Cancer, surgery, medication and psychological implications can cause erectile dysfunction

What causes erectile dysfunction?

The Montreal Clinic for Therapies Services provides a wide variety of services including dealing with erectile dysfunction.

Bladder cancer and prostate cancer treatments can affect penile performance.   Surgeries can cause damage to the blood vessels that transport blood to genital area.  The damage may be either permanent or temporary.  If it is temporary full erectile functioning returns within six to 18 months.  If the damage is permanent, then treatment will be required to bring back normal erectile functioning.

Certain medications such as high blood pressure medications, antidepressants, and over-the-counter medications and tranquilizers can cause erectile dysfunction.  If you suspect your medications may be causing the problem make sure to talk it over with your doctor who can assess the situation and perhaps change the medication.

Although erectile dysfunction is mostly physical it can be caused by psychological issues in about 20 percent of males.  There are many psychological factors such as performance anxiety, stress, depression, guilt, shame, low self-esteem and so on which can affect male sexual performance and cause erectile dysfunction.