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Diseases » Impotence » Causes

Causes of Impotence



Contents

List of causes of Impotence

Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Impotence) that could possibly cause Impotence includes:

More causes: see full list of causes for Impotence

Causes of Impotence (Diseases Database):

The follow list shows some of the possible medical causes of Impotence that are listed by the Diseases Database:

Source: Diseases Database

Causes of Impotence: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Impotence.

Impotence: Medical causes
(Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))

Central nervous system disorders

Spinal cord lesions from trauma produce sudden impotence

A complete lesion above S2 (upper motor neuron lesion) disrupts descending motor tracts to the genital area, causing a loss of voluntary erectile control but not of reflex erection and reflex ejaculation. However, a complete lesion in the lumbosacral spinal cord (lower motor neuron lesion) causes a loss of reflex ejaculation and reflex erection. Spinal cord tumors and degenerative diseases of the brain and spinal cord (such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) cause progressive impotence.

Endocrine disorders

Hypogonadism from testicular or pituitary dysfunction may lead to impotence from a deficient secretion of androgens (primarily testosterone)

Adrenocortical and thyroid dysfunction and chronic hepatic disease may also cause impotence because these organs play a role (although minor) in sex hormone regulation.

Penile disorders

With Peyronie’s disease, the penis is bent, making erection painful and penetration difficult and eventually impossible

Phimosis prevents erection until circumcision releases the constricted foreskin. Other inflammatory, infectious, or destructive diseases of the penis may also cause impotence.

Psychological distress

Impotence can result from diverse psychological causes, including depression, performance anxiety, memories of previous traumatic sexual experiences, moral or religious conflicts, and troubled emotional or sexual relationships.

Other causes

Alcohol and drugs

Alcoholism and drug abuse are associated with impotence, as are many prescription drugs, especially antihypertensives. (See Drugs that may cause impotence, page 352.)

Surgery

Surgical injury to the penis, bladder neck, urinary sphincter, rectum, or perineum can cause impotence, as can injury to local nerves or blood vessels.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Erectile disorder: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Statistics indicate an organic basis for erectile dysfunction in 20% to 50% of men who have this disorder. In some patients, psychogenic and organic factors coexist, making isolation of the primary cause difficult.

Psychogenic causes may be intrapersonal, reflecting personal sexual anxieties, or interpersonal, reflecting a disturbed sexual relationship. Intrapersonal factors generally involve guilt, fear, depression, or feelings of inadequacy resulting from previous traumatic sexual experience, rejection by parents or peers, exaggerated religious orthodoxy, abnormal mother-son intimacy, or homosexual experiences. Interpersonal factors may stem from differences in sexual preferences between partners, lack of communication, insufficient knowledge of sexual function, or nonsexual personal conflicts. Situational impotence, a temporary condition, may develop in response to stress, as in performance anxiety.

Organic causes may include chronic diseases, such as cardiopulmonary disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or renal failure; spinal cord trauma; complications of surgery; drug- or alcohol-induced dysfunction; and, rarely, genital anomalies or central nervous system defects.

Erection problems are common in adult men, with almost all men experiencing occasional difficulty getting or maintaining an erection.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Impotence: Medical causes
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))

Central nervous system disorders

Spinal cord lesions from trauma produce sudden impotence. A complete lesion above S2 (upper-motor-neuron lesion) disrupts descending motor tracts to the genital area, causing loss of voluntary erectile control but not of reflex erection and reflex ejaculation. However, a complete lesion in the lumbosacral spinal cord (lower-motor-neuron lesion) causes loss of reflex ejaculation and reflex erection. Spinal cord tumors and degenerative diseases of the brain and spinal cord (such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) cause progressive impotence.

Endocrine disorders

Hypogonadism from testicular or pituitary dysfunction may lead to impotence from deficient secretion of androgens (primarily testosterone). Adrenocortical and thyroid dysfunction and chronic hepatic disease may also cause impotence because these organs play a role (although minor) in sex hormone regulation.

Penile disorders

With Peyronie’s disease, the penis is bent, making erection painful and penetration difficult and eventually impossible. Phimosis prevents erection until circumcision releases constricted foreskin. Other inflammatory, infectious, or destructive diseases of the penis may also cause impotence.

Peripheral neuropathy

Systemic diseases, such as chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus, can cause progressive impotence if the patient develops peripheral neuropathy. This condition affects about 50% of males with diabetes. Associated signs and symptoms of diabetic neuropathy include bladder distention with overflow incontinence, orthostatic hypotension, syncope, paresthesia and other sensory disturbances, muscle weakness, and leg atrophy.

