How many times have we heard the men’s health clinic ads on the radio? They sound so appealing, often guaranteeing success on your first visit or your money back.
So exactly what does all that mean? Let’s break it down:
The doctors you see in many of these men’s health clinics claim to be experts in erectile dysfunction but can be any type of doctor: an ER doctor, a pediatrician, a family practitioner, or even a chiropractor. The real medical experts in erectile dysfunction are urologists, who receive extensive training in the physiology, anatomy, and treatment of both urinary disorders and genital problems and have done extensive research in men’s sexual health. We, urologists, have done the basic science and clinical research for the current treatments for erectile dysfunction.
Men’s health clinics usually do not take any insurance, so a typical visit starts with you paying $99-199 by cash or credit card. After you’ve paid, the attendant will take some medical history from you, and then they may inject your penis using a needle with a “proprietary” formula of medication designed to give you an erection. So, what is the medication they actually give you? It’s often a combination of routine but potent substances that dilate arteries. These substances have been used in penile injection therapy for decades and are not some new magic potions only found at men’s health clinics. The most common medications urologists use are papaverine, prostaglandin E, and phentolamine, which are combined into an injection called Trimix.
After you’ve achieved a successful erection, the hard sales pitch can begin. They may suggest you buy the injections from them, asking you to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than you would pay for the same penile injection therapy from a urologist. They may even press you to sign a monthly contract or payment plan. Simply put, the priority at a men’s health clinic often is your money and not your health.
The next time you hear an advertisement about erectile dysfunction on the radio, don’t be tempted. Instead, make an appointment with a urologist, who is your men’s health expert. We’ll go over all the treatment options available for erectile dysfunction and come up with an effective plan, usually at a fraction of the price of the treatments men’s health clinics advertise on the radio.
By Barry M. Zisholtz, M.D., F. A. C. S. I’m sure by now, you may have seen and or heard a commercial for erectile dysfunction (ED) which ends with the statement, “If your erection lasts more than four hours, call your doctor.” This condition (known as priapism) is a urological emergency that is relatively rare, […]
By Dr. Brent A. Sharpe, M.D. As urologists, it’s not often we get to witness something in our careers that revolutionizes the way we do things. The first time I ever experienced this phenomenon was after performing robotic surgery for prostate cancer. Within 10 years, more 95% of all prostate cancer surgeries in the US […]
Despite the fact that erectile dysfunction (ED) can be a normal part of a man’s life, there are still men who are too uncomfortable speaking to their physician about it. ED is a very common problem for older men, and it’s estimated that half of men between the ages of 40 and 70 have trouble […]
