Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. This can have severe impacts upon sexual satisfaction, personal relationships and self-esteem and confidence.

Occasional erectile dysfunction is common and can be related to reversible factors such as drinking excess alcohol, tiredness or anxiety related to sexual performance. Frequent or persistent episodes of erectile dysfunction can have many causes both physical and psychological and often a mixture of the two.

Importantly, the functioning of the penis may also reflect underlying disease elsewhere in the body – particularly cardiovascular disease and diabetes. There is a strong association between erectile dysfunction and heart disease. Further information is available at:

http://www.sexualhealthaustralia.com.au/erectile-dysfunction.html

For all of these reasons, it is important for men not to ignore their erectile issues. Your GP is best placed as the first point of contact to assess and manage this problem. It is a condition we are confident and comfortable to deal with and encourage men to raise with us. At Busselton Medical Practice we suggest men book a “Well Man’s Check” where we can take the time to assess this problem in the setting of a comprehensive health check. This appointment can even be booked on line by going to our Website www.busseltondoctors.com.au and follow the prompts for online booking.