#237 - Erectile dysfunction may mean chronic disease & early death | Dr. Merrill Matschke & Dr. Casey Means - (Replay)
LEVELS – A Whole New Level
The Fight or Flight Response and Erectile Dysfunction
The fight or flight response is a protective evolutionary response. In the past, if cave people were being chased by a predator and stopped to look at someone attractive, they would be in danger. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for mobilizing our ability to save ourselves by running or fighting. It prevents us from being distracted. However, this can cause issues for individuals with psychogenic erectile dysfunction because it inhibits relaxation of smooth muscle. Sympathetic mediators contract the smooth muscle, which results in loss of erection. Trying to achieve an erection with elevated sympathetic tone becomes a tug of war. Unfortunately, there are no blockers for the sympathetic discharge, as blocking it would be problematic. This morning, I had a patient who experienced this exact issue.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
