Methods for seeking medical advice and self-assessment of erectile dysfunction

Why do doctors ask so many embarrassing questions when you go to the hospital?

When a patient visits the hospital, the doctor will ask him a series of detailed questions, and may even ask his wife.

Some patients feel that the questions asked are extremely private and are embarrassed to answer them.

Overly sensitive questions might lead to lying. Actually, this shows the doctor is very responsible; only in this way...

Only then can we truly understand your medical condition.

In medicine, the questions doctors ask constitute the medical history. Only by taking a detailed medical history can one truly understand and understand the patient's condition.

Only then can doctors make a basic assessment of a patient's erectile function. To accomplish this task, doctors...

First, it is necessary to confirm the authenticity of "erectile dysfunction" and understand the patient and their sexual partner.

The degree of satisfaction with sexual life. On the other hand, a detailed medical history is necessary to find out as much as possible.

The possible causes of erectile dysfunction in patients, and to basically determine the causes of erectile dysfunction in patients.

The problem may be psychological, organic, or a combination of both.

At this point, it is especially important for both partners to seek medical attention together. This is because sexual activity involves...

These are all highly subjective questions; different people will have different opinions on them. It would be best to categorize them.

Don't just ask both partners; you need to understand not only their individual situations, but also one partner's sexual response to the other.

This is very important information. Taking a medical history mainly includes the following aspects.

(1) Sexual history: mainly to clarify the following aspects: ① Erectile function

Does the erectile dysfunction occur alongside other sexual dysfunctions, such as premature ejaculation, decreased libido, or abnormal ejaculation?

Orgasmic disorders, etc. ② The degree of erectile dysfunction: Is it complete inability to achieve an erection, or inability to achieve full penetration?

Incomplete erection, or an erection that is too short to achieve satisfactory sexual intercourse. ③ Erectile dysfunction

The occurrence and development of erectile dysfunction, such as whether erectile function was normal before, and whether the penis is erect in the morning or at night.

④ Erectile dysfunction: Are there any significant changes in erectile function? Has erectile dysfunction worsened, and how long has it lasted?

Are there obvious environmental and emotional factors contributing to the functional impairment, such as significant marital discord or lifestyle issues?

Increased work pressure, and concerns about the safety and comfort of the sexual environment. ⑤ Erectile dysfunction.

Whether the occurrence varies depending on the sexual partner.

(2) History of disease or surgery: mainly for diseases that are significantly related to erectile function.

Inquiries, such as those concerning cardiovascular diseases, neuropsychiatric diseases, and endocrine system diseases (especially...)

These include diabetes and urogenital diseases. Additionally, certain surgeries can also cause erections.

Functional impairment should also be understood when taking a medical history.

(3) Medication history: mainly to understand in detail whether there has been any use of drugs that affect sexual function, including medication history.

Type of medication, timing of administration, dosage, etc. Common medications that affect sexual dysfunction include anti-hypertensive drugs.

Blood pressure medications, digitalis preparations, H₂ receptor antagonists, antipsychotics, hormones, etc.

These are the key points of the inquiry.

(4) Personal bad habits: such as smoking history, alcoholism history, drug use history, unsafe sex

Their life history should be inquired about in detail.

To reiterate, the answers to these questions will directly impact your diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

The method is to answer these questions truthfully and accurately. Don't worry, the doctor will help you.

Privacy protection.

What are the characteristics of psychogenic erectile dysfunction?

Before the 1970s, doctors believed that more than 80% of erectile dysfunction was psychological.

Caused by various factors. It now appears that the proportion of organic erectile dysfunction is probably higher. Although

However, specifically in my country, due to the influence of traditional concepts, erectile dysfunction patients...

Most cases are mixed erectile dysfunction, meaning that most patients also have psychological factors involved.

Therefore, it is essential to understand the characteristics of psychogenic erectile dysfunction.

(1) Characteristics of medical history: ① The onset is relatively sudden. Patients often experience this in a specific situation or occasion.

Erectile dysfunction occurs when there are obvious triggering factors (such as anger, intercourse after physical fatigue, etc.).

