Everyone knows that sex is a fundamental part of every romantic relationship. A good sex life enhances a relationship, while a poor sex life is capable of destroying even the most loving of relationships.
Now there is almost no surer guarantee for a bad sex life than when a man cannot get an erection to begin sexual intercourse in the first place or keep one long enough for penetration to occur. This condition is known as erectile dysfunction and it may sound surprising just how many men suffer from it in the course of their lifetime.
Every single year, more than 30 million men are identified to be suffering from erectile dysfunction, and that's beside the vast number of cases that are not reported in hospitals.
In the past, erectile dysfunction was thought of only as a disease arising from a state of poor physical or psychological health. Present studies have however shown that lifestyle choices have a big role to play in the occurrence or otherwise of this disorder. Alcoholism and smoking, for example, have been implicated in over 25% of cases of erectile dysfunction.
How can smoking lead to erectile dysfunction?
Since erection can only be achieved when blood fills the tissues lining the walls of the penis making the penis hard and elongated, it follows that in every case of erectile dysfunction, except in those cases where the penis may have suffered physical damage or injury, there is a restriction in blood flow to the penis.
Now, besides causing clear damages to the lungs and other organs in the respiratory system, smoking also negatively affects the body's circulatory system. When cigarette smoke is inhaled, the carbon monoxide it is essentially made up of forms a bond with the hemoglobin in the blood, leading to a reduction in the amount of oxygen the blood can carry.
But this is more or less temporary because once the smoking is stopped, the hemoglobin in the blood returns to normal and so does the amount of oxygen carried.
The more permanent problem occurs when there is resultant damage to the heart valves, reducing the number of red blood cells produced in the body. Furthermore, the arteries may become hardened and narrowed, and consequently, blood supply throughout the body, especially to the genital areas, may become reduced.
With this reduction, as has been stated above, erectile dysfunction is bound to arise sooner or later.
What can be done about it?
When erectile dysfunction is brought on as a result of constant and excessive cigarette smoking, popular solutions like Viagra may not be sufficient.
The surest remedy, of course, is to put an end to smoking. It may seem difficult at first since smoking is addictive, but with determination and making use of all available resources, such addiction can be overcome leading not only to freedom from erectile dysfunction but also to a better state of health in general.
Ways to Stop Smoking
First and foremost, you will need to join a "quit smoking program". When you join such programs, you will be provided with the available tools which can be used in overcoming smoking. Little commitment is also needed on your side.
You have to make a decision to stop smoking starting from today. Try as much as possible to avoid the urge to smoke. Once you are able to kill the "smoking urge", you will see that in no time you will find it hard to smoke.