Private self-assessment | Takes about one minute
How are your erections, really?
Five quick questions about the last four weeks. Your answers stay on your device: nothing is saved or sent. At the end you get a plain-language guide to what your answers may mean and what to do next.
Your erection health check
Think about the last four weeks. Choose the answer that fits best.
1. How confident are you that you can get and keep an erection when you want to?
2. When you have an erection with sexual stimulation, how often is it firm enough for penetration?
3. Once you have an erection, how often can you keep it until sex is finished?
4. How satisfied are you with your erections overall?
5. How often do you wake with morning erections?
What your result means
| Score | What it may suggest | Suggested next step |
|---|---|---|
| 22 to 25 | Erections working well | Keep up healthy habits; recheck if anything changes |
| 17 to 21 | Mild difficulty | Look at stress, sleep, alcohol and circulation; consider a consultation |
| 12 to 16 | Moderate difficulty | Book a consultation and mention it to your doctor |
| 5 to 11 | Significant difficulty | See your doctor for a health check and book a consultation |
The score is a rough guide, not a diagnosis. Two men with the same score can have very different causes, which is why a proper conversation about your health, medication and lifestyle matters more than any number.
Erections are a window on your health
An erection depends on healthy blood vessels, nerves, hormones and a calm mind working together. Because the arteries in the penis are smaller than those around the heart, circulation problems often show up there first. Research has found that erection problems can come before heart symptoms by several years. Read about ED and heart disease.
Circulation
High blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and diabetes all affect blood flow. Vascular causes of ED.
Hormones
Low testosterone, thyroid and blood sugar problems can lower drive and firmness. Low testosterone signs.
Mind and stress
Performance anxiety, burnout and relationship stress are common causes, especially in younger men. Performance anxiety.
Medication and lifestyle
Some blood pressure tablets, antidepressants, alcohol and poor sleep can all play a part. Medications and sexual function.
See a doctor promptly, or go to an emergency unit, if you have:
- Chest pain, breathlessness or dizziness during sex or exercise
- An erection that lasts more than four hours
- Sudden erection problems after an injury to the pelvis, back or penis
- Pain, a new bend or a lump in the penis
- Erection problems together with numbness, weakness or bladder or bowel changes
These need medical attention. Do not stop any prescribed medication without speaking to your doctor first.
How Sandton Men’s Clinic can help
1
Private consultation
30 to 60 minutes with George, in person in Sandton or by video, open 24/7.
2
Find the likely causes
Circulation, hormones, stress, sleep, weight, alcohol, medication and relationship factors, looked at together.
3
Personal natural plan
Natural, non-surgical remedies, nutrition and lifestyle steps, collected at the clinic or sent with PostNet, discreetly packed.
4
Follow-up
Follow-ups to track progress and adjust your plan, with referral to a doctor where tests or prescriptions are needed.
Our scope, stated plainly
Sandton Men’s Clinic is a naturopathic practice. We do not prescribe erection medication, give injections or run blood tests in-house.
We look for root causes and build natural, lifestyle-based plans, and we refer you to a medical doctor whenever that is the right next step. Our approach to erectile dysfunction.
Our full approach Weak erections ›
Firmness that comes and goes Situational or persistent? ›
Why the pattern matters ED in younger men ›
Causes and next steps Men over 50 ›
Vitality and sexual function Online consultation ›
Video consult from anywhere in SA
Erection health check questions
Is this erection health check a diagnosis?
No. It is a private self-assessment to help you think about your erections over the last month and decide whether to get help. Only a proper consultation, and where needed a medical examination and tests, can tell you what is behind a problem.
Is it normal to have erection problems sometimes?
Yes. Most men have the occasional difficulty, especially when tired, stressed, after alcohol or with a new partner. It becomes worth looking at when problems happen often, last more than a few weeks, or affect your confidence or relationship.
Why do erection problems matter for my heart?
Erections depend on healthy blood vessels. Because the vessels in the penis are small, circulation problems can show up there before they cause symptoms elsewhere. Erection problems can be an early warning sign of heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, so it is sensible to mention them to your doctor.
Is my answer stored anywhere?
No. The check runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you select is saved, stored or sent to us.
What happens if I book a consultation after the check?
You speak one-on-one with George Mulaudzi, Naturopath, in person in Sandton or by video, for 30 to 60 minutes. He looks at the likely causes and builds a personalised natural plan with follow-ups, and refers you to a doctor where tests or prescription care are needed.
Talk it through, privately
One-on-one with George, in Sandton or by video, day or night. Booking does not commit you to any treatment.
Sources
- Rosen RC et al. Development and evaluation of an abridged, 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). Int J Impot Res, 1999. (The questions above are our own plain-language adaptation and are not the validated questionnaire.)
- Burnett AL et al. Erectile Dysfunction: AUA Guideline, 2018.
- Thompson IM et al. Erectile dysfunction and subsequent cardiovascular disease. JAMA, 2005.
Written and reviewed by George Mulaudzi, Naturopath, Sandton Men’s Clinic, 199 Vanessa Street, Buccleuch, Sandton, Gauteng 2090 | +27 10 205 9208. This page is general information and does not replace a consultation or medical care. Individual results vary, and no outcome can be guaranteed.