Injection therapy and erectile dysfunction

Another popular treatment among patients sufferring from ED is the injection therapy , commonly rised ever since the early 1980s. Although known as less effective than oral medications or urethical suppositoires, penile injection has proven its utility. It is however, easier for the patient to inject himself than handling penile implants, for instance.

Penile injection therapy generally uses a combination of substances prescribed by an urologist. He patient must inject the drug into the side of the penis determining, thus, a complete relaxation of the muscle and an increase of blood flow meant to create the desired erection. Drugs are injected directly into the corpus cavernosum and the erection may last 30 minutes up to several hours. Most often used drugs for penile injection are Papaverine, Phentolamine and Alprostadil, associated two by two ("BI-MIX") or even all three together ("tri-mix"). Phentolamine is actually, a heart medication with similar effects to Prostagladin used by many physicians in treating ED.

The effectiveness of the drugs was proven in 805 of men who inject them. Patiens using penile injection claim to experience an almost natural feeling, painless therapy and improved sex-life. Erection begins after 5-15 minutes after the injection and it is not recommended more than once every 4 to 7 days. A short needle is also involved in the procedure. A fine-gauge, insulyn-style needle would be very appropriate for this therapy

Most reported side -effects include infection, dizziness, bleeding and bruising at the injection site , heart palpitations, and flushing. Rarely a small risk of priapism may appear. Priapism is a prolonged erection that lasts more than 6 hours and requires urgent medical relief. Moreover, repeated injection may lead to the scarring of erectile tissue, which may affect the erectile function.

Those who think about choosing penile injection in treating erectile disfunction are advised to make the decision only after consulting the personal physician and the partner, but , most importantly, taking into consideration certain contraindications: men allergic to alprostadil, with abnormally formed penis, with Peyronie's disease or penis angulation, suffering from cavernosal fibrasis or disease that might derive into prolonged erection, such as sickle cell anemia should not use penile injection under any circumstances.

Sometimes, the effectiveness of the injection can be improved by associating it with an external vacuum device, although it may turn out expensive and reduce sexual spontaneity.

Some of the strongest points in favour of penile injection are the fast-onset and high-quality erection, but also a longer duration of the erection compared to a natural one and no reported side-effects for partners or spouses. Nevertheless, disadvantages are not to be ignored. The disturbing side -effects, the limited sexual spontaneity, the embarassment caused by the needle are only few of the cons patients and specialists put their finger on. Other men claim to deal with temporary modules in their penis after injection, but this may turn into permanent modifications after long-term use. Another disadvantage may be the high costs of the injection therapy: $ 15-20 each.