Erectile dysfunction is defined as the consistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfying sexual activity. It affects an estimated 40% of South African men over 40, rises to 70% for those over 70, and is increasingly prevalent among younger men.
The mechanism of erection involves a coordinated sequence of neurological signals, arterial dilation, and venous valve closure. ED occurs when this sequence is disrupted — at the level of the blood vessels, the nerves, the hormones, or the psychology. Understanding which disruption is driving your ED is what makes treatment precise rather than speculative.
Common causes include reduced arterial blood flow (the most frequent physical cause), diabetes, hypertension, testosterone deficiency, medication side effects, and performance anxiety. In younger men, psychological causes predominate; in older men, vascular factors become increasingly significant.