If my erection is soft, does that mean I have erectile dysfunction?

Erectile problems happen, and they happen more often than we usually talk about. Just about every man will experience the occasional problem getting or maintaining an erection. In many cases, it is a fleeting, situational event that shouldn't be cause for concern, and doesn't indicate a lack of attraction to a partner or loss of sexual function. In other cases, erection problems may signal a health problem -- why ongoing erection problems should always be brought to the attention of a health care provider. Ongoing erectile problems can damage a man's self-esteem, his partner's self-esteem and the relationship -- particularly if they don't talk about the issue together, leaving each of them alone to wonder what they might be doing wrong. Discuss sexual problems with each other so they don't turn into larger issues.

Erectile problems that happen every now and then are not a problem, unless the couple considers it a problem. Erectile problems that happen in more than 25 percent of sexual encounters over a period of time may be considered erectile dysfunction (ED), though healthcare providers typically ask men a range of questions and may perform tests to rule out health conditions before making such a diagnosis. As with any sexual function complaint, ED is not a problem unless a man or his partner considers it to be. However, because of the association between ED and heart disease, a man should always tell his healthcare provider about erectile problems so that he or she can rule out other health conditions.