Let’s be honest, sex is an important part of a man’s life, it’s his primal need to procreate that defines him, helping put life on earth since the dawn of mankind. Men
crave sex, we desire it and jump at any opportunity to get down and dirty, but when we are incapable of providing this fundamental action, we feel useless, inadequate, and foremost a disappointment to our lovers. So we conceal our inadequacies with excuses and false comforts, feeling ashamed that as men we aren’t fulfilling our purpose.
Erectile dysfunction commonly known as impotence affects nearly half of all men aged 40 to 88. It is one and a half times more common among men with cardiovascular disease, and three times more common among those with diabetes
[1]. They have persistent problems with getting, and sustaining an erection long enough for sexual intercourse which can lead to stress, loss of self-confidence, and relationship troubles
[2]. Not a single man in the world would wish this fate on their worst enemy, yet millions suffer everyday
[3].
Most will agree that having sex is one of life’s greatest pleasures, so you can bet your bottom dollar that as soon as a problem arose that prevented this most primal of acts the smartest people on the planet were on the case, developing what has come to be known as “
the little blue pill” or
Viagra. This so called miracle pill allows what was once a dead horse become a reincarnated wild stallion; metaphorically speaking of course, but it essentially causes smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilation in the penis resulting in a
firm erection[4]. It does however come with a few caveats as people with chronically low blood pressure, on certain heart medications (ex. Nitroglycerin), or a recent stroke or heart attack are direct contraindication to using this drug as death is a serious risk.
If taking pharmaceuticals is not to your liking, there are
alternative methods to achieving a more natural erection. As mentioned in
my previous article on causes of erectile dysfunction; smoking and excessive alcohol reduction combined with regular exercise and a balanced diet can go a long way to improving overall health and blood circulation to the groin area
[5]. Acupuncture has been showing positive results in males suffering from erectile dysfunction. This treatment method has been used in the far east for thousands of years to treat everything from back pain to depression, and has now shown to have some benefit with impotence; improving erections and sexual activity in 39% of participants in a clinical study
[6].
By now you may be feeling overwhelmed by all of this information, and still not sure how to proceed, well luckily there are places in
Ottawa with highly trained experts in the field to give you a better understanding of your specific sexual health related issues. Here are just a few located in Ottawa:
Established in 1996, Dr. Hamdy recognized a lack of men’s health clinics in Ottawa and set out to change that. He is a highly qualified physician having practiced medicine in The Netherlands, UK, Egypt, and now Canada. Dr. Hamdy understands that family physicians or GPs may inadequately treat men with embarrassing sexual issues, deeming them as trivial or unimportant, so he has devoted himself to providing
the care men deserve. Clinic can be located at 58 James Street Ottawa, ON.
Focusing on healthy and active lifestyles, Dr. Andrew Patterson aims to manage
hormonal causes of erectile dysfunction, specifically patients with decreased testosterone levels. He is passionate in making men’s lives better by addressing negative symptoms brought on by such imbalances, helping increase vitality and overall happiness with help from experts in the community. Clinic can be located at 311 Richmond Rd Ottawa, ON.
While not solely focused on men’s health, Exec Health is a private medical clinic that provides medical care for all facets of health, from comprehensive health assessments to flu shots and vaccinations. They do however have a men’s health program designed to identify problems which could be prevented at the early stage. Their men’s health team are knowledgeable with all male related issues, from erectile dysfunction to
prostate cancer. Clinic can be located at 401-116 Albert St. Ottawa, ON.
Being a man myself, I know the level of pride every male holds when it comes to pleasing the opposite sex, and when that is taken away from us, well we just don’t feel like men. So if you are unfortunate enough to be struggling with the affliction of impotence, the help is out there and you owe it to yourself seek it out.
