Diagnosis for Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Initially, the diagnosis would be started by your doctor by asking few questions and then doing some physical exam.

Medical and sexual histories help define the degree and nature of erectile dysfunction. A medical history can disclose diseases that lead to erectile dysfunction. A physical examination can give clues to systemic problems. For example, if the penis is not sensitive to touching, a problem in the nervous system may be the cause. Several laboratory tests can help diagnose erectile dysfunction. Tests for systemic diseases include blood counts, urinalysis, lipid profile, and measurements of creatinine and liver enzymes. Monitoring erections that occur during sleep (nocturnal penile tumescence) can help rule out certain psychological causes of erectile dysfunction. Healthy men have involuntary erections during sleep. If nocturnal erections do not occur, then erectile dysfunction is likely to have a physical rather than psychological cause. A psychosocial examination, using an interview and a questionnaire, reveals psychological factors. A man's sexual partner may also be interviewed to determine expectations and perceptions during sexual intercourse.

Other tests may also be required. It is up to your doctor to decide that which tests are needed for you.

How do you know that you have erectile dysfunction (ED)?

The primary symptom of erectile dysfunction or erectile dysfunction is quite the same for everybody. But how you experience this problem depends largely on the root cause of this problem. If you have erectile dysfunction because of some psychological reasons like nervousness or the sexual activity taking place too suddenly, you may still be able to get occasional erections, for e.g. during sleep or when you first wake up. But when damaged nerves, closed arteries or other physical problems are the cause, the problem usually deteriorates gradually until you can't have any erection at all without any medical help.

Identifying the symptoms for yourself is the first step to treatment before you go and tell your physician about your symptoms and the problem. Your doctor can either do some physiological tests, urine test, blood test etc. or may refer you to an urologist, a doctor who specializes in treating erectile dysfunction(ED).