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When you’re young, getting and keeping an erection is easy. A thought may be all it takes. But it’s really a complex process. A lot happens in the body to cause an erection:
- When a man is sexually excited, his brain and nerve cells send signals to blood vessels in his penis. This makes the blood vessels relax. Two chambers in the penis fill with blood. The penis expands.
- As the chambers fill, they press against veins that let blood out of the penis. This traps the blood inside. The penis stays erect.
- When the erection ends, blood flows out of the chambers.
Erections, blood flow, and health problems
Some men think that erection quality changes with age. That’s true, in some cases. But age alone does NOT cause erection difficulties. Some medical conditions that affect erections are more common with age. Even when controlled by medicine, some of these conditions may lead to changes in erections. They include:
These conditions can contribute to changes in erections because they affect blood flow, which is key to healthy erectile function. Other medical conditions that may cause erection difficulties or make them worse are:
- Kidney disease
- Too much alcohol
- Multiple sclerosis
- Hardening of the arteries
Also, prostate cancer treatment, including radiation and surgery, can harm nerves and arteries near the penis.
Call your doctor if erection difficulties occur when there is:
- Any type of injury to your back, legs, buttocks, groin, penis, or testicles
- A loss of pubic or armpit hair, and growth of the breasts
Also of Interest
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