How Erectile Dysfunction Is Diagnosed and Misdiagnosed
Mar 29, 2024 ● By Jerry Garcia, PA-C
Jerry Garcia, PA-C. Photo courtesy of Chicago Male Clinic.
According to a November 2014 Current Opinion in Psychiatry article, titled “Diagnosis of Erectile Dysfunction,” this condition is very prevalent and impairs quality of life of men and their partners. The authors note that “The strategy for diagnosis of erectile dysfunction has changed, and it is important for every health professional to learn how to deal with erectile dysfunction.”
The article also states that while various types of sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction (ED), are very prevalent, they continue to be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed and that patients often expect physicians to initiate the conversation and ask about their troubles having sex.
During the extremely limited time of an annual physical examination, the clinical routine is for the health professional to identify ED and its causes. The authors point out that ED diagnosis has undergone significant changes over the last decade.
Medical providers can choose to identify ED through patient questionnaires or a complete medical and sexual history. Many clinicians will rely on a patient’s medical history, while some will also employ laboratory tests. There are supplementary tests used in special cases when there is a need for determining the medical cause of ED.
The authors summarize that sexual function must be a part of every medical consultation, as any other body function. Erectile dysfunction diagnosis is not a complex task and can be accomplished by any physician. Even when the professional does not feel secure to treat erectile dysfunction, he or she can just identify the dysfunction and refer the patient to an expert.
Chicago Male Clinic is a holistic health and wellness center for men’s sexual health, providing a natural, integrated approach to successfully diagnosing and treating ED. The clinic provides men with a complimentary consultation including a medical history and head-to-toe physical examination.
Jerry Garcia is the medical director of Chicago Male Clinic, located at 4801 W. Peterson Ave., Ste. 506, Chicago. For more information or to make an appointment, call 773-414-9900 or visit ChicagoMaleClinic.com.