At what point should I be concerned about my erectile dysfunction?

If you have erectile dysfunction (ED), you should be concerned. But an occasional problem in getting or maintaining an erection does not mean you have ED. A good rule of thumb is the 25% rule -- if you experience erection problems more than once out of every four times, you may have ED. The cause could be many things, including a circulatory problem, diabetes, depression, a reaction to medication, alcohol use, smoking, illegal drug use, anxiety, or stress. See your doctor so you can work together to find out if you do have ED, and if so, what might be causing it.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is frequent inability to get or maintain an erection. It’s common for men to experience occasional erection problems, but if ED occurs more than 25% of the time you should see your doctor. ED is often a signal that you have a health-related problem, such as heart disease, diabetes or an endocrine (hormonal) disorder. These health conditions cause or contribute to ED, so treating them can help.

If erection problems persist, your doctor can prescribe medication that you take when you are aroused to help improve sexual function within 15 to 45 minutes of taking it.