Diabetes, pelvic trauma, and radiation therapy in the pelvic area. Some of these are listed below, along with the percentage of patients with these conditions who are impotent.

Conditions associated with poor blood flow include high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), high cholesCertain disorders of the nervous system are associated with erectile dysfunction. Poor blood flow to the penis increases the time it takes to achieve a full erection, and decreases the rigidity of the erect penis. Vascular disease, which affects the flow of blood through arteries and veins, is a major cause of impotence, especially in older men. In addition, surgery that involves the prostate, bladder, or colon may cut the nerves involved in the erection process, causing impotence.

It is commonly associated with such conditions as diabetes, alcoholism, aging, chronic renal (kidney) failure, lupus, and AIDS, as well as exposure to industrial toxins and deficiencies in vitamins B1, B2, and B12. Peripheral neuropathy, which is caused by damage to the network of nerves used for all movements and sensations, is another possible cause of ED. Conditions that damage the brain, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, stroke, tumor, and head trauma, have been associated with ED, as have conditions affecting the spinal cord, such as multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, a ruptured disk, tumor, or trauma. Any disease or condition that affects the nervous system can cause impotence. The nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, is important in achieving an erection. It lists the physical causes of impotence. Impotence that is caused by a physical problem generally develops gradually, and is characterized by any of the following: a failure to initiate, which results from impaired release of the chemical messages that the nervous system sends to the pelvic area, or from lack of interest because of a hormone imbalance; a failure to fill, which results from poor blood flow to the penis, caused by blocked arteries; a failure to store, which results from blood escaping too quickly from the penis back into the body, caused by atrophy or scarring within the penis.

It is only rarely caused by a lack of interest, a man's impotence can damage a woman's self-image if her partner doesn't make it clear that she is desirable. The causes and frequency of physical (organic) impotence seen in a typical urology clinic are listed below.