6 Tips For Open & Honest Conversations About Erectile Dysfunction
The successful man is, for the most part, fearless. But sometimes in life, something just pops up. (Or it doesn’t.) When a man’s erection is not happening, he discovers what he may fear most. And for many men that is how to deal with erectile dysfunction in a relationship.
You may take great pride in pushing through obstacles. Perhaps you view it as a way of life and enjoy accomplishing goals at the gym or on the athletic field. Some of these achievements require great willpower, but no amount of willpower can cause an erection. Fortunately, ED is treatable and there are more and better options than you may realize. Life presents many challenges and you may feel like you have climbed many mountains. If you are in a relationship and are experiencing ED, you are not in this alone. In fact, it is likely that your partner is thinking, “My husband or boyfriend has ED, how do I cope?”
How to Deal with Impotence in your Marriage/Relationship
You may be somewhat embarrassed by your situation. If you are committed to your relationship with your partner now is not the time to pull back. Your commitment will be of great benefit for you in what will be one of the most important conversations you will have with your partner. To help you take the next step toward that conversation here are some simple tips on how you can talk to your wife about intimacy.
- There’s no “I” in team. When you talk to your partner about your erectile dysfunction, remember that you and your partner are on the same team. Teammates communicate. You may feel quite down about your situation, but this is no time to go rogue and start beating yourself up or suffering in silence. Relationships are a team sport, and like all team sports, you won’t win this game on your own.
- Set the mood. If you have learned to read your partner, you will plan the right time and place for the conversation. Choose a time when you are both free of most other stress from the day or from your life in general. In choosing a place, remember that while you will desire some level of privacy, your talk does not have to be in your bedroom or even in your home. It could be on a walk or sitting by a lake. What’s most important is understanding that your impotence and marriage problems may be closely linked.
- Start with the truth. It is important that you start by reminding your partner of how much you love and trust them. The real truth is that there’s a problem with your penis (or the network of blood vessels and set of hormones that enable it to become erect). The problem, by the way, is experienced by “approximately 10 percent of men per decade of life (i.e., 50 percent of men in their 50s),” with symptoms growing more severe as you age.
- Let him or her know it’s not their Whether the cause is physical or emotional, your erectile dysfunction is not your partner’s fault. Anyone who is dating a man with erectile dysfunction will almost certainly have had thoughts about it being their fault. At this point, you likely do not know the cause so there is no need to seek to blame either of you. Although there may be changes you can make in your lifestyle to reduce your risk of ED. Without knowing the root cause, you would only be guessing at this point.
- Create a plan. Begin by understanding that women want to help a husband or partner with erectile dysfunction conversation isn’t likely to cure your ED, but you can create a plan for getting to the bottom of what is happening. That plan may include doing some research online and setting up a doctor’s appointment. Your goal here should be to enroll your partner in supporting your plan and providing input into it.
- Be true to your word. Commitment is the lifeblood of any relationship and keeping one’s commitments is the hallmark of a man who has it all together. Whatever you plan, make sure that you do exactly what you said you would do. Your partner will appreciate your commitment. As much of a potential threat as ED could be to a relationship, breaking your word by not following through on your plan could do even more damage.
You had the talk with your partner about erectile dysfunction, now what?
- Pat yourself on the back, champ.
- Take a relaxing breath. You might now feel less pressure to perform. Besides, there are plenty of ways to have fun and enjoy each other. You may discover that lowering the psychological pressure helps you put ED into perspective, and in some cases, may effectively treat it.
- See a medical professional. Your physician can help determine the root cause of your ED and recommend treatment options. You may wish to take your partner with you for this appointment.
If Your ED is Age or Physiologically Based
When the time is right for that talk, you will be glad to know that if your erectile dysfunction is determined to have a physiological or age-based cause, there is a treatment approach that can free you from the pills and their potential health risks as well as the lost spontaneity that their use may create. That approach is called Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (LI-ESWT).
This new and highly effective approach to ED is being spearheaded in the US by what’s known as GAINSWave®, the premium brand of shockwave therapy for ED. The GAINSWave treatment is backed by more than 30 clinical studies and is a non-invasive procedure that uses soundwaves to increase blood flow to the penis. This approach is highly effective. In fact, most GAINSWave patients experience a 75% success rate.
The procedure is performed in less than 30 minutes during an office visit, and your full course of treatment typically takes anywhere from 6 to 12 sessions. Best of all, GAINSWave therapy addresses the root causes of erectile dysfunction, rather than merely treating the symptoms. Growth factors are released, vessel-blocking plaques are broken up, and new blood vessels are created. This therapy targets the source of the problem, rather than simply addressing the symptoms with injections or pills.
So, go ahead and have that talk with your partner about your erectile dysfunction. It’s the big first step. Then look at your options, keeping in mind that now they include more than just a little blue pill.
