The Link Between Erectile Dysfunction and Kidney Disease

The Link Between Erectile Dysfunction and Kidney Disease
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Kidney Disease

The body needs the kidneys in order for the urinary system to function properly. If your kidneys are not functioning correctly, it can lead to serious health problems.

Kidney disease can occur for a variety of reasons. If you are in an accident or come in contact with certain poisons, your healthy kidneys can begin to fail suddenly. Other types of chronic health issues can slowly lead to kidney disease. High blood pressure and diabetes can both cause kidney damage. If the damage is only harming one kidney, you should be able to lead a typically normal life. However, if both kidneys begin to fail you may have to begin regular dialysis or even receive a kidney transplant.

Kidney disease by itself can be difficult to deal with. In addition, if you are a man suffering from kidney disease you may also begin to be plagued with erectile dysfunction.

ED and Diseased Kidneys

Unfortunately, erectile dysfunction and kidney disease can go hand in hand. One reason that kidney disease can cause erectile dysfunction is because of the overall changes that your body will go through. When you suffer from kidney problems when you can experience fatigue, hormonal changes and circulation issues. These three factors can cause your sex drive to be lower and can also prevent you from becoming erect or cause you difficulty in staying erect.

Medications used to treat kidney problems can also cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect. If your kidneys are in bad shape your health care provider may put you on diuretics, blood pressure medication, iron supplements, beta-blockers and more. These medications can cause your body to go through a lot of changes which can lead to erectile dysfunction. In addition, many medications can cause depression which also can have a negative effect on your sex drive.

Achieving Erection with Kidney Disease

Although erectile dysfunction and kidney disease can make your sex life miserable at first, there are treatments that can help improve your erectile capabilities. It is important to let your doctor know if you begin experiencing erectile dysfunction after being diagnosed with kidney disease or starting a new medication to treat your kidney problems.

Your doctor may be able to switch your medication regime and see if your erectile problem improves. There are also a long list of prescription erectile dysfunction medications on the market. Your doctor can let you know which ones are safe for you to try in combination with your current health issues and other medications. Some doctors are also willing to allow their patients to try herbal treatments or medical injections.In extreme cases, surgery can be done to put an artificial implant in your penis.

It is important to live a healthy lifestyle. Doing so can help to improve your kidney function and put you at less risk for erectile dysfunction. It is suggested that kidney disease patients should avoid drinking alcohol, quit smoking and exercise moderately a few times a week.

Resources

NKUDIC: Kidneys- https://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/Kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/#renal

Hello Life: Erectile Dysfunction and Kidney Disease- https://www.hellolife.net/explore/erectile-dysfunction/disease-causes-of-erectile-dysfunction-kidney-disease/

WebMD: Physical Causes of Erectile Dysfunction- https://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/guide/physical-causes-erectile-dysfunction

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