What exactly is male impotence? How common is impotence? Is impotence usually psychological, or "all in your head"? How can you determine what my specific problem is? Is any testing required? If my problem is psychological, what kind of treatment is available? What about male hormone "testosterone" shots or patches? What are some other treatments? I want sex to be natural and as spontaneous as possible. Are any other treatment options available? What is injection therapy? You mentioned penile implants, tell me more? How safe are penile implants? Will my insurance help pay for an implant if I decide I want one? Have you implanted many men? 1). Q. What exactly is male impotence? A. Impotence means that a man is unable to have a penile erection of satisfactory firmness or duration for normal sexual activity. 2). Q. How common is impotence? A. Approximately 30 million men in the US are impotent. Many men are embarrassed to seek treatment, and some are not aware that impotence can be successfully treated in almost all cases. 3). Q. Is impotence usually psychological, or "all in your head"? A. Impotence is most often due to physical (organic) causes. Few men have purely psychological impotence. 4). Q.How can you determine what my specific problem is? A. At the first visit, we will obtain your medical and sexual history and perform a Urological examination. Additional studies may also be recommended. 5). Q. Is any testing required? A. Blood and urine tests are often needed to measure your hormone levels and to check for diabetes and prostate cancer. Measurement of your sleep erections, penile blood flow and nerves related to sexual activity may also be ordered. 6). Q. If my problem is psychological, what kind of treatment is available? A. Counseling is often prescribed. Sex therapy or psychotherapy may be appropriate. If this doesn't work, or the patient does not wish sex therapy or psychotherapy, other treatments are available with a high success rate. 7). Q. What about male hormone "testosterone" shots or patches? A. Male hormone supplements only help if your hormone level is low. Most men have normal male hormone levels. 8). Q. What are some other treatments? A. In 1997, the FDA approved the use of intraurethral inserts of Prostaglandin E-1 (Muse) which gets absorbed through the urethra directly into the erectile chambers resulting in an erection. These intraurethral inserts may interfere with ejaculation, and are cumbersome to use.  At the present time, there are three oral medications that are FDA approved for sexual dysfunction.  They are Sildenafil (Viagra), Vardenafil (Levitra), and Tadalafil (Cialis).  Erection occurs after arousal. 9). Q. I want sex to be natural and as spontaneous as possible. Are any other treatment options available? A. Penile implants give the most rigid and reliable erection and can be used as often as you like. Other possible options include penile vascular surgery and penile injection therapy. Penile vascular surgery is rarely indicated. 10). Q. What is injection therapy? A. There are certain medications such as Prostaglandin E-1 (Caverject) which can induce an erection when injected into the penis. You must inject every time you want an erection. Many men find this very satisfactory. 11). Q. You mentioned penile implants, tell me more? A. Penile implants have been available for more than 30 years. There are several non-inflatable and inflatable types. All implants are completely internal. After you have healed, the genitalia look normal and most men and their partners are not aware of the implant. The implant gives an excellent, reliable erection and the inflatable models give a natural-appearing penis when inflated and deflated. The success rate of penile implantation is over 90%. 12). Q. How safe are penile implants? A. The complication rate is low. Many men with diabetes and heart disease (frequently present in men with impotence) can tolerate this procedure if they are properly evaluated and treated beforehand. For most men, this is an ambulatory procedure not requiring an overnight hospital stay. 13). Q. Will my insurance help pay for an implant if I decide I want one? A. Most insurance carriers and Medicare cover a penile implant for men with physical impotence. 14). Q. Have you implanted many men? A. Over the last 30 years, I have implanted more than 1,000 men and have taught urologists how to perform the surgery and have demonstrated this surgery abroad. I have also lectured and written textbook chapters on the subject.   For more information, please read the Featured Articles and the Association for Male Sexual Dysfunction page. 1(800) 575-1112 Call or contact us to schedule an appointment for a confidential consultation. 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