At Celebrating Women Center in Oxnard, California, Dr. Adrienne Lara, MD, wants her patients to know that she went to medical school for you. She believes good patient care is collaborative and involves both the patient and doctor working together as a team to get to the same goal — patient wellness. Voted Best Med Spa/Cosmetic Surgeon 2014-2020 by the Ventura County Reporter and Best Med Spa Readers’ Choice County Star 2018, Celebrating Women Center offers a number of health and wellness treatments focused on regenerative medicine that allows patients’ natural beauty to shine through, including micro-needling, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and vaginal rejuvenation with advanced medical treatments such as laser therapy and surgical procedures. 

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Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is a medical term used to describe the condition in which a man is not able to get or sustain an erection firm enough for satisfactory intercourse. In fact, 30 million men in the United States have ED. Overall, 40% of men over 40 have ED and that number increases by 10 % for every decade thereafter. What is just as informative is that a study by Boston University showed that 26 % of men under 40 have difficulty with erection. It begs the question Why? And What? Are a man’s options if he has this diagnosis.

 Whereas, exercise and psychological therapy have shown to be helpful, ED is mostly rooted in physiologic causes and, as such, can require medical care and treatment. Dr. Adrienne Lara at Celebrating Women Center takes the time to explain erectile dysfunction and list the treatments available to men who have erectile dysfunction. 

Overview

Although ED is common, it is not a normal part of aging. For men, experiencing difficulties in sustaining an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse, it is important to understand the leading causes of erectile dysfunction. ED can leave men feeling anxious, hopeless, as well as negligent of their own and/or partner’s sexual needs. 

If a partner is involved in your life while dealing with erectile dysfunction, Dr. Lara suggests you clarify that the condition is not caused by a lack of attraction. This can prevent possible relationship issues. 

Male sexual arousal is a complex process that includes the brain, hormones, emotions, nerves, muscles and blood vessels. Erectile dysfunction can be a result of any of these systems having issues. Causes can include but are not limited to depression, sleep disorders, heart disease, substance abuse, low testosterone, and any relationship problems with one’s partner. 

For those experiencing erectile dysfunction, if the condition is interfering with a relationship and/or causes distress and frustration, it is advised that sufferers see a doctor and seek treatment. Dr. Lara may recommend a variety of treatments to men suffering from erectile dysfunction. Potential treatments that are offered at Celebrating Women Center include oral medication/injected medication, shock wave therapy (Duo by Alma), penis pumps, psychological counseling and exercise, which a recent study has found that especially moderate to vigorous aerobic activity can improve ED. 

Most of the time, people with erectile dysfunction run to quick fixes like Viagra and Staxyn. The current most common treatment for ED consists of medications such as Viagra and Cialis which are treating the symptom. These popular oral medications can be long-term solutions. 

As previously mentioned, a treatment that addresses the cause of ED is shock wave therapy. The DUO by Alma is that Procedure. It is an in-office treatment that uses shock wave therapy to stimulate blood flow and restore a man’s natural sexual performance. The machine is placed on the very base of the penis. It then exerts direct mechanical stress to the top and then under the crown or the corona. The treatment is painless and done with direct contact to the penis. Each treatment is approximately 15 mins and a short series of treatments are prescribed to achieve desired results. The shock wave therapy stimulates the formation and growth of blood vessels that will then increase blood flow and restore the ability to achieve a satisfactory erection.