Two types of erectile dysfunction are distinguished. Rare as it is, primary erectile dysfunction means that a male has never had an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. Secondary ED, a loss of erectile ability after a normal function, normally develops slowly unless resulted from an injury or sudden medical condition. People once believed that impotence was usually triggered by psychological problems. But nowadays we are aware that conditions such as strain, depression and fear of sexual failure are at the root of only 10% – 20% of ED. It is most often caused by physical factors, for instance vascular disorders, nerve damage, penile abnormalities. Erectile dysfunction can also be an adverse reaction to certain prescriptions and drugs obtained without a prescription.
However, whatever the causes are, it is common for males who experience impotence to have feelings of guilt, anxiety and low self-esteem.There are only 3 oral drugs sanctioned by the FDA to treat erectile dysfunction: Cialis, Levitra, and Viagra. The drugs relax the walls of the penis allowing more blood to flow to the organ, so that when a man is sexually aroused, he can attain an erection.

The drugs work in a similar way. There are insignificant differences in how long and how promptly the drug takes effect. Levitra works a little longer than Viagra. They both take effect in about thirty minutes. With Levitra, the effects last for about 5 hours. With Viagra, the effects last about 4 hours. Cialis works a little quicker (within about 15 minutes), and the effects last a lot longer – up to 36 hours in some cases.
Though each drug has proven effective, none is cure-all. Besides, they can result in health problems when taken with other medicines, especially with nitrate or nitroglycerin cardiac medications, and trigger more general side effects, such as splitting headaches and – in the case of Viagra – visual changes.
Alongside oral therapies, there are other treatment methods, such as mechanical therapies and surgery for severe cases of ED. The type of treatment, consequently, is dependent on the severity of ED.