Is erectile dysfunction normal at my age?

It becomes more common with age: around 40% of men at 40 and close to 70% at 70. Common is not the same as untreatable, and age is not a reason to leave it.

Could this be a sign of something else?

Often, yes. The arteries involved are narrower than the heart's, so erectile dysfunction can appear before cardiovascular disease is otherwise apparent. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all found this way.

Is it psychological or physical?

Usually both, feeding each other. A useful clue is whether you still wake with erections, and it is one of the first things asked.

Could my medication be causing it?

Possibly. Antihypertensives, some antidepressants, antiandrogens, sedatives and some ulcer medications can all contribute. Bring your current list.

Do I have to be examined?

Not always. An examination is done where it will change the answer, such as when there is curvature, a lump, or pain, which point to Peyronie's disease.

Erectile dysfunction treatment in KL

About 40% of men have it at 40, and close to 70% by 70. It is common, it is treatable, and it is often the first warning of a blood vessel problem, which is why it is worth an appointment rather than a pharmacy shelf.

Ask about erectile dysfunction What causes erectile dysfunction

40% at 40and near 70% by age 70
2-3xmore likely with type 2 diabetes
Often firstsign of a heart or blood vessel problem
Walk inno appointment needed

Worth being seen about if any of these apply

Occasional difficulty is normal and happens to everyone. Difficulty that is getting worse, or that happens most times, is a medical problem with a medical answer.

Trouble getting an erection, or trouble keeping one
Reduced interest in sex, alongside the difficulty
No morning or night-time erections any more
It came on suddenly, or it has been worsening steadily
Curvature, a lump in the shaft, or painful erections
You have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease

The last line is not a side note. Erectile dysfunction is often the first sign of a blood vessel problem, and the appointment is worth having for that reason alone.

Why erectile dysfunction is worth being seen about

An erection depends on blood flow, and the arteries involved are narrower than the ones supplying the heart. That is why erectile dysfunction frequently shows up before angina does: the small vessels announce a problem the large ones are still hiding.

So the honest reason to come in is not only the symptom. Men with type 2 diabetes are two to three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction than men without it, and a first consultation about this routinely finds blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar that nobody had checked.

What causes erectile dysfunction

Rarely one thing. Most cases have a physical driver and a psychological one feeding each other, which is why an assessment covers both.

Physical

Type 2 diabetes, and the nerve and vessel damage it causes
Cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure
Chronic kidney disease and multiple sclerosis
Peyronie's disease: curvature from scar tissue in the shaft
Injury to the penis, spinal cord, prostate, bladder or pelvis, including after prostate cancer treatment
Obesity, heavy alcohol use and recreational drugs

Psychological and medication

Anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions
Stress, exhaustion and poor sleep
Relationship difficulty, or not being able to talk about it
Antihypertensives and some antidepressants
Antiandrogens used in prostate cancer treatment
Sedatives, appetite suppressants and some ulcer medications

What happens at the consultation

The history
How long it has been going on, whether it came on suddenly or gradually, whether you still wake with erections, and whether it changes with the situation. Each answer points somewhere different.
The rest of your health
Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and your current medication list. This is the part that finds the cause rather than treating the symptom.
Examination where it is warranted
Including for the curvature and scar tissue of Peyronie's disease, which is managed differently from everything else on this page.
A plan you agree to
Treating the underlying condition, changing a medication that is contributing, medication for the symptom itself, or addressing the psychological side. Usually more than one of those.

What else the clinic does about this

Health screening

Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and liver function. The tests that turn this symptom into a diagnosis.

The P-Shot

Platelet-rich plasma from your own blood, for mild to moderate dysfunction where tablets worked poorly or were not tolerated.

Stem cell therapy for ED

The newest of the regenerative options, and an honest account of how young its evidence is.

Mental health

Where anxiety, depression or stress is driving it, which is common and treatable in its own right.

Full STD screening

Where the difficulty started after a possible exposure, or worry about one is part of the picture.

This stays between you and your doctor

Your consultation: Private and non-judgmental, whatever your gender, orientation or relationship status.
Your records: Encrypted in the clinic's own system, and only you can authorise access to them. Clinic staff cannot retrieve your results without your explicit consent.
Your name: You do not have to give one to be seen. Patients who would rather test anonymously can do so.
Your doctor: Every doctor here is named on this site with their training, and one of them is a Family Medicine Specialist on the National Specialist Register. Follow-up questions and repeat prescriptions go to the doctor who saw you, directly on WhatsApp rather than through a front desk.

Come in, or ask first

Walk in any time we are open (daily, 9:00am to 8:00pm), or send a message and ask whatever you need to ask before you do.

Anything you'd like to add (optional)

Your messageHi, I'd like to book a visit about erectile dysfunction.

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Common questions

Is erectile dysfunction normal at my age?: It becomes more common with age: around 40% of men at 40 and close to 70% at 70. Common is not the same as untreatable, and age is not a reason to leave it.
Could this be a sign of something else?: Often, yes. The arteries involved are narrower than the heart's, so erectile dysfunction can appear before cardiovascular disease is otherwise apparent. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all found this way.
Is it psychological or physical?: Usually both, feeding each other. A useful clue is whether you still wake with erections, and it is one of the first things asked.
Could my medication be causing it?: Possibly. Antihypertensives, some antidepressants, antiandrogens, sedatives and some ulcer medications can all contribute. Bring your current list.
Do I have to be examined?: Not always. An examination is done where it will change the answer, such as when there is curvature, a lump, or pain, which point to Peyronie's disease.

Raise it in Kepong, walk in any day until 8pm

48, Jalan Lang Kuning, 52100 Kepong Baru, Kuala Lumpur.