Erection problems - What will happen?

In this section

What happens as you get older

You and your partner may be worried that you won't be able to have an erection or enjoy sex again. You may also be worried about what this means for your relationship. These worries may be making it harder to get an erection. You can get into a vicious circle.

Men used to think they just had to put up with erection problems. But now there are treatments that work for most men.[1] If you have treatment, your erection problems and your sex life are likely to get better.

Viagra has been called a 'miracle drug' for erection problems. It works for many men, but not for all. There are other treatments. You should be able to find one that works for you.

There are many ways to give and receive sexual pleasure. You don't have to have an erection. It's important to talk about sex with your partner. Your partner may feel that he or she is to blame for your erection problems. You may both find it difficult to talk about sex and it's important to be very careful about your partner's feelings.

What happens as you get older

There are some natural changes that happen to most men over time.[2] These changes don't mean that you'll enjoy sex less, just that it may feel different.

You may have less desire for sex.
Your penis may not get as stiff.
You may not have as much feeling in your penis.
It may take longer to get an erection.
To get an erection, you may need more direct touching of your penis instead of thinking exciting thoughts.
The feeling (orgasm) when you ejaculate (when you climax and semen comes out of your penis) may be less intense.
You may have less semen when you ejaculate.
You may not ejaculate every time you have sex.
It may take longer for you to recover from ejaculating before you're ready to have sex again.

References

Jordan GH. Erectile function and dysfunction. Postgraduate Medicine. 1999; 105: 131-134, 137-138, 143-144 passim.
Meuleman EJ. Prevalence of erectile dysfunction: need for treatment? International Journal of Impotence Research. 2002; 14 (supplement 1): S22-S28.

Glossary

semen: Semen is the whitish fluid that is released through the penis during an orgasm. Semen is made up of millions of tiny sperm floating in fluid. Sperm are the part of the semen that can join with a woman's eggs to make her pregnant. Sperm are made in the testicles, and travel through tubes (called the vas deferens) to get to the penis. Along the way, the sperm are joined by fluid that is released from the prostate and seminal vesicles. This fluid helps the sperm to travel and provides them with nutrients.
ejaculation: When a man ejaculates, his penis suddenly releases semen, the white or transparent fluid that carries sperm.

This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.