Is getting or keeping an erection harder than it used to be?
When erections become hard to get or hold onto, doctors call it erectile dysfunction (ED). Many men deal with it, many treatments exist, and a urologist is a good person to ask.
Why does it happen?
Erections depend on hormones, nerves, blood vessels, muscles and mood working together. Our urologists look at the common causes, including heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, hormone imbalance, nerve damage, substance use and stress. Because some of those also affect heart health, ED can be a useful early signal to look further.
So what does the appointment involve?
Expect questions about your health history, current prescriptions and remedies already tried, then an exam and possibly a blood draw at Crown Pointe Way, with testosterone added when tiredness or low drive is part of the story. The aim is to find the cause before choosing a treatment.
Which treatments might we discuss?
- Lifestyle changes: exercise, weight, alcohol, smoking and stress.
- Prescription PDE5 inhibitor medicines such as sildenafil or tadalafil.
- Low-intensity shockwave therapy, a non-surgical in-office option.
- An implanted penile prosthesis when tablets and other steps fall short.
Which option fits depends on your exam, your health and your goals.
If a symptom is sudden, severe or comes with fever, use the emergency room rather than waiting for an appointment.
Ready to see one of our urologists? Call us to book a visit in Lawrenceville or Braselton.
Call (678) 344-8900How is ED linked to your heart?
We often find heart disease, high cholesterol or diabetes behind ED. Because the penis has small blood vessels, erection trouble can show up before heart symptoms do, so our urologists may recommend checking with your primary care doctor.
Which treatments are offered at Crown Pointe Way?
Shockwave sessions take place in the office, and penile implant surgery is performed at the Lawrenceville Clinic & Surgery Center. If ED follows prostate cancer treatment, we can talk about penile rehabilitation as well.
What do men ask about ED?
Is it okay to use tablets bought online?
Please talk with us first. Some products contain unlisted ingredients, and some heart medicines do not mix with ED tablets.
Can ED be related to low testosterone?
It can, which is why we often check testosterone at the same visit.
What about Peyronie's disease?
If erections curve or hurt, see our Peyronie's page; our urologists treat that too.
What else do patients ask?
What happens after I book online?
Our Gwinnett scheduling team confirms the time, notes your main concern and lets you know what paperwork, medication list and insurance card to have ready.
What else do patients ask about this?
Can ED be a sign of something else?
It may be, since narrowed arteries often affect erections first; your Dacula-area urologist may suggest cholesterol, pressure and sugar checks.
Does treatment for low T affect fertility?
It can. If a future pregnancy with your partner is part of the plan, tell us, because it changes which options make sense.
Is ED common?
Very. It becomes more frequent with age, diabetes, heart disease and some medicines.
How soon will I know my testosterone level?
Our team will tell you when results are expected and how you will hear about them.
Can I talk about this by phone first?
Yes. Call (678) 344-8900 and our team can answer general questions and book a visit.
Will I see a physician or a physician assistant?
Either may see you, working together as one Braselton team.
Is ED just part of getting older?
Age makes it likelier, yet Athens men have plenty of ways to treat it, and putting up with it is optional.
Will testosterone fix my erections?
For some Athens men it helps, but erection trouble usually has several contributors that we review together.
Which videos can help?
Watch on YouTube: #007 - Breaking Down Erectile Dysfunction: Causes, Treatments, and New AdvancesWhat the video covers: A podcast episode on erectile dysfunction: its causes, how it is diagnosed, and treatment options from lifestyle changes to medication and newer approaches.
- Watch: #007 - Breaking Down Erectile Dysfunction: Causes, Treatments, and New Advances
- Watch: Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Treatment Options Presented by Dr. Chirag Dave
These open on Advanced Urology's YouTube channel.
Ready to talk with our urologists? We're here for you.