex therapist can also discuss the person’s cultural or religious beliefs about sex that could impact sexual arousal and response.
A growing body of research has shown that sex therapy can be beneficial for people who are sexual minorities. Many sexual- and gender-minority clients report that they have sex-negative messages or beliefs from family, culture, or religion that can create or contribute to low arousal and poor performance.
Emotional Support
Men with erectile dysfunction often report feelings of disappointment, fear, and distress when they are unable to experience sex. For most people, the best treatment option for ED is oral medication such as sildenafil (Viagra), Fildena 100, or tadalafil (Cialis). Men should never take these medications with nitrates (such as nitroglycerin) because they can cause low blood pressure. These medications work by enhancing the flow of blood to the penis. Many men also use sex aids, including vacuum devices and penile constriction rings, to improve their performance.
A complete physical exam is essential to detect the cause of ED. Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and perform a physical exam to check for anemia, which can be a factor in ED.
Your doctor may also order a CBC or other laboratory tests to assess your heart and blood health. Some underlying causes of ED are treatable, such as high blood cholesterol or high blood sugar levels. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes or other treatments to help prevent the underlying problem.
Sometimes a combination of physical and emotional factors contribute to ED. For example, a minor physical condition might make you anxious about maintaining an erection, and the anxiety might lead to ED. Similarly, relationship conflicts or life stresses can interfere with sexual desire and satisfaction.
The sex response cycle is a series of psychophysiological states that usually occur in an orderly fashion: desire, arousal, orgasm, and resolution. When a man is unable to achieve or maintain an erection, it can interfere with sexual satisfaction and may even lead to marital problems.
Religion
A coping strategy involves cognitive and behavioral efforts to deal with challenges (either internal or external). Examples of a coping mechanism would be finding ways of changing the problem itself, altering one’s view of the problem, or managing unpleasant feelings that come with the problem, for example, guilt.
These included seeking guidance from religious leaders and family doctors, adjusting sex behavior, abstinence and concubinage. The most popular coping strategy was resignation to fate. Seven of the eleven women who used this approach attributed their husbands’ sexual dysfunction to something spiritual. This was particularly common among older participants. Those who employed this approach were also likely to use other coping mechanisms, such as abstinence and sex therapy.