(He was startled during intercourse), but could maintain good spontaneous erections (morning erections) through masturbation.

Other sexual fantasies can also lead to normal erections. ② Patients often have a history of psychological trauma, such as...

Fear, anxiety, depression, and stress or major changes in the home or work environment. ③ No impact.

④ Systemic diseases affecting penile erection.

(2) Symptom characteristics: ① The penis cannot get erect during sexual arousal, but can get erect during sleep or in the early morning.

It can automatically become erect upon waking or when the bladder is full, and can also occur during masturbation, reading erotic novels or pictures, or watching pornography.

Sexual arousal and normal erection can occur during pornography or sexual fantasies. ② Changing sexual partners...

After the change, penile erection disappears, or the erection is not firm enough to penetrate the vagina during intercourse, or it cannot be maintained.

Hardness leading to ejaculation. For example, some people who remarry after divorce find their sex life is not as good as before.

This refers to an abnormal situation that occurs after the sexual partner changes.

If you are experiencing erectile dysfunction and meet the above criteria, then you should highly suspect erectile dysfunction.

For psychogenic erectile dysfunction, it is necessary to seek medical attention at a hospital.

Can I diagnose erectile dysfunction myself?

Some patients suspect they have erectile dysfunction and want to diagnose themselves first.

The problem is, should we go to the hospital for another checkup? Is that feasible?

In fact, if you have a good understanding of your own sexual function, you can try...

Use questionnaires for self-assessment. Currently, many internationally recognized standards for evaluating sexual dysfunction have been developed.

Questionnaires, among which the most authoritative in evaluating erectile dysfunction is the International Erectile Dysfunction Survey.

The Indicator Index Questionnaire (IIEF), designed by Rosen et al. in 1997, contains 15 questions.

One problem. In 1998, Rosen et al. further simplified it into five problems (International Erectile Function).

The index questionnaire (5) is widely used internationally. Additionally, the simplified questionnaire developed by O'Leary et al.

The Erectile Dysfunction Questionnaire and Wagner et al.'s Erectile Dysfunction Quality of Life Assessment Scale can also provide different perspectives.

The following uses the International Erectile Function Index Questionnaire-5 as an example to introduce how to use it.

This table contains 5 questions, each scored from 0 to 5 points, used to evaluate the past 6...

Please describe your sexual activity over the past month. Based on your feelings, please mark the options that resonate with you in the form.

Circle the circle. Then add up the scores of the five questions to get the total score. Finally, use the total score to make a preliminary assessment.

Determine your erectile function score (5-7 points: severe erectile dysfunction; 8-11 points: moderate erectile dysfunction).

12-21 points: Mild erectile dysfunction; 22-25 points: No erectile dysfunction.

(Erectile dysfunction). If your total score on the test is below 21, you may have erectile dysfunction.

Please do not ignore the problems that arise. It should be noted that the options for these questions are based on your own preferences.

There is no "standard answer" when it comes to choosing based on observation and feeling.

International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire-5 (IIEF-5)

(Table content omitted)

For those who suspect they have "erectile dysfunction without sexual intercourse," they can refer to the guidelines for sexual intercourse.

Self-test questionnaire for patients with erectile dysfunction, each question has "yes" and "no" options.

If there are many "yes" answers, then it's necessary to consider whether there is erectile dysfunction.

The question is raised. However, this table has not been widely used, and its accuracy and validity need further investigation.

Research.

Questionnaire for patients with erectile dysfunction who do not have sex

(Questionnaire content omitted)

Undoubtedly, these questionnaires are valuable for diagnosing erectile dysfunction, but because

These scales are primarily based on patients' subjective feelings, therefore their accuracy cannot be completely guaranteed.

Full guarantee. However, questionnaires cannot completely replace face-to-face communication between patients and doctors.

Because face-to-face interviews cover a wider range of topics, they can be more targeted in identifying issues that questionnaires may not reveal.

Therefore, if someone suspects they have erectile problems based on a self-assessment scale, they need to go to [a medical facility/organization].

The patient sought medical attention at a hospital to obtain a definitive diagnosis.