HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
Erection problems (erectile dysfunction)
Ngā raruraru whakatūtū (o te ure)
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is when you cannot achieve or maintain satisfactory erections. It's common and becomes more common as men get older. It can be very distressing and frustrating for both men and their partners.
Erection dysfunction may be caused by non-medical problems such as tiredness, too much alcohol or recreational drug use, stress, depression or relationship problems.
Medical causes include problems with blood flow to your penis, diabetes, prostate problems or surgery and some medications.
Your general practice team can check if you have a condition causing your ED.
Medication to treat ED are available through your general practice team and some trained pharmacists. They work for most men but aren't suitable for everyone.
If you have a heart or other health condition, you need to talk to your general practice team to see if you can safely take these medications.
There are other treatments for ED including injections and implants that you can discuss with your general practice team.
HealthInfo recommends the following videos
- Healthy Male – Erectile dysfunction
A short video about erection problems.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Healthify He Puna Wairoa – Erectile dysfunction
More detailed information about erection problems.
- Patient.info – Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
This page explains what causes erection problems, how common they are, how they may be related to other conditions and how they're treated.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed August 2022.
SourcesReview key: HIPEH-223783
