Health officials say COVID could affect a men's genital in the long-run after recovery from the virus.
The alarming health update was reported this week, where studies have found that there's been rising cases of erectile dysfunction tied to the illness. Also, additional factors relating to the virus such as serious anxiety may also play a role in this report.
Dr. Emmanuele Jannini, a professor of endocrinology and medical sexology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, is a health official abroad who has concluded that there is a correlation between the illness and erectile dysfunction.
“Communicating that the disease can affect your sexual life is a tremendously powerful message,” even more so for males who refuse to get vaccinated, Dr. Jannini says. “The evidence is very strong.” the health official added.
The professor from the University of Rome says that there's certain areas of the body that could be getting affected such as the men's blood flow, nerves, hormone levels, and other areas that lead to a healthy arousal for men.
“You need good blood flow, you need the nerves to be firing, and you need good hormone levels, specifically testosterone,” he said. “But you also need to be in a good state of mind, and you also need to be aroused. If any of these things go wrong, you may have an issue getting an erection.”
The virus may strike the vessel system, which plays a crucial part in this study because it's a part of the body that gives access for blood flow directly to a man's penis. Any injury to the vessels may not only lead to this complication, but also other serious situations such as heart attacks, abnormal clotting and strokes.
“Our entire vascular system is connected — it’s not an isolated penis problem,” Dr. T. Mike Hsieh, director of the men’s health center at UCSD.
Director Hsieh explains that the first sign of damaged vessels on men is on their genitale, even prior to spotting it on a bigger artery.
“The artery for the penis is one-tenth the size of a coronary artery, and when you have a narrower vessel, whether it’s a plumbing problem or a vascular problem, it will show up there first, even before you see it in a larger artery,” Dr. Hsieh said.