Psychological distress

Impotence can result from diverse psychological causes, including depression, performance anxiety, memories of previous traumatic sexual experiences, moral or religious conflicts, and troubled emotional or sexual relationships.

Trauma

Traumatic injury involving the penis, urethra, prostate, perineum, or pelvis may cause sudden impotence due to structural alteration, nerve damage, or interrupted blood supply.

Vascular disorders

Various vascular disorders can cause impotence. These include advanced arteriosclerosis affecting both major and peripheral blood vessels, Leriche’s syndrome (slowly developing occlusion of the terminal abdominal aorta), and arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, or embolization of smaller vessels supplying the penis.

Other causes

Alcohol and drugs

Alcoholism and drug abuse are associated with impotence, as are many prescription drugs, especially antihypertensives. (See Drugs that may cause impotence.)

Surgery

Surgical injury to the penis, bladder neck, urinary sphincter, rectum, or perineum can cause impotence, as can injury to local nerves or blood vessels.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Erectile DysfunCtion: Differential Overview
(Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis)

❑ Psychological

❑ Drugs

❑ Diabetes mellitus

❑ Androgen deficiency

❑ Aortoiliac occlusion

❑ Hypogastric-cavernous occlusion

❑ Pudendal artery occlusion

❑ Venous leak

❑ Primary gonadal failure

❑ Peyronie disease

❑ Post-prostatectomy

❑ Prolactin excess

❑ Spinal cord lesion

❑ Post-priapism

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Impotence: Medical causes
(Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)

Central nervous system disorders.Spinal cord lesions from trauma produce sudden impotence. A complete lesion above S2 (upper motor neuron lesion) disrupts descending motor tracts to the genital area, causing a loss of voluntary erectile control but not of reflex erection and reflex ejaculation. However, a complete lesion in the lumbosacral spinal cord (lower motor neuron lesion) causes a loss of reflex ejaculation and reflex erection. Spinal cord tumors and degenerative diseases of the brain and spinal cord (such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) cause progressive impotence.

Endocrine disorders.Hypogonadism from testicular or pituitary dysfunction may lead to impotence from a deficient secretion of androgens (primarily testosterone). Adrenocortical and thyroid dysfunction and chronic hepatic disease may also cause impotence because these organs play a role (although minor) in sex hormone regulation.

Penile disorders.With Peyronie's disease, the penis is bent, making erection painful and penetration difficult and eventually impossible. Phimosis prevents erection until circumcision releases the constricted foreskin. Other inflammatory, infectious, or destructive diseases of the penis may also cause impotence.

Psychological distress.Impotence can result from diverse psychological causes, including depression, performance anxiety, memories of previous traumatic sexual experiences, moral or religious conflicts, and troubled emotional or sexual relationships.

Other causes

Alcohol and drugs.Alcoholism and drug abuse are associated with impotence, as are many prescription drugs, especially antihypertensives. (See Drugs that may cause impotence.)

Surgery.Surgical injury to the penis, bladder neck, urinary sphincter, rectum, or perineum can cause impotence, as can injury to local nerves or blood vessels.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Impotence as a complication of other conditions:

Other conditions that might have Impotence as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Impotence. Our database lists the following as having Impotence as a complication of that condition:

Impotence as a symptom:

Conditions listing Impotence as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Impotence. Our database lists the following as having Impotence as a symptom of that condition:

Medications or substances causing Impotence:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Impotence as a symptom. This list is incomplete and various other drugs or substances may cause your symptoms. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

See full list of 414 medications causing Impotence


What causes Impotence?

Causes: Impotence: About 70% of cases of impotence are actually caused by an underlying disease, such as diabetes or kidney disease, rather than a mental or physical problem. Secondary impotence from various drugs and medications is common. Physical damage from injury or surgery is another common cause of impotence. Psychological causes of impotence are estimated to be only 10-20% of cases. Although psychological aspects such as anxiety and fear of sexual failure are commonly associated with impotence, they are not usually the real case, but are a reaction to having impotence.
Impotence usually has a physical cause, such as disease, injury, or drug side-effects. Any disorder that impairs blood flow in the penis has the potential to cause impotence. (Source: excerpt from Impotence: NIDDK)

Medical news summaries relating to Impotence:

The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Impotence:

Cause statistics for Impotence:

The following are statistics from various sources about the causes of Impotence:

  • 3.9% of diabetic men attending specialist diabetes services had an erectile dysfunction in Australia 2002 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)

Related information on causes of Impotence:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Impotence may be found in:


 » Next page: Risk Factors for Impotence

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