Don’t try to self-cure erectile dysfunction

NST: KOTA BARU: Many Malaysians suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) resort to short cuts by refilling their prescription instead of having follow-up consultations.
They do this either out of embarrassment or to save on consultation fees.
Consultant urologist Dr Peter Ng, however, warned that short cuts would not solve the problem.
The problem might recur because of dosage changes.
"Patients often go to the pharmacist, thinking that they can save money and time. They fail to realise that check-ups are important," he said after a lecture on male sexual dysfunction at the Sexual Health Conference here yesterday.
The two-day conference, attended by 200 medical practitioners, was organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Family Medicine Association.
Dr Ng said patients often thought that their problem could be solved by taking drugs like Viagra.
Instead, he stressed that ED must be treated holistically, including counselling.
"Viagra is only half of the treatment. Doctors must examine the patient for heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, which contribute to ED."
He said self-treatment and buying medication from street pedlars, especially among the lower income group, was another worrying trend.
"If the medication is fake, they are not only wasting money but also poisoning themselves."
ED cases in Malaysia are also expected to rise because of unhealthy lifestyles, stress and other factors.
He quoted a study in Perlis, Kedah and Penang last year which showed that 48 per cent of the respondents as having some form of sexual dysfunction.
He said that the problem was not confined to the males as women, too, could be affected. The study indicated that 58 per cent of the women respondents experienced sexual dysfunction.
By 2025, 113 million people in Asia are expected to suffer from ED.
Meanwhile, USM family medicine specialist Associate Professor Dr Shaiful Bahari Ismail would be leading a three-year study on Tualang honey as the next miracle cure for ED.
"Locals, for generations, swear by honey to cure ED. We want to know if it does. We are still waiting for the study grant."
He chose Tualang honey over the many kinds of local honey found on the market as it was certified as pure by the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority.