Erectile Dysfunction

Male sexuality can be affected by a number of disorders. One of the best known is erectile dysfunction, also known colloquially as erectile dysfunction. This refers to the inability to achieve sufficient hardness (erection) of the male member (penis) for satisfactory sexual intercourse. This includes neither being unable to achieve the required erection nor maintaining it long enough. Sexual desire (libido) is often still present. Over time, however, the libido can also disappear because those affected do not have to be confronted with their supposed “failure”.

Erectile dysfunction is distinguished by two terms that are sometimes used interchangeably: impotence and sterility. Impotence is a very general and vaguely defined term, as a distinction was previously made between the inability to have sexual intercourse (impotentia coeundi) and the inability to reproduce (impotentia generandi). Sterility means the inability of a man to reproduce, colloquially also known as infertility, although erectile function is usually not restricted.

Erectile dysfunction can occur occasionally or for a limited period of time or can result in permanent loss of erectile function. Erectile dysfunction in the medical sense is when the affected person cannot achieve a sufficient erection within 6 months, starting from around 70% of the attempts.