Many men find that at some point they can’t get or stay hard. This means they either:
Last reviewed: 29/01/2021 by Dr Simran Deo
As well as making it difficult to get erections, erectile dysfunction can make it hard to keep your erection going as well. Problems with keeping erections can be similar to those that cause not being able to get them in the first place. There’s a number of different reasons why you might not be able to get or stay hard, including:
Lifestyle causes:
Health-related causes:
Other causes:
See our page on Causes of Erectile Dysfunction for more information and advice on how to figure out why you can’t get or stay hard.
It’s normal to lose erections after orgasming, and it can take some time (known as the refractory period) before you can get another erection. If you’re losing your erection because you’re orgasming too quickly, this is called premature ejaculation. If you need help lasting longer in bed, you could order premature ejaculation treatment online.
If you’re having trouble getting an erection and you need to get hard right away, there’s a few things that could work:
There’s no way to guarantee an erection right away. If the tips above don’t help, you may have to accept you can’t get an erection right now and focus on the next time.
If you regularly can’t get or stay hard (a condition formally known as erectile dysfunction) then there are medical treatments you can try which are proven to help. A doctor will usually prescribe medications called PDE-5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction, as long as it’s safe for you to take them. They include:
These medications have around a 60% chance of helping you get or keep an erection if you couldn’t beforehand. They work for a wide range of situations so whatever’s stopping you getting an erection, they could be worth trying.
To order PDE-5 inhibitors like Viagra, you need to get an assessment from a doctor to make sure they’re right for you. You can do this at your local GP surgery or online using an online doctor service.
There are also injections you can get to help you stay or get hard that use a chemical called alprostadil. These injections can be trickier to use but avoid some of the effects that PDE-5 inhibitors have on other parts of your body because alprostadil is injected directly into your penis.
Pills for helping you get and stay hard are a safe and effective choice for a lot of people. Still, they aren’t right for everyone. So if you want some non-medical Viagra alternatives, there are some options:
All of these options are proven to improve erections for at least some of the people who try them. For the best chance of success, you can combine these strategies with erectile dysfunction medicines. Erectile dysfunction medications are effective and safe if a doctor approves treatment for you.
If you’re looking for natural pills for erectile dysfunction, like herbal Viagras, you might be disappointed. These kinds of products aren’t proven to work and will most likely be a waste of money, and can potentially be unsafe to take.
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