The history

First, the doctor will interview you about your personal and sexual history. Though some of these questions may feel intrusive, it is important that you answer honestly to aid in a proper diagnosis.

Choose another disease or condition... Allergic Rhinitis Allergies, Food Allergy & Asthma Center Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety Aortic Aneurysms Arrhythmia Arthritis, Osteo- (OA) Arthritis, Rheumatoid (RA) Asthma Atopic Dermatitis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Back Pain Brain Tumor Bones, Joints & Muscles Center Breast Cancer Brain & Behavior Center Brain Tumor Cancer Center    Brain Tumor    Breast Cancer    Cancer Prevention    Clinical Trials    Colorectal Cancer    Endometrial Cancer    Living With and Beyond Cancer    Lung Cancer    Prostate Cancer    Skin Cancer Cardiomyopathy Cataracts Cholesterol Control Clinical Trials Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Colorectal Cancer Congenital Heart Disease Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Center Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Digestive Disorders Center Eczema Endometrial Cancer Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Eye & Vision Center Fibromyalgia Food Allergies Gallstone Disease Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD Glaucoma Hay Fever Headache Heart Center Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C High Blood Pressure Hypertension Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Impotence Insomnia Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Living With and Beyond Cancer Losing Weight Lung Cancer Macular Degeneration Memory Loss Osteoarthritis (OA) Osteoporosis Parkinson's Disease Peptic Ulcer Prediabetes Prostate Cancer Respiratory Disorders Center Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Sexual & Reproductive Health Center Sinusitis Skin Cancer Sleep Apnea Sleep Center Stroke Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Weight Control More about Sexual and Reproductive Health Get more online resources about ED Erectile Dysfunction-Related Clinical Trials Information Email this page Print this section

Questions may include:

• What over-the-counter drugs, prescription medications, supplements, herbals, or illegal drugs are you currently using?
• Have you experienced any psychological problems like stress, anxiety, or depression?
• When did you first notice symptoms of erectile dysfunction?
• What are the frequency, quality, and duration of any erections that you have had?
• What are the specific circumstances under which ED first occurred?
• Do you now, or did you ever, experience erections at night or during the morning?
• What kind of sexual techniques do you use?
• Are you experiencing any problems with your current relationship?

The doctor may also wish to interview your sexual partner, who may be able to offer insight about the underlying cause.

Next, the doctor will take a complete medical history and perform a physical exam to assess whether the problem is caused by a medical condition.