7 Ways to Treat Erectile Dysfunction Page - 2

2. Injections

 

If oral medications don't work, a doctor might recommend injecting medication directly into the base or the side of the penis with a tiny needle or inserting a suppository into the urethra.

The injectable drug alprostadil is a synthetic version of prostaglandin E1, a hormone-like substance that functions similarly to ED pills. Some injections mix alprostadil with other medications—such as the vasodilator papaverine and the alpha-blocker phentolamine—to increase its effectiveness.

Your doctor can teach you to perform the injections yourself at home.

3. Suppositories

 

For guys who prefer not to inject themselves or have a fear of needles, a suppository called MUSE—containing the drug alprostadil—is also available, though it is not considered as effective as the shots. "The injection is a direct delivery of medication to the penis, while the suppository is inserted into the urethra and when it is absorbed, it loses some of its strength," says Ridwan Shabsigh, MD, director of the division of urology at Maimonides Medical Center and professor of clinical urology at Columbia University in New York City.

Both methods have the same primary complaint: Men using injections or MUSE often say they take away from the spontaneity of sex because it takes time to prepare and administer the medications.