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Do you often face a terrible coughing fit? Are you also riddled with a seemingly barren sex life?
If so, you could be suffering from the two conditions that can afflict men of any age: asthma and sexual dysfunction.
Asthma and sexual dysfunction may not seem to cross over at a glance, but they’re very much intertwined with one another.
In fact, many asthma patients have reported sexual problems of various forms, from erectile dysfunction to reduced sexual desire.
Furthermore, sexual satisfaction is also very low in patients with chronic asthma. This is largely because of asthma’s effects on the body, particularly during physical exertion.
If you’re curious to learn more about how asthma symptoms impact sexual health, let’s dive into the important effects you should know that surround these two conditions.
What Is Asthma?
Close one nostril and use the other one to breathe through a straw. That tight, claustrophobic feeling is a daily reality for asthmatic patients experiencing an episode.
More specifically, asthma is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease marked by inflammation and narrowing of the lung’s airways. This leads to episodic symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
Asthma is a polygenic condition, meaning both genetic and environmental factors can contribute to its development.
If you have a family history of it, and if you’re exposed to pollen, dust mites, and smoke, you could develop narrower airways which can severely limit airflow due to excessive mucus production.
Many medical experts classify asthma as an overactive immune response. The body perceives these harmless triggers as threats, leading the muscles around the airways to constrict involuntarily. This hyper-responsiveness can vary in intensity, with some experiencing mild symptoms, while others face severe, life-threatening attacks.
While there’s no cure for asthma, it’s manageable. With the right treatment plan, including medications and trigger avoidance strategies, those with asthma can lead full, active lives.
What Is Sexual Dysfunction?
Sexual dysfunction refers to any condition that impairs sexual function. This can occur in any stage of the sexual response cycle, which includes excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution.
The causes of sexual dysfunction are multifactorial. The most common cause is physical factors and underlying chronic conditions like coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. However, emotional factors and certain medications can also cause sexual problems.
Some examples of sexual dysfunction include these popular conditions:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Premature ejaculation
- Delayed ejaculation
- Low libido
- Low testosterone
Furthermore, there’s also a strong connection between some of these sexual dysfunctions and asthma. Let’s uncover this connection in more detail.
4 Important Effects of Asthma and Sexual Dysfunction
1. Asthma Causes Erectile Dysfunction
Can asthma cause erectile dysfunction? According to many research papers, yes.
The connection between asthma and erectile dysfunction (ED) may not seem obvious at first glance. Still, delve deeper, and it becomes evident that chronic respiratory conditions can have a ripple effect on various aspects of our health, including our erectile function.
According to one 2020 study, asthma can create an inflammatory response throughout the body. This can cause extensive vascular endothelial damage throughout the body in the blood vessels, which can lead to erectile dysfunction.
Furthermore, it’s also noted in another study that people who have a more severe type of asthma are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction compared to the non-asthma control group. This goes to show that there’s an independent association between asthma and erectile dysfunction.
2. Asthma Medications
While the right meds can reduce asthma symptoms, they can give rise to sexual dysfunctions as a consequential side effect.
In particular, inhaled corticosteroids, beta-agonists, and leukotriene are all types of medications that can cause impairment in sexual function in one way or another.
For instance, corticosteroids change the normal hormonal balance in the body. This can cause people to experience a reduction in testosterone levels, which can subsequently reduce a man’s desire to have sex.
Given that, it’s best to thoroughly investigate erectile dysfunction-causing pills and talk with a doctor to adjust your dosage accordingly. This list can give you a glimpse of potential medications that induce ED.
3. Reduced Self-Esteem
In one qualitative study, asthmatic patients tend to develop a poor body image and low self-esteem issues, which can be detrimental to one’s sexual performance.
In the said study, the patients felt that their mental issues have impeded their sexual relationships tremendously, even with the support of a loving partner.
Furthermore, there’s a vicious cycle that can be noted here. Emotional distress can worsen physical symptoms of asthma and a slew of other conditions. This, in turn, can lead to poor sexual performance and a lack of desire for sex.
4. Breathlessness and Fatigue
Asthma attacks can make it difficult for individuals to breathe normally, especially during activities that require exertion—like sex.
As such, these patients may choose to avoid sexual activities to refrain from developing episodes related to their chronic inflammatory airway disorder.
Moreover, patients with severe asthma could face a severe case of bronchospasm after achieving sexual climax. This would need medical treatment.
Treating Erectile Dysfunction: Things to Know
Erectile dysfunction can be a debilitating disease, but there are things you can do to minimize its impact on your sex life.
Here are ways to naturally minimize the effects of erectile dysfunction:
- Eat the right food in adequate portions
- Exercise more frequently
- Sleep at least 7 hours every night
- Stay away from alcohol and tobacco
- Manage and minimize stress
Furthermore, there are ways to treat ED at the clinic, including:
- Undergo testosterone therapy
- Undergo RestoreWave therapy
- Penile prosthesis surgery
- ED therapy and sexual medicine
Tackling the underlying health condition causing ED—whether it’s blood flow related or mental health related—can help improve your health and your future sexual activity-based encounters.
Manage Sexual Dysfunction with Guidance from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida’s Best Doctors
Sexual dysfunction caused by ED can be a nuisance, but it’s not the end for a male patient’s sexuality—it can be overcome.
Here at Ft. Lauderdale’s Preferred Men’s Medical Center, we have specially-designed treatment plans made to address and treat a patient’s erectile dysfunction woes.
We also offer testosterone therapy, andropause treatment, medical weight loss, and more customized healthy living programs.
Schedule a consultation with us today, your initial consultation and first treatment are completely free.