Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction should seek professional medical advice, instead of practicing folk remedies or taking over-the-counter medicines, health experts said at a press conference yesterday.
Lin Ru-tien (
To promote that message, a campaign will be launched in cooperation with a local taxi company, in which handbooks carrying information and advice on dealing with sexual dysfunction will be placed in cabs.
The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality in Taiwan asked Taiwan Taxi Co, a taxi company that owns about 100 cabs, to distribute the handbooks.
Drivers at the company said that due to the relative anonymity of the situation, passengers often confided in them about all aspects of their lives, making them good candidates to give advice on sensitive matters such as erectile dysfunction.
According to Dai Shun-ching, the head of urology at Ton-Yen General Hospital, while men in previous generations didn't experience erectile dysfunction until their 70s, many many today experience problems in their 40s and 50s.
"The reason men experience problems so much earlier these days is largely due to the increased amount of stress they experience," he said.
Lin said that before seeking professional advice, most men try homemade remedies such as rubbing oils, herbal remedies and doing certain exercises to improve sexual performance, such as the so-called "Nine-nine wonder."
He urged men to seek medical advice rather than taking matters into their own hands, saying that a number of medications such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra were available to treat impotence
Lin said that professional advice should be sought before taking such medications, as the drugs could interact badly with other medications for strokes or heart conditions.
Lin said that sexual potency could be improved through better communication between spouses, a healthy lifestyle including a proper diet and regular exercise and creating a "good atmosphere."
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