It may be hard for some ....

The very delicate issue of erections

A healthy sex life is, for the majority of people, something which gives them great pleasure and fulfills a basic human need. It creates bonds, maintains relationships at a level desirable to both parties, and is also good for the mind and body. Being sexually active keeps us healthy!

There are times though when things go awry, and this often exhibits itself in men with an inability to have, or maintain a full erection. This situation can of course be damaging to the ego and creates a plethora of issues.

There are many possible causes, and I will insert some really interesting information which comes directly from the 'Andrology Australia' website, who may be contacted at: 1300 303 878. I'm sure they won't mind this pointer toward their site, after all, its a big problem to some people.

How does an erection happen?
Getting an erection relies on nerve messages from the brain, blood flow in the penis and a balance of chemicals in the body.
There are two tubes of spongy tissue that run along the length of the penis. A tough fibrous, partially elastic outer casing surrounds this spongy material.
Erections happen in response to sexual arousal. They begin with a message from nerves at the end of the spine, telling the blood vessels entering the spongy tissue of the penis to let more blood in. The spongy tissue then arranges itself in such a way that more blood can be stored in the penis. Blood flowing out of the penis is blocked off so the penis fills with blood and stretches within the outer casing, giving an erection.
In both the spongy tissue and blood vessels, muscle cells react to chemicals in the body, some which cause an erection and some which encourage a flaccid (soft) penis.
When a man is sexually stimulated, a chemical called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) is made, which helps to keep an erection. Phosphodiesterase inhibitor 5 (PDE5) is a natural enzyme that normally breaks down cGMP, causing the erection to be lost. The balance of cGMP and PDE5 controls whether the penis is hard or soft. If cGMP stays in the penis and is stopped from breaking down, it produces a better erection. By stopping PDE5 from doing its job, this helps keep a high level of cGMP, and thus keeps a strong erection.

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What part does the brain play in getting an erection?

The brain plays an important part in getting an erection. For an erection to happen the brain must be stimulated by sensations (real or imagined), for example, images, smells or sounds. When it receives this stimulus, impulses are sent down the spinal cord to the penis through nerves leaving the lower part of the spinal cord.
Erections can also happen from local feelings around the penis such as touch or a full bladder, which send impulses directly into the spinal cord to affect the erection nerves. The brain also sends a stimulus for an erection to happen three or four times through each night’s sleep.

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What causes erectile dysfunction?

Note: Even if a physical condition is the major cause of the erectile dysfunction, psychological factors may also play a part.

Many factors can interfere with getting an erection and often two or three factors are present at one time. Erectile dysfunction is often a sign of another serious, but possibly undiagnosed medical problem.
In other instances there may be no obvious cause for the erectile dysfunction. Research is helping medical scientists to understand what is happening in these instances and in doing so, is leading to new treatments becoming available.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking and diabetes can interfere with the functioning of muscle cells in the penis. Whilst the effects of these are partly reversible, when these medical problems have been present for a while, they can cause a permanent loss of the ability to get an erection.

Known causes of erectile dysfunction include:

Psychosocial issues	Performance anxiety Sexual attitudes and upbringing Relationship problems Employment and financial pressures Depression Psychiatric disorders
Serious health (metabolic) problems	Diabetes High blood pressure Obesity Chronic renal failure High cholesterol Sleep apnoea
Reduced blood flow	Atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)
Interference by medication, alcohol and other drugs	Cigarettes Alcohol and drug abuse Drugs used to treat: - Blood pressure - Cholesterol - Depression - Psychiatric disorders - Prostate cancer
Interference with nerve function	Spinal cord trauma Multiple Sclerosis Diabetic neuropathy Pelvic surgery (prostate, bowel) Parkinson's Disease Alzheimer's Disease
Urological problems	Peyronie's Disease Pelvic trauma

There, wasn't too hard was it ........ hypnosis is, and has been used to ease the psychological forms of this problem ... contact me with any questions.

My regards to you all, Dan. As always I can be found at www.cqhypnosis.com