In 1998, the FDA approved the use of Viagra. 20 years later, 62 million men across the world have tried the drug. In fact, after Viagra’s approval it enjoyed the fastest initial sales growth of $2 billion, just ten years after. While the drug has helped many men when they need it the most, the harmful effects of Viagra are often overlooked.
Erectile dysfunction has a tendency to drive men to desperation. For some, nothing is more important than getting it hard as quickly and cheaply as possible. Thus, they plunge into a downward spiral. Each new treatment gives a brief sensation of hope, which is just as quickly dashed against the rocks.
Dangerous side effects are the last thing that many of these men care about. After all, while that love kitten lies in your bed, are you really going to stop to read the ingredients? Of course not. However, there are countless cases of men, who have suffered the harmful effects of Viagra.
How Does Viagra Work?
An erection sprouts instantaneously. However, in that brief moment, a chain of complex processes, involving the brain, the heart and the blood, have just transpired, resulting in a cascade of blood. When this blood enters the penis, an erection is formed. In order to allow the maximum amount of blood in, the blood vessels of the penis relax and open up, allowing blood to fill the cavernosus arteries. A common cause of erectile dysfunction is improper blood circulation.
In layman terms, Viagra works by helping the penis tissue to relax, thereby allowing more blood to enter. In scientific terms, Viagra works by increasing the levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate, a nucleotide that relaxes smooth muscle tissue. Thus, Viagra helps to create an erection, not by fixing blood circulation issues, but by momentarily relaxing the penis, so that more blood enters.
Almost 25 years since Viagra was introduced, marketers have successfully branded the pill as a ‘wonder drug’. Doubtful that one suffering from erectile dysfunction has to have his arm twisted to temporarily be cured of the condition. However, Viagra has a slew of common side effects that could easily make one regret taking it. In addition, some people have even suffered severe permanent damage as a result of the pill.
Common Harmful Effects of Viagra
Viagra has many side effects. What is worse, is that more than a quarter of all men who take the drug are likely to experience them. According to a 2002 study published in Reviews in Urology, similar side effects were seen in all Viagra trials.
- Headaches occurred in 28.6%
- Flushing occurred in 21.9%
- Dizziness occurred in 8.8%
- Dyspepsia (stomach pains) occurred in 6.5%
- Nasal congestion occurred in 5.4%
The duration of these side effects last just as long as the drug is in the body. As a result, the side effects will typically last three to five hours. However, some men have reported the conditions lasting hours after Viagra has worn off.
Viagra can Damage the Retina – Causing Severe Vision Problems
A recent case study published in the journal Retinal Cases and Brief Reports, concluded that long term usage of Viagra could cause long-term vision damage. The research included a 31 year old man who had shown up at a clinic, complaining of red-tinted vision that had not improved for two days.
A year later, his vision had not returned back to normal. His vision problems began shortly after taking Viagra. However, he had taken a significant amount more than the required dose.
Dr. Cuneyt Karaaslan, a physician working in a hospital in Turkey found that the pill can cause permanent damage to one’s vision. He reported cases of Viagra user’s vision turning blue, abnormal dilation of pupils, light sensitivity and blurry vision. All of these conditions can last for days.
The doctor was compelled to conduct the study after seventeen patients arrived in his office, all of which had taken the pill for the first time, within the past 48 hours. They all took 100 milligrams, the highest recommended dose.
A Healthline article, contends that Viagra works by dilating the body’s blood vessels, but is directed towards an enzyme that is responsible for penis erection. However, a similar enzyme exists in the body that is responsible for eyesight, namely how the eye perceives different colors. Doctor’s concluded that at high dosages, Viagra could lead to retinal toxicity.
Viagra (and other ED drugs) can Cause Hearing Loss
In 2007, The Journal of Laryngology & Otology published a report about a man who experienced hearing loss after taking Viagra. Immediately, the FDA searched their databases for all similar cases, and discovered 29 reports of hearing loss in men who had taken Viagra, Cialis or Levitra, the three most common ED medications. As a result, the FDA issued a stark warning that erectile dysfunction drugs can cause hearing loss.
All erectile dysfunction drugs fall in the class of PDE-5 inhibitors. Scientists have not yet determined how these drugs can cause hearing loss. However, experts believe that taking medication to improve blood flow, may indirectly increase blood to the ears, damaging the ear’s blood vessels, resulting in hearing loss.
One study on 11.525 men, all over the age of 40, gathered by the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, found that men who had used PDE-5i drugs were twice as likely to also suffer hearing loss compared to those who had not taken the drugs.
Viagra can Cause Serious Cardiovascular Problems
There are many reasons why someone could suffer a stroke or a heart attack as a result of using Viagra. For starters, most people using Viagra are older. The reason as to why they have erectile dysfunction is most likely an improper blood circulation, caused by obesity, smoking, excessive drinking, heart problems or a list of other reasons. Now, imagine this old obese guy, probably with heart problems, has sex. Would you be willing to bet the house that he does not have a heart attack?
Most heart attacks are caused by a myocardial infarction, which occurs when blood flow to the heart is interrupted. A heart attack occurs when the arteries providing blood to the heart become blocked or closed off. As a result, men with heart conditions should check with a doctor before consuming Viagra.
Safer Options
When an individual takes that blue pill, they are rolling the die, and risking severe health problems, even death. Of course, most of these men would agree that Viagra is well worth the risk. If only the knew of shockwave therapy, a procedure that uses low-intensity and high-frequency soundwaves to improve blood flow to the penis.
As noted earlier, Viagra successfully treats erectile dysfunction temporarily, by relaxing vessels in the penis, allowing more blood to flow in. A few hours after taking Viagra, the man is back in that deflated boat.
GAINSWave shockwave therapy treats the condition at the source of the problem. The procedure clears out the plaque in one’s blood, as well as creates new and healthy blood vessels. As a result, a man’s blood flow is improved and his erections last longer and are healthier.
The safe and non-invasive procedure requires just a few fifteen minute visits to a friendly provider’s office. Best of all, science proves GAINSWave is effective. Click this link and read the more than 30 clinical studies that all validate shockwave therapy.
Conclusion
Surely, you have been told that the quick and easy path is often filled with hazards. That blue pill may ensure a few hours of ecstasy tonight, but at what price? The harmful effects of Viagra could cause permanent damage. Instead of living with regret that you ever took that pill, speak with a GAINSWave provider today and learn about the single most effective erectile dysfunction treatment out there.
