It’s been shown that men who are afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis will have a greater risk of developing an erectile dysfunction disorder. In fact, they have a two-thirds greater risk than men without RA. The association between men who suffer rheumatoid arthritis and ED lead physicians to know that when they’re treating a patient with RA that they should be asking information about any sexual issues.

The reason for the connection between RA and ED appears because both issues are related to cardiovascular and chronic inflammation. It has also been shown that RA is becoming increasingly common among all of the population. Because of the fact that it’s an inflammatory disease and because ED can be traced back to a lack of blood flow to the penis, the correlation has been made.

RA attacks the joints and connective tissues and is resistant to most forms of treatment. The disease in its advanced stages reduces mobility because of the chronic pain it causes. Extreme cases of RA damages the organs as well as the joints. Under normal conditions, men afflicted with RA learn to live with the loss of mobility and rely on pain medications to address the chronic pain. When it starts to impact sexual function, men need to talk with their physicians and let them know they’re suffering from impotence.

Erectile dysfunction appears in men who are afflicted with RA in the early stages of the disease’s progression. The reason for this appears to be because the damage that RA causes to arteries becomes noticeable in the smaller blood vessels first. These damaged vessels can lead to a man’s failure to sustain an erection.

Some physicians and researchers believe that erectile dysfunction can also be an early warning sign to men that RA could be looming in their future. While it certainly doesn’t always occur, men who suffer impotence occasionally should talk with their doctor and let them know. There are many reasons for ED including health issues such as diabetes, being overweight, and living a sedentary lifestyle. Issues with work and home life stress can also contribute to bouts of ED and men should discuss all these issues with their doctor.

Viagra, Cialis, and other medications are commonly prescribed to men suffering from bouts of impotence and physicians are willing to offer this medication to their patients. It is up to the man who is dealing with ED to contact his doctor, make an appointment and be up front about the impotence.