For most people, falling ill is something up with which you put. It's a part of life. There's no particular reason to get upset. Yet some diseases and disorders have acquired the reputation of being unfair or, even, cruel. Of course, it's always open to someone to blame their bad luck. It's the, "Why me?Life's so unfair!" brigade. Arguably, erectile dysfunction falls into this class. It strikes at such a personal level of physical performance. It's something you would wish on your worst enemy - well, any enemy, really. Yet other physical diseases can affect the body in ways that are more obviously cruel. Erectile dysfunction is something you can hide. Parkinson's Disease is a degeneration of motor skills. It interferes with speech, hands tremble, joints stiffen and it becomes more difficult to move around. There's also a slow breakdown in mental ability, although not on the same scale as the equally unkind Alzheimer's Disease. The feature that links all these conditions together is the effect the disease or disorder has on those around you. Erectile dysfunction is destructive of relationships. Parkinson's makes life very difficult for family and friends who have to watch the "victim" gradually lose all their motor skills.
The American Academy of Neurology is tasked with monitoring progress in the treatment of Parkinson's. It reviews research and issues fairly regular sets of guidelines recommending best practice. This March sees the release of another guideline. The three most common effects of Parkinson's that disrupt daily living are insomnia, constipation and erectile dysfunction. Perhaps with unintended irony, the three symptoms group two and one. In two, there is not enough movement. In the third, there is too much movement as the tremors disturb the normal sleep patterns. Focussing on the problems of erection, there's a general failure of the muscular co-ordination required both to urinate and to respond to sexual stimulation with an erection. Although the muscular movements required are different, the results of failure are more disruptive to the quality of life. Men find the incontinence and sexual failure deeply humiliating.
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