Nonoral medicines for erectile dysfunction are the kinds that you don't take by mouth. They include:
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Self-injections. These are shots of medicine that you give yourself to get an erection. You use a fine needle to inject a prescription drug into the base or side of your penis. Often, this causes little pain. Some of the medicines used for self-injections are alprostadil (Caverject, Edex) and phentolamine (OraVerse).
The goal of this treatment is to produce an erection that lasts about 20 to 30 minutes. If an erection lasts longer than one hour, you'll need to have the medicine or dose changed. This lowers the risk of long-term health problems.
Self-injections can cause side effects. You might have bleeding from the shot. Or you might develop a painful erection that lasts over four hours, called priapism. Fibrous tissue also could form within the penis or at the injection site.
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Alprostadil urethral suppository (Muse). This is a tiny, medicated pellet, called a suppository, that goes inside your penis. You use a special device to insert the suppository into your urethra, the tube through which urine leaves the body.
The erection usually starts within 10 minutes and lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. Side effects can include pain, a burning feeling and minor bleeding in the urethra.
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Testosterone replacement. Some people have erectile dysfunction due to low levels of the hormone testosterone. In this case, you might benefit from testosterone replacement therapy. Most often, this treatment is prescribed along with ED medicine that you take by mouth.
Testosterone replacement therapy comes in many forms, including a shot, patch and pill. Talk to your health care team about your preference and the possible side effects.