How your partner might bring up erectile dysfunction

Many, many things can affect your sexual performance and confidents — stress, medication, health issues, alcohol. And when it comes to erectile dysfunction (ED) almost 50% of Canadian men experience it. This means that you, or someone you know, suffers from ED. It also is one of the most treatable issues with clinical proven solutions. But the purpose of this post is how you and your partner can talk about it.

ED can put a serious downer on your relationship and the enjoyment you have with each other. Like anything, it can be tackled with clear and honest communication. For many it can be a sensitive topic, so we’ve come up with a few suggestions on how to talk about ED. Trust us: pretending there isn’t an issue is way harder than working through it together.

Right off the bat, it’s rare for the source of ED to be your partner, and it’s important (if this is the case for you) to share that with your partner.
In the majority of cases, it isn’t that your attraction to your partner is waning, that you’re growing bored or that you just aren’t into them anymore. ED is a medical issue. 

• For folks 40+, factors can include blood vessel issues like not dilating enough to allow enough blood flow to the penis
• Those sub 40, ED is usually psychological: performance anxiety, depression, stress, depression, or even an over consumption of porn
• Medications, like beta-blockers, can also cause ED

How can you talk about it?

1. Keep communication lines clear

It’s very likely that you are sensitive about ED: it can seem like a personal failing or that you’re a ‘bad’ partner. It can also be emotionally fraught with societal pressures and feeling ‘less of a man’. We recommend that the conversation timing needs to be chosen carefully — during or immediately after sex or during an emotional time is a pretty bad idea. Instead, choose an ‘unsexy’ time and place so you can both talk openly. Emphasize that you’ll work through these problems together and be open to their suggestions or feelings about the situation.

2. Make sure you don’t have any other health issues

As mentioned, you may be struggling with your mental health, or you could have underlying cardiovascular issues, diabetes, or other neurological issues. Best thing you can do is figure out the actual cause of your ED and eliminate potential unknown health conditions by speaking with a medical professional. Your can book an online appointment through Jack Health here.

3. Research solutions together

Assuming you don’t have any health issues that might preclude you from ED solutions, there are two really effective options for treating ED. Both require a visit to a medical professional to get a prescription: good news is that insurance will often cover the cost of the medications.

Medications like Viagra or Cialis (or their generic versions)

“The little blue pill” aka Viagara and the yellow pill (Cialis) along with their generic versions (sildenafil and tadalafil, respectively) have been available since 2017, and offer a simple, cheap, and super effective solution for ED. Just pop a pill and away you both go! 

Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)

Your T (testosterone) levels can decrease as you age, which also has an affect on energy and sex drive. Testosterone replacement therapy (or TRT for short) gets those levels back to normal, either through topical treatment or an injection. There are a few solutions available — Jack Health offers a simple gel that gets rubbed daily onto your skin.

Big watch out: please only purchase Health Canada-approved solutions from credible sources! There are lots of sketchy at-home remedies and non-prescription ‘solutions’ that are ineffective at best, and harmful at worst. Only entrust your health to trained and certified medical professionals. If you’re also wanting something discreet, we can give helpful advice fully online, and ship treatments in plain packaging.

TLDR: ED has many solutions.

The longer it takes to tackle ED, the more scary and embarrassing the issue may become. ED has many proven and safe solutions:  once you start talking about it, you and your partner can get back to a spicy and satisfying sex life.