Comment
Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Enough, and the arteries don’t dilate properly, preventing an adequate volume of blood from entering the penis for an erection.How veins contribute to venous insufficiencyThe cavernosal tissues don’t provide enough pressure on the veins of the penis. This lack of pressure allows too much blood to escape, and adequate blood volume cannot be maintained.One or both of these conditions can result in venous insufficiency. Maintaining an erection requires the arteries to let in enough blood and for the veins to be closed off enough to prevent too much blood from escaping. If one or both of these are not functioning correctly, the result is having problems getting or maintaining an erection.Risk factorsThe root causes of venous insufficiency are poorly understood, and many contributing risk factors may exist. Here are some risk factors that are suspected of contributing to venous insufficiency.Possible contributors to venous insufficiencyStressNeurological problemsSide effects from drugsChronic diseases like diabetesLower urinary tract issuesLow testosteroneSymptomsVenous insufficiency symptoms include the following:Unable to get or maintain an erectionAn erection that is too soft for penetrationAble to get an erection in some positions but not others (position-dependent erections)Penis length becomes shorterPenis girth becomes more narrowUnfortunately, most of these are symptoms of erectile dysfunction generally, not just venous insufficiency. So, to determine if you have venous insufficiency, you will need specific medical tests for proper diagnoses.Diagnosis Is there a test for venous insufficiency? Yes, there are many tests for diagnosing venous insufficiency, and here are two commonly used tests I have experience with. Intracavernous injection of vasoactive agentsFor this test, a mix of compounds designed to cause an erection is injected into the penis. Using an injection alone is more of a screening test, and it’s not considered conclusive because the rate of false positives is relatively high. Color duplex Doppler ultrasound with intracavernous injection This test involves injecting the penis with trimix compound and imaging blood flow with ultrasound. This is currently the most commonly used test for venous insufficiency. This test is excellent for diagnosing problems with the arteries but not as much for concerns with veins. So, it has some limitations, but it’s a popular non-invasive test for venous insufficiency.Other Tests for venous insufficiencyHere is a link to a literature review with an exhaustive list of tests for venous insufficiency with all their advantages and disadvantages.Ma M, Yu B, Qin F, Yuan J. Current approaches to the diagnosis of vascular erectile dysfunction. Transl Androl Urol. 2020 Apr;9(2):709-721. doi: 10.21037/tau.2020.03.10. PMID: 32420178; PMCID: PMC7215019.TreatmentsGeneral ED treatments used for venous insufficiencyMany doctors will use the standard treatments for ED for men with venous insufficiency. Below is a list of some of the most common treatments for ED. PDE5 Inhibitors Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors
Add Comment