Sexual Impotence

Sex is now regarded as a basic instinct like hunger. Sexual activity, however, demands complete concentration and relaxation. It cannot be performed in haste and tension. Persons who are usually tense and over-occupied are unable to follow these norms. Many persons, therefore, suffer from sexual dysfunctions. The most common male sexual dysfunction is impotence or loss of sexual power.

Symptoms

Impotence takes three forms. There is primary impotence When the man’s erectile dysfunction is there from the very beginning of sexual activity and he simply cannot have an erection. This is a rare manifestation of the problem. Secondary impotence is the commonest and this implies that the man can normally attain an erection but fails on one or more occasions in between normal activity. The third form is associated with age and is a continuous and serious form with poor prognosis.

Causes

Since erection is the result of erotic excitement, intact nervous pathways and adequate hormonal functioning, the pathological causes of impotence are numerous. It may occur as a result of psychological illness such as depression, which lowers both sexual drive and erectile function, tiredness, alcohol abuse, the therapeutic use of estrogens, paralysis of parasympathetic nerves by drugs or permanent damage to them and diabetes. Other causes of impotence are abuse or misuse of the sexual organism over a long period and a devitalized condition of the system in general.

However, the main problem of secondary impotence is the apprehension created by failure which generates a good deal of anxiety for the next time round regarding the likelihood of failure. If, in fact, intercourse is attempted again and the same failure results, then a vicious circle is established. Anxiety of failure is established as an anticipatory reflex which in turn impairs the capacity of the penis.

Treatment

Taking of drugs or so called "remedies" in case of impotence is not only useless but dangerous. Diet is an important factor in these conditions. To begin with, the patient should adopt an exclusive fresh fruit diet from five to seven days. In this regimen, he can have three meals a day, at five hourly intervals, of fresh juicy fruits such as grapes, oranges, apples, pears, peaches, pineapple and melon. The bowels should be cleansed daily during this period with a warm-water enema.