It’s not every day you’re perusing a medical journal and you get the inspiration for a brand new sex toy. But some things just grab your attention – like the fact that there are medical tools which can induce ejaculation without the need for an erection.
For a long time, medical experts have been working on treatments for people with erectile dysfunction. This spectrum reaches from the lack of all penile sensation to having trouble getting or keeping an erection.
Changing the way we think about ED
Ask the layperson about erectile dysfunction and chances are their first thought will be Viagra. Since it was released onto the market, it’s made billions of pounds each year. (It’s also spawned more spam than your inbox could ever cope with.) But solutions for erectile dysfunction don’t just come in the form of pills. One of the developments that inspired PULSE was a physical tool that induced ejaculation in men with spinal cord injuries.
So how do you induce an erection – or even ejaculation – in a penis which has little or no sensation?
Well, the answer was Penile Vibratory Stimulation. They placed an oscillating vibrator at the tip of the penis to induce what they call a ‘reflex ejaculation.’ In other words, to produce come even if there’s no sensation. The technique was originally used as part of IVF – to help men with spinal cord injuries have children. Since then, PVS has also been explored as a means of treating erectile dysfunction after operations on the prostate.
PULSE and erectile dysfunction
PULSE – the world’s first oscillating ‘guybrator’ – was inspired by this PVS technique. Many male sex toys on the market aren’t suitable for guys who suffer from erectile dysfunction, because you need to be hard before you can even start to use them. Adam Lewis, our founder and creator of the PULSE SOLO ESSENTIAL, realised that the PVS technology could have benefits outside the medical realm: it could be used to create a sex toy that gives pleasure even to those who have trouble staying erect.
Let’s look at the tech
The oscillating PulsePlate™ found in the PULSE is based on the same tech that’s used in PVS. It stimulates the frenulum using oscillations – that means the plate moves up and down rather than simply from side-to-side like most vibrating sex toys on the market. The fact that the toy has a semi-open shape helps too – you can use it when you’re flaccid and when you’re erect, which means you’re not as dependent on having an erection as you are with masturbation sleeves, and other similar toys.
Take it from our happy customers and sex experts alike. While toys aren’t a magic ‘cure’ for ED, they can still provide a hell of a great time.
One of our favourite testimonials reproduced here on Disability Horizons, comes from a member of a disabled customer’s support team:
“My client has a very involved degenerative muscular disorder. He has also had several strokes and heart surgery. The only part of his body he can move independently is his head. He is able to breathe on his own, but has a tracheostomy tube, feeding tubes and catheters. I feel his ability to masturbate successfully is important to his dignity; one thing he can do that brings pleasure into his life and that he doesn’t require other people to do for him. A member of staff sets him up and then he is on his own. It is probably the most privacy he has in his day.”
What about older men?
Volunteer David M Pittle, who reviewed PULSE SOLO ESSENTIAL with an eye to exploring how it would work for older men, said:
“I was excited by the original PULSE, but I’m an out and out fan of the PULSE SOLO. It is, without doubt, the best vibrator sex toy for men with erectile challenges that I have seen. As a sex therapist often dealing with older men with erectile dysfunction, this is very important to me. I will certainly be recommending this product.”
It’s more common than you think
Erectile dysfunction affects many men in their lifetime. In fact, according to the Telegraph, roughly half of all men between 40-70 have issues with ED to some degree.
One of the common misconceptions about erectile dysfunction is that it is ‘in the mind’ – while some instances of erectile dysfunction are psychological, relating to pressure, anxiety or depression, erectile dysfunction can also be a symptom of other health problems. High blood pressure, injury (such as the spinal cord injuries mentioned above), and side effects of other medication can be common causes of erectile dysfunction.
Next steps
So if you’re suffering from it, the very first step is to visit your doctor, who can identify whether your ED is a symptom of something more serious, as well as offer you advice and help with managing erectile dysfunction. When you’ve spoken to your doctor if you fancy trying out one of the best male sex toys on the market, head to our testimonials page and see what other customers say.