As diagnosis is used in the process of revealing the physical condition of a potential patient so too, tests and examinations are used to prove conclusively that a person is in fact suffering from a specific disease such as erectile dysfunction. But even before a diagnosis, test or examination can happen, you’ll need to prepare yourself properly to make an appointment with our doctor so that what tests are done for erectile dysfunction can then proceed.
A very important medical appointment
The starting point for many of us who suffer from erectile dysfunction, is to make an appointment with the experts in the field, meaning the family doctor or your online pharmacist. An appointment with these experts is vital and you should prepare yourself well in the following ways:
- A list of questions – you should prepare your own list of questions to ask your doctor on anything that directly relates to your health, especially if you suffer from an erectile dysfunction condition.
- Bring a companion – it’s always useful to bring someone along who you know will help you remember anything that was said during the interview with your doctor. Everything your doctor says to you is important and you should list them down to make sure you don’t forget anything. Your companion will help you to remember what you and your doctor talked about.
- Before appointment time – if there are certain things that you need to know before the appointed time with your doctor, make sure you ask if you need to do anything before meeting your doctor in person. For instance, if you shouldn’t consume anything before your medical tests.
- Current medications – your medical history including the medication you are currently taking is crucial information for your doctor to know, so you should prepare a list of all the supplements, vitamins and herbal remedies you have been or are taking for any health reasons.
- Symptoms – you should also list down all the symptoms that you may have experienced now and in the past including other symptoms even if you feel that they are not related to ED.
- Other pertinent information – you should also list down anything which has caused you stress from your work, family and social associations that have caused you anxiety, worry and concern.
Questions to your doctor about your condition
You should also prepare a separate list of questions that specifically cover your erectile dysfunction condition, to enable an efficient interview with your doctor or health provider. The list of questions should have a somewhat similar content as the following:
- What is causing the problem to my erection?
- Are there any other possible causes?
- Tell me the type of tests I need to undergo?
- Is my ED a temporary condition or is it chronic?
- What’s the best treatment for my ED?
- Are there any options to the methods you’ve already told me?
- How can I cope with my other health issues as well as my erectile dysfunction?
- Do I need to follow any restrictions?
- Do I need to see a specialist? If so, what will be the cost? Will my insurance cover the cost?
- Is there a generic alternative to a brand name medication?
- Do you have any printed information I can take home with me?
- Are there any websites that I can use to get more information?
Of course, it’s perfectly alright for you to ask any other questions to your doctor during the appointment.
Questions that your doctor might ask you during your appointment
If you are suffering from erectile dysfunction, you should prepare yourself to provide answers to questions from your doctor that may be similar to the following questions:
- Do you have any other health issues or serious conditions?
- What other sexual problems have you experienced?
- Have you experienced any noticeable changes in your sexual urge?
- Do you have an erection while you are masturbating, in the presence of a partner or while sleeping?
- Do you have any relationship problems with your sexual partner?
- Are you habitually stressed, depressed or anxious?
- Have you suffered from a mental health issue? If you have, are you taking medications or psychotherapy for your condition?
- When did you notice that you had sexual problems?
- Do you suffer from your erection problems occasionally, many times or always?
- What kind of medications do you take for it? Any herbal remedies? Supplements?
- Do you take any illegal drugs for your medication?
- Do you enjoy drinking alcohol? How much do you consume when you are drinking?
- Is there anything that makes your symptoms better?
- Is here anything that makes your symptoms worse?
Diagnosing your condition
All the information you provided during your appointment with your doctor will prove invaluable for the next stage of your visit which is the process of diagnosing your condition with various examinations and tests as follows:
- Physical examination – you will be subjected to a careful and thorough physical examination of your penis, testicles and your nerves as to whether or not they respond to sensation.
- Blood tests – this is another very important test that’s normally carried out by a laboratory to check for the presence of heart disease, testosterone levels, diabetes and other health factors.
- Ultrasound tracking test – a sensitive test usually performed by a specialist in a separate office. The test consists of using a transducer device which is held above the blood vessels that supply blood to the penis. The tracking provides a video image that tells the doctor whether or not there are any problems with the blood flow.
Occasionally, in combination with this last test, the penis is injected with medications to increase blood flow to the penis and induce an erection.
Bottom line
What tests are done for erectile dysfunction is not difficult to ask but the preliminary steps require concentration and focus to ensure that the examinations and tests that follow are carried out with exemplary expertise. It has to be so because the proper treatment of a patient suffering from chronic ED will ultimately depend on it.