ED Assessment and Treatment Discussion Guide

Explore the factors that can influence erectile dysfunction assessment and prepare the questions you may want to discuss with your clinician.

FREE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION TOOL

ED Treatment Pathway

Not sure what to do next for erectile dysfunction? Answer 9 short questions to see which assessment and treatment pathway may be most relevant — from checking causes and optimising tablets to injections, vacuum therapy or penile implant discussion.

Important: This tool is educational only. Erectile dysfunction can have vascular, hormonal, neurological, medication-related, psychological and mixed causes. Treatment should be individualised after appropriate medical assessment.

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Question 1 of 9

How often are erections not firm enough for the sexual activity you want?

Occasional difficulty can happen to anyone. A persistent pattern deserves a more structured assessment.

Question 2 of 9

What happens with morning erections or masturbation?

This does not prove whether ED is “physical” or “psychological”, but the pattern can be useful.

Question 3 of 9

Is the problem mainly situation-specific?

For example: erections are reliable alone but difficult with a partner, with a new partner, when using a condom, or when you feel under pressure.

Question 4 of 9

Is there an important medical or treatment context?

Choose the option that is most relevant. More than one factor can still contribute.

Question 5 of 9

Have you developed penile curvature, an hourglass/narrowing change or erection-related penile pain?

New penile deformity can change how erectile dysfunction should be assessed and treated.

Question 6 of 9

Is low sexual desire or a hormone issue also a concern?

Low desire, known low testosterone or other endocrine problems can coexist with ED and may need separate assessment.

Question 7 of 9

Is there a reason ED tablets may need extra medical review?

This question is about safety, not whether tablets would otherwise work.

Question 8 of 9

What has happened with ED tablets such as sildenafil or tadalafil?

A tablet can appear to “fail” because of dose, timing, food, inadequate stimulation, side effects, contraindications or because a different treatment is needed.

Question 9 of 9

Where are you up to with non-tablet options?

Your preference matters. ED treatment does not have to follow the same order for every person.

MORE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION GUIDES

Find the page that matches where you are in treatment

These focused guides sit alongside the ED Treatment Pathway. You do not need to read every page — start with the situation that best matches your current treatment or prostate cancer history.

01

When tablets or injections have not solved the problem

Move from oral treatment failure through injection decisions, persistent ED and penile implant discussion.

ED tablets ED Tablets Not Working — What Happens Next? Check whether oral treatment has genuinely failed and understand reasonable next treatment options. Read guide → Penile injections Penile Injections for ED — What If They Don’t Suit Me? For men who dislike injections, cannot use them reliably, have side-effects or want to understand alternatives. Read guide → Compare treatments Penile Implant vs Penile Injections Compare reliability, spontaneity, invasiveness and practical day-to-day differences. Compare → Persistent ED Severe / Treatment-Resistant Erectile Dysfunction A focused pathway when standard treatments have been inadequate, unsuitable or unacceptable. Read guide → Implant decision When Should You Consider a Penile Implant? Understand when a penile prosthesis discussion may become reasonable and what should be clarified first. Read guide →
02

Erectile dysfunction after prostate cancer treatment

Choose the broad prostate cancer guide or the more specific radical-prostatectomy and implant-after-prostatectomy pathways.

Prostate cancer Erectile Dysfunction After Prostate Cancer Treatment A broad overview after surgery, radiotherapy and other prostate cancer treatment pathways. Read guide → After prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction After Radical Prostatectomy Recovery, rehabilitation and treatment escalation after prostate removal surgery. Read guide → Implant after prostatectomy Penile Implant After Prostatectomy When a prosthesis may enter the discussion and how previous pelvic surgery can affect planning. Read guide →
Not sure which guide applies? Complete the ED Treatment Pathway above or start with the main erectile dysfunction overview.
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