There are a several underlying causes that can make diagnosing and treating erectile dysfunction somewhat difficult. Some are temporary, such as the occasional excess use of alcohol, in which case the impotence is not labeled as ED. However, in other cases, it is the result of some long-term diseases, such as diabetes or Parkinson's. disease.

Eating a healthy balanced diet is vital for good health. While the majority of people eat well to feel good and lose weight, a healthy diet can also help to enhance your sexual life. Certain foods have always been thought of as aphrodisiacs (chocolate comes to mind), but eating well can do more than just kindle your sexual interest. Eating well can also provide you with greater energy, stamina, and can help relieve stress that is often one of the root causes of erectile dysfunction. Here are some guidelines that can help you choose a healthy diet for greater sexual health and maximum potency.

Although the figures vary between various clinical studies, estimates are that some 60% of cases of erectile dysfunction are due to organic causes. Atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries that restricts blood flow, nerve damage from diabetes, Parkinson's and other diseases are frequent culprits. As such, drugs or surgery are treatments that are more common. Nevertheless, it remains true that, even apart from the occasional impotence that affects virtually all post-pubescent males, long-lasting erectile dysfunction often has psychological causes.

Although studies vary, it has been estimated that anywhere from ten to twenty percent of men in the United States are thought to suffer from erectile dysfunction. That designation includes those who suffer from the inability to achieve or sustain erection for a period of two or more months and of course, only includes those who seek professional help or choose to answer yes on a questionnaire.

Figuring out how to discuss erectile dysfunction with your partner can be more difficult than the actual condition itself. Although changes in attitude have occurred over the years, it is still difficult for a man to admit to impotence. The impact to his self-esteem is often real and substantial, even in cases when he knows the cause is purely organic and outside his control.

Depending on which way you look at it, erectile dysfunction in itself does not need diagnosing at all since it is usually a symptom of an underlying condition. As such, it is the underlying cause that is diagnosed and not ED. In other circumstances, it often is unnecessary to diagnose the fundamental cause of the impotence, since most treatments will be the same in any case. However, there are an array of tests and methods that exist to handle both situations.