During night, average men have almost invariably experience erections if they have no physical abnormalities. The patient may spend a few nights in a sleep laboratory where a gauge that measures the frequency and duration of nocturnal erections is attached to the base of the penis. A home version of this, the snap-gauge test, can also be used. Before going to sleep, the patient attaches the gauge to the base of his penis. During the night, the gauge will break at different degrees of penile rigidity and show whether a partial or full erection has taken place during sleep. They are a normal body function whose purpose is to oxygenate the penile erectile tissue. The penis is a vascular organ which requires exercise.

If nocturnal erections do not occur, the impotence is most likely to be physical. Additional testing is then required to identify the precise cause of the problem.
Inability to achieve and maintain an erection suitable for vaginal intercourse is called "male erectile dysfunction" (ED) or impotency, for short.

The appropriate treatment for impotence depends upon whether the cause is physical or psychological. A man whose impotence is more psychological than physical may still have erections during sleep, whereas an individual whose impotence is physical in origin may usually not experience the same.
Feldman says, "The increase in blood flow required for erection is comparable to that required by the heart for vigorous exercise," Feldman's findings make sense, says Dr. Julia Arnsten, an assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology and social medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. She says, "It's logical and biologically plausible, based on what we know of the effect of nicotine on the blood vessels," For cigarette smokers, the rate of impotence was 24 percent, and cigar smokers had a 30 percent impotence rate.

Dr. Sayeed Ahmad D. I. Hom. (London) writes, the potency of a male can be calculated by the following factors:

1. The distance at which the stream of urine falls when passed with deliberate force.
2. The responsive upward move of the testicles at the time of coughing.
3. The potency of a male is in proportion to the degree of rigidity of erection at the time of a nocturnal emission.
4. Early morning erection of penis with a full bladder is the good evidence of normal physiological and anatomical functioning.
5. A man who has a strong and hard thigh is possessed of strong sexual organs. A man who is unable to walk with his knees straight but keeps them slightly bent due to weakness of the muscles of the thighs, is sure to be weak in sexual vigor.

The treatment of organic erectile dysfunction was revolutionized by the development of surgical devices such as the penile prosthesis. Since about 1972, this has been one of the more reliable approaches for achieving an adequate erection.

Erectile dysfunction should be carefully considered with a physician and will vary among male patients. There are many successfully erectile dysfunction drugs in market. Among those drugs, there are three most successful drugs such as, Cialis, Viagra and Levitra.

For their similarities, please visit the educational site, http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/new_erectile_dysfunction_drugs.htm
There are also other official and informative sites about erectile dysfunction drugs as, http://www.cialis.com, http://www.cialismagic.com and for Viagra and Levitra information, please visit the official site of Viagra.

This article is only for education purpose. If you are experiencing similar issue, please consult your healthcare provider for more information.

About the Author: Richard Gary - Author Medical Researcher Newyork, USA

Source: www.isnare.com