Erectile dysfunction is a common disorder affecting millions of men across the globe. It is defined as the inability to obtain or keep a erection sufficiently solid to undergo sex. There are hundreds of thousands of treatments for ED: over-the-counter, injectable, vacuoline, and surgery. Yet more men opt for topical creams such as alprostadil cream as a side effect of erectile dysfunction. In this paper, we will learn about alprostadil cream for ED and its advantages and disadvantages.
Alprostadil is an artificial version of prostaglandin E1, a hormone-like chemical that relaxes the muscles and stimulates blood flow to the penis. It comes in three types: injections, urethral suppositories, and topical creams. Alprostadil cream is applied over the penis and increases blood flow to the site, leading to an erection. The cream is generally applied 5-30 minutes before sex, and can last up to an hour.
The major feature of alprostadil cream is its ease of use. In contrast to injections or suppositories, which some men might not enjoy, the cream is applied topically and doesn’t involve any special expertise or training. It also has less side effects than other types of alprostadil. Oral drugs (viagra) can cause headaches, dizziness and eye movements; injections and suppositories can itch and hurt. Alprostadil cream, however, can leave the application area slightly irritated or tingly, but this is usually manageable.
Studies
The effectiveness of alprostadil cream for ED has been tested in a few studies. A report in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that erections were produced with alprostadil cream in 43% of ED men. Yet another study, conducted in the International Journal of Impotence Research, reported that 65% of men who took alprostadil cream experienced an erection strong enough for intercourse. These results are encouraging, though the efficacy of alprostadil cream can vary widely.
A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study in the Journal of Urology concluded that Alprostadil cream was substantially more effective than a placebo for ED. In a trial of 272 men, 53 per cent of men given Alprostadil cream reported successful sex while only 20 per cent received a placebo.
Another report in the International Journal of Impotence Research compared Alprostadil cream with Alprostadil injections. It revealed that both interventions reduced ED, although the injection increased erection rigidity and time more than the cream.
This is one of the drawbacks of alprostadil cream: not everyone with ED responds to it.
It works best for mild to moderate ED men, and perhaps not so well for severe ED men. Additionally, alprostadil cream is not recommended for men who suffer from certain diseases like bleeding disorders or heart diseases. Before you use alprostadil cream, check with your physician to make sure it is safe and suitable for you.
Failures in a few Men with ED:
Alprostadil cream’s only disadvantage is that it may not work on certain men with ED. There are various reasons why this inefficiency may occur, such as the following:
Absorption Issues:
The cream version of alprostadil works only when it penetrates through the skin of the glans to the corpus cavernosum (the erectile tissue of the penis). This fact, however, can be altered by personal anatomical variation as well as in the extent to which drug actually enters the skin. Men with a more porous skin, or thicker skin in this area, won’t have a much chance of receiving the cream. This could result in low concentrations of the drug such that the desired pharmacological action would not be obtained even when the cream is used properly. Such patients might not receive adequate benefits from the alprostadil cream.
Improper Application Techniques
Another significant aspect of the action system of alprostadil cream is the application technique. Direction to the appropriate location and sufficient use are the two key attributes in use. Men may spray small quantities or misplace it, resulting in less-than-perfect result. Moreover, the patients are generally urged to wait sometime after the application and before sex. The cream can lose its effectiveness if you do not follow this advice. Patients’ education and compliance with the app instructions are, therefore, of prime importance to higher success.
Psychological Factors
ED is a common multifactorial condition, and its causes often have a psychological component of some kind. Performance anxiety, marriage problems and other psychological traumas can sometimes be a very large barrier to action. Of course, men with such mental problems may be less sensitive to the alprostadil cream than those without. This makes psychological assessment and therapy (if required) part of a comprehensive treatment plan for ED management highly recommended.
Severity of Erectile Dysfunction
Another potential limitation on the use of alprostadil cream is the severity of ED. Patients with milder forms of ED may respond well to this type of topical medication use, but patients with severe cases may not have that sort of treatment. Graver forms of ED are usually treated with more drastic remedies, such as ED oral medication, injectable alprostadil, or penile implants. It is thus necessary to establish the extent of a patient’s illness in order to guide a treatment plan.
Another factor to bear in mind when applying alprostadil cream is the price. Alprostadil cream is more costly than oral ED medications, and it’s not covered by insurance, so some men cannot afford it. And even the requirement for finely tailored application and room-temperature storage can further exclude its use in certain environments.
Side Effects and Safety Concerns:
Like all medications, alprostadil cream can have side effects and safety issues. Generally, side effects include penile irritation, stinging or bleeding at the application site. Sometimes, partners can even experience vaginal burning or itchiness when they touch skin while having sex. Also on the risk list is priapism, a very long, painful erection that needs immediate medical intervention (less prevalent with topical alprostadil than with injectables).
Conclusion:
Alprostadil cream will, in short, be a game changer when it comes to treating ED, particularly for men who refuse to take any other treatments. It is quick to apply, low in side effects, and can also yield erections in a shorter period of time. But it won’t work for all ED men, and it’s expensive. If you feel that you need more than a couple of weeks to see the potential pros and cons of alprostadil cream, talk to your doctor and find out if it is the treatment for you.
