Q. You told a man who couldn’t afford Viagra that beet juice might help with erectile dysfunction. That’s not the only solution.
Medicare will pay for a vacuum device such as Vacurect. I have one. Loving stimulation by my partner also has a great uplifting effect.
A. Before medications for erectile dysfunction, men used “vacuum erection enhancement therapy,” also dubbed the penis pump. These have been available since the early 20th century. In 1982 the FDA approved the ErecAid for this purpose. Today there are a number of such devices on the market.
To use the pump, the penis is inserted into a special vacuum chamber. When the air is pumped out of this plastic cylinder, the vacuum pulls blood into the penis to create an erection. The erection is maintained through the gentle constriction of an elastic ring at the base of the penis.
We suggest a prescription-only device. Some of the OTC products may not have an appropriate release valve. It is also important to keep the pressure within a safe range. Discuss this approach with your doctor, since some people should not use this type of device. You will need a prescription for a device that is FDA approved.
A number of medications can increase the risk of developing ED. It makes sense to discuss this problem with your physician to see whether any changes in your drug regimen might alleviate the difficulty of getting and maintaining erections. There is a list of such medicines in our free Guide to Drugs That Affect Sexuality.
