Physical health does not comprise only your hands and legs. It also includes your personal bedroom life, also known as sex life or intimate life. In the modern world also talking about sexual health and wellness is considered taboo. Since we are on the topic, and you are looking for answers to why you can’t get fully hard and have trouble keeping an erection, you are at the right place. Today you will get answers to all the questions related to why can’t I maintain an erection.
1. What is the Anatomy of Phallus?
Take a look at the following parts that comprise the phallus or penis.
- It has two chambers, namely corpora cavernosa. It is composed of maze-like blood vessels that are shaped like a sponge.
- The urethra is under corpora cavernosa, and it is the channel for releasing urine and sperm.
- Erectile tissues comprise 2 main arteries and several veins along with nerves, that surround the urethra.
- The shaft is the longest part of the phallus.
- The glans (head) is the end or tip of the phallus.
- The Meatus is the opening at the tip from where urine and sperms are discharged. (See What Are Physical Attributes?)
2. What is Erection?
It is a physical phenomenon beginning with sensory and mental stimulation, which occurs when the blood vessels of the corpora cavernosa relax and open up. As the vessels open up it gives way for blood to flow through them easily and with great pressure in the cavernous arteries. This blood is then trapped in these arteries resulting in an erection. (See What are Sleep Disorders?)
3. Why you can’t get Fully Hard?
An erection takes place with the coordination of your brain, circulatory system, hormones, muscles, and nerves. But when a male cannot maintain an erection, he is said to be suffering from erectile dysfunction. It can be of two types. One is completely unable to get an erection, while the other is having trouble maintaining the erection. Also, check out what are the advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction?
4. What are the Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction?
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the following are the symptoms of erectile dysfunction or trouble keeping an erection.
- Unable to get erected during sexual intercourse.
- Got an erection but could not maintain it for longer.
- Avoiding sexual activity due to fear of no erection or other psychological or health issues. (See How Do We Get Sick?)
5. Why can’t I Maintain an Erection?
Various underlying health issues can lead to erectile dysfunction.
- Heart problems: Erections need blood flowing through the veins in the phallus and getting trapped. However, with an unhealthy heart and clogged arteries, this is difficult. Clogged arteries are the cause of atherosclerosis which can be the reason for erectile dysfunction. Also, high blood pressure can be one of the reasons. Must read How many Heartbeats in a Day of Humans?
- Diabetes: High levels of blood glucose damage the blood vessels also the ones which supply blood to the phallus. This can be the cause of erectile dysfunction.
- Obesity: It is the root cause of various other health issues like pretension and diabetes and may also be a reason if you can’t get fully hard. Young overweight males must work towards losing weight to reduce the risk of erection dysfunction.
- Hormonal disorders: Testosterone is a male hormone and a little imbalance in these hormones may lead to erection dysfunction. Also, overproduction of the hormone prolactin (a hormone released from the pituitary gland) may be the cause. Using steroids for building muscle mass poses a higher risk of erection dysfunction. And over or under secretion of thyroid hormone is also considered one of the reasons leading to this dysfunction. (See How Testosterone affects male behaviour?)
- Psychological causes: The process of erection begins in the mind and anything causing a disturbance or upset mind can hinder the process. Anxiety and depression may interfere with the process. Also, if the male is disturbed and cannot find pleasure in things including sexual intercourse, then also erection problems occur. Today everyone is stressed and the list to figure out if you have these disturbances or not are financial stress, job-related issues, relationship problems, poor communication among partners, substance use disorder, etc.
- Medications: If a person is taking medications for blood pressure, antidepressants, or any such medicines, there are possible chances of developing erection dysfunction and can having problems related to can’t get fully hard. But stopping these medicines all of a sudden is not the solution. It is better to consult your doctor and have open communication about it.
- Unhealthy lifestyle: What you put into your body is one major cause of various health-related problems. Smoking and drinking, doing no exercise, no sleep schedule, etc. are the traits of a bad and unhealthy lifestyle. If you are doing so, then you know what and where things are going wrong.
- Age factor: Aging men face this problem mostly, but age is not the restrictive factor here. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 4 % of guys in their 50s, and 17% of men in their 60s are having difficulties getting an erection. And about 50% of men over 75 years suffer from it. However, this problem can be treated if you are wondering, why can’t I maintain an erection?
6. What Measures should you take?
As per experts’ advice take a look at the following measures if you are facing trouble keeping an erection.
- Maintain your cholesterol, blood sugar, glucose, and blood pressure levels under control.
- Try counseling and visiting a therapist.
- Seek medical help and do not be your doctor.
- Communicate with your partner about your erection problem to avoid any misunderstanding.
- Changing your lifestyle habits can improve situations possibly. Like you should intake a nutrient-rich, do more exercise, and lose weight to reach your ideal weight.
- Also, if you still can’t get fully hard, quit smoking and drinking to have more great results on your overall health. And with a healthy body, other problems including erectile dysfunction can also be resolved. Also, check out Can Cancer be Cured?
7. Is it a better option to Consult a therapist?
If the situation persists, it is better to seek help from experts, therapists, or mental health professionals. This way you can understand and get to know about underlying psychological issues leading to this problem. And as the problem is located it will be easy to treat it. (See Uses of EMDR for Anxiety Reduction)
So, today you got to know the reasons behind can’t get fully hard and why can’t I maintain an erection. You can share this information with someone facing trouble keeping an erection and help them out. (Also read Test To See If You need Glasses)
