Impotency

[Raeanne Dimick]

The quality or condition of being impotent; want of
strength or power, animal, intellectual, or moral; weakness;
feebleness; inability; imbecility.

[Konraddync]

an inability (usually of the male animal) to copulate

[GlendynaSlese]

(Law Med.) Lack of procreative power; inability to copulate, or beget children; also, sometimes, sterility; barrenness; specifically, in males: the inability to achieve or sustain a penile erection; erectile dysfunction.

[Raeanne Dimick]

Impotency refers to the inability or incapability of an individual, often a male, to achieve or maintain an erection or to engage in sexual intercourse. However, it can also be applicable in a broad sense to refer to a lack of power, strength, or the inability to perform a particular task or function effectively.

[Becky]

want of self-restraint or self-control

[Dave Paprocki]

Erectile dysfunction (ED), also called impotence, is the type of sexual dysfunction in which the penis fails to become or stay erect during sexual activity. It is the most common sexual problem in men. Through its connection to self-image and to problems in sexual relationships, erectile dysfunction can cause psychological harm.
In about 80% of cases, physical causes can be identified. These include cardiovascular disease; diabetes mellitus; neurological problems, such as those following prostatectomy; hypogonadism; and drug side effects. About 10% of cases are psychological impotence, caused by thoughts or feelings; here, there is a strong response to placebo treatment.
The term erectile dysfunction is not used for other disorders of erection, such as priapism.
Treatment involves addressing the underlying causes, lifestyle modifications, and addressing psychosocial problems. In many cases, treatment is attempted by drugs, specifically PDE5 inhibitors (such as sildenafil), which dilate blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow through the spongy tissue of the penis (akin to opening a valve further in order to allow more water to enter a fire hose). Other treatments, less commonly used, include prostaglandin pellets, inserted in the urethra; smooth-muscle relaxants and vasodilators, injected into the penis; penile implants; penis pumps; and vascular reconstructive surgery.