Photo credit: Scott Beale / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Today I am searching the PubMed and PsycInfo research databases to keep myself informed. These are public medical research databases in the U.S.. In my psychological research work, I spent countless hours combing through these databases to find research articles as references. The average internet reader spends a lot of time reading articles in the mainstream press that regurgitate and dumb down the original medical journal sources. It’s good that we have the press to clarify the language because sorting through terms like ‘regression analysis’ can become pretty tedious when you’re just trying to find a statistic on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in the U.S. (which is approx. 18 million men). That said, statistics can be easily twisted and rephrased to suit one’s point, even in the original research source, so it’s good to know what correlation vs. causation is when your reading through the jargon. I’m lucky to have this research reading skill so today I’m going to share with you some unique sex research in the area of erectile dysfunction. Follow direct links to the journal abstracts so that the source isn’t mysterious to you.

If you were wondering, no, I don’t just make a hobby out of searching databases on erectile dysfunction. In my clinical work, I help people with this issue and it’s important for me to stay up-to-date on the latest research. Who knew that I might have to refer someone to a dentist when they are having sexual difficulties!

Just in case you don’t know, Erectile Dysfunction (ED) refers to “repeated or sustained difficulty to achieve and maintain sufficient penile erection to complete satisfactory sexual intercourse or sexual activity in men.”

THE LATEST STRANGE NEWS IN ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

The following research has been released within the past several months.

Looks like there might be a relationship between gum disease and ED. Men with peridontal disease have higher prevalence of erectile dysfunction and researchers at Ironu University think it’s worthwhile to find out if peridontal disease could be a cause for ED. Here are the facts.

Stem cell research might be useful for erectile dysfunction. Researchers in China think that stem cells can be used to repair cavernous nerve damage that is directly linked to ED. Here are the facts.

A large waistline and lack of exercise are just a couple of factors associated with ED. In this case, ED is a strong predictor of coronary artery disease. Here are the facts.

A prior case of hemmorhoids is associated with ED. Here are the facts.

Recreational use of erectile dysfunction meds (eg., Viagra) in young men can create sexual dysfunction and reduce erectile performance. Here are the facts.

Having sudden hearing loss may be associated with erectile dysfunction due to an underlying vascular problem. Here are the facts.

IF YOU HAVE ONGOING ISSUES WITH ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

In my experience, ED can be treated and managed. In fact, many men can get back to full functioning once they understand the issue. Here is a link to a health blog that goes into broader detail about ED. Anxiety is one of the most common causes, so here is a link to the Journal of Impotence Research discussing anxiety and erectile dysfunction.