MEN IN BED: CONDOM IMPOTENCE

Perfectly potent men go limp with latex. To some men it’s a mystery. When they don’t wear a condom everything goes well and intercourse is successful. But if they do wear one, the whole interaction can fail miserably. Such men suffer from ‘condom impotence’. They are perfectly willing and able, but as soon as the latex is unrolled, they lose their erection. Women frequently misinterpret this as a lack of interest by the man. A few years ago, when diaphragms were popular, similar problems were encountered, because during the time it took for the woman to fit a diaphragm, the man lost his erection. This was referred to as ‘diaphragm impotence’.

Condom impotence is widespread and happens to young and old alike. It can become such a problem that some men are driven to take drastic steps. Some go so far as to request vasectomies and others abstain from full sexual activity.

Recently two youngish men turned up at the Men’s Medical Clinic in Sydney both requesting vasectomies. They had been attending the clinic for other male problems but, during the history-taking, disclosed the real reason for their vasectomies. One was a professional man in his early forties, the other a tradesman in his mid-thirties. Both had tried to use condoms for contraception rather than for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. But despite genuine and repeated attempts, neither could ‘perform’ while wearing one. Full erectile capability returned once the sheaths were out of sight. If a man has performance anxiety and is not sexually confident, rolling on a condom may be enough to sabotage the intercourse.

Condom impotence can be a particular problem for older men. As men age, their erections become more fragile, and consequently they often become anxious about them. They find it difficult to maintain erections during the break in stimulation that occurs when the condom has to be put on. Anxiety about this break and about their fragility may bring on an adrenalin rush that automatically causes detumescence. This adrenalin surge makes an erection physically impossible. Older men tend to report condom impotence more than younger men, but it is not something they feel comfortable talking about.

One method of overcoming such anxiety is to combine condom use with a special injection which brings on an erection and maintains it for thirty to sixty minutes.

This method takes time, but within six months, most men should have regained enough confidence to be able to use condoms freely.

Historically, condoms have had a poor reputation. Until the late 1930s they were thick, rubbery and reusable. There was a widespread perception that they cut sensation and dulled the sexual pleasure for both participants.

This view persisted, and when schoolboys in the 1960s were surveyed about condoms, their response was overwhelmingly negative. Their fathers had told them that the rubber was so thick it mined all the fun. Today, many older men still hold this view, which may be a factor in their condom impotence. The expectation of significantly reduced sensation may make them anxious.

But condoms have changed. According to Ansell International, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of condoms, the first condom revolution took place in the late 1930s when the heavy robber was replaced with finer latex. Manufacturing was again refined in the 1970s, and today ultra-thin’ condoms are available. Despite this, patients continue to complain that condoms make them feel their penises are anaesthetised. But there are simple ways of preventing condom impotence. Many people wouldn’t know, for example, that caressing the testicles results in an automatic erection by spinal reflex mechanism. Doing this at the time of putting on a condom may help to overcome erectile failure.

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