ED is when a man is unable to get an erection or keep it long enough to have penetrative sex or masturbate. It can affect relationships and confidence, but ED is treatable. 

ED can have physical, lifestyle, medicinal and psychological causes. Most often, it is due to a reduced blood flow to the penis. We’ve compiled the most common below:

Additionally, find out if screen time is damaging your sex life in our survey report.

“ED can have both physical and psychological causes. In most cases it is due to a reduced blood flow to the penis. However external factors, including some lifestyle choices, can also cause erectile problems.” - Dr Neel Patel

8 out of 10 men will have a good chance of ED medication working. It increases blood flow to the penis, enabling an erection when aroused.  

Side effects vary per treatment, but ED pill side effects commonly include:

• Headaches
• Facial flushing
• Indigestion
• Nausea
• Nasal congestion
• Back / muscle ache

Uncommon side effects (can affect up to 1 in 100 people) can include:

• Vomiting
• Chest pain
• Allergic reaction
• Eye irritation
• Heart palpitations

Rare side effects (can affect up to 1 in 1000 people) can include:

• Painful erections
• Decrease / loss of vision
• Skin reactions
• Irregular heartbeat
• Fainting

For ED creams common side effects include itches, inflammation and rashes. Uncommon side effects include light-headedness, prolonged change to sensation, and potential for UTI.

Most common side effects are mild. If you are suffering from any side effects, please talk to your GP.

There are several ED treatments available in both pill and cream forms. If you’re wondering which erectile dysfunction treatment is best for you, take a look at this comparison table.

Several of these treatments are available in their generic forms (Sildenafil, Tadalafil, etc.). Take an online consultation to determine which treatment is right for you.

If you don’t feel that medical treatment for erectile dysfunction is right for you, there are several alternative treatments available:

• Counselling can help if stress or anxiety are causing your ED.
• Lifestyle changes like a healthier diet or cutting back on alcohol or drug use can have a positive effect on blood flow.
• Devices like vacuum pumps or constriction rings can also be effective.
• Penile prosthesis surgery can be performed. However, this is a last resort option to patients that have failed to respond to any medical, mechanical or psychological treatment.
• Non-prescription remedies and pills for sale online are often not regulated. For your safety, we advise you to avoid these.

ED can often be a symptom of a health condition affecting your blood vessels and heart. These can include high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. If left untreated these could lead to serious health problems such as heart or kidney disease. We advise you to have a health check to check there is no underlying condition causing your ED.

“As erectile dysfunction has many possible underlying causes, there are multiple different ways to treat it. It’s important to establish what is causing the issue with your doctor so the correct course of treatment can be advised.” - Dr Neel Patel