Diagnosis of erectile dysfunction

The main objective of diagnosis of any disease is an identification of its reasons and obtaining additional information on specific features of each patient. The full picture of the medical and psychological anamnesis is necessary. Today, if the patient faces erectile dysfunction then his doctor also tries to involve in treatment the patient's sexual partner. This approach allows to pick up the most effective way of further medical treatment.

At the first visit of medical institution for the patient with suspicion on erectile dysfunction, doctors try to create the pleasant psychological atmosphere which will promote confidential conversation. In such cases, all details of intimate life are important. As a rule, the main objective of a doctor is to get a detailed description of the previous and present patient's sexual encounters before the first appearance of symptoms of such disease and after. At this stage, involvement of the patient's partner to conversation is undesirable.

Features of the patient's anamnesis

In the first stage, the doctor needs to understand the first symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Often the patient can't precisely define the prime cause of disease because it is a task of qualified specialists. The doctor makes an analysis of sexual experience, an emotional state at sexual intercourse and tries to obtain possible psychological injuries of the patient.

According to the patient, the description of density and hardness of a penis during the sexual intercourse is formed; erection duration during various temporary periods of sexual life is considered. Duration of an erection is estimated both at morning awakening, and at sexual excitement. The most important point is the assessment of an ejaculation and an orgasm. In order to make this assessment the specially developed questionnaires are given to the patient to be filled. The most widespread of them - International Index for Erectile Function (IIEF).

Physical inspection

This type of research is carried out by the urologist. Distinctive feature of this stage of diagnostics is a lack of use of any specialized equipment. The main objective to perform inspection are hands. In medicine it is called a palpation. The patient in that case doesn't feel big concern, and the doctor makes the analysis of all expressed pathologies.

Research on tactile irritants, which reflect work of nervous system, is conducted. The doctor also makes the analysis of external signs of shortage of hormones, for example, lack of hair on a chin, increase in mammary glands. Also, the violations of pulse in a lower body can be noted. The complex primary inspection of the patient at this stage comes to an end.

Laboratory researches

As a rule, a complex medical inspection is appointed to the patient. The most obligatory are:

• Glucose tes.
• The test for detection of hormones. The special importance represents testosterone.
• General analysis of blood.

All listed examinations are conducted in one day on an empty stomach in the morning. Perhaps the doctor will consider it necessary to appoint some other analyses. There are specialized diagnostic tests, which help to discover erectile dysfunction in modern laboratory centers.

If diagnosis of erectile dysfunction showed that the patient faces more than three months manifestation of an illness, and further analyses confirm an existence of associated diseases such as diabetes, then experts of other areas of medicine are connected to the plan of treatment.