How well does your man’s penis perform? This online ‘erection checker’ quiz can reveal if there are problems that could affect his sex life
- The seven-step tool takes just 60 seconds to complete, according to Lloyds
- It tots up a percentage for the men, which is signalled by a penis-shaped arrow
- The tool comes after the landmark move by officials in the UK to reclassify Viagra
An online ‘erection checker’ has been launched for men wanting to know how well their penis performs.
The seven-step tool, which takes just 60 seconds to complete, allows men to find out if they may be having any medical problems.
The quiz examines issues men may have becoming aroused and maintaining an erection and then tots up a percentage which is signalled with a penis-shaped arrow on a speedometer-style chart.
It comes after the decision last year to reclassify Viagra, which has revolutionised the sex lives of millions worldwide.
As a result, men with erectile difficulties have been able to buy a version of the little blue pill, called Viagra Connect, over-the-counter since the end of March.
The seven-step tool , which takes just 60 seconds to complete, allows men to find out how their ‘penis is performing’
The original pill, and other similar ones designed to help men get and maintain an erection, can still be obtained with a prescription.
LloydsPharmacy, which has more than 1,500 pharmacies in the UK, sells a range online – and links directly to their shop page at the end of the erection checker tool.
Users are quizzed about their confidence in getting an erection and whether they struggle to get hard enough for sex.
They are also asked about if they can maintain their erection in the bedroom and how enjoyable they find intimate moments.
The last questions revolve around any possible causes of impotency in the past 24 hours, such as alcohol, and when they get their best erections.
Answers fall into one of three brackets, with 88 per cent and above telling men that it ‘looks like everything is working just fine down there’.
They are told that ‘things aren’t quite working as well as they could be’ for those who score between 48 and 88 per cent.
And for those men who score lower than that on the test, they are warned it ‘seems like you’re having a few problems down there’.
TAKE THE TEST YOURSELF: THE 7 QUESTIONS ASKED AND THE ANSWERS
1. How confident are you that you can get an erection and keep it up?
- I don’t worry at all about this
- Quite confident, but occasionally I worry
- 50/50
- Not so confident
- Not confident at all
2. Are your erections hard enough to penetrate and start having sex?
- I have no problems with penetration
- I’m hard enough the majority of the time
- 50/50
- Less than half the time
- I’m never hard enough to start sex
3. During sex, can you maintain your erection?
- Always
- Most of the time, but occasionally lose it
- 50/50
- I lose my erection most of the time
- I am never able to keep my erection
4. During sex, how difficult is it to maintain your erection until the end?
- Really difficult, I can’t keep my erection up
- Difficult, but occasionally I manage to keep it up
- Half of the time it is difficult to keep it up
- Slightly difficult, but usually fine
- No problem at all
5. Is sex enjoyable for you?
- Always
- Most of the time, but could be better
- About half the time I find sex enjoyable
- Almost never
- Sex is not enjoyable anymore
6. Have any of the below ever negatively affected your erection?
- Stress or nerves
- Alcohol or drugs
- Number of times I’ve had sex in the past 24 hours
- Nothing seems to negatively affect it
7. When do you get your best erections?
- When I’m masturbating
- When I’m watching pornography
- When I’m having sex
Take the test for yourself here.
Based on their issues getting it up, the quiz tots up a percentage for the men, which is signalled with a penis-shaped arrow on a speedometer-style chart
WHAT IS ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION?
Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is the inability to get and maintain an erection.
It is a very common condition, particularly in older men.
Half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 will have it to some degree, experts suggest.
Erectile dysfunction can have a range of causes, both physical (such as the narrowing blood vessels) and psychological (depression).
It is primarily treated by tackling the cause of the problem, whether this is physical or psychological.
Source: NHS Choices
The tool was launched alongside a LloydsPharmacy survey of 1,000 men that asked them about their erectile problems.
It found 59 per cent admit they have struggled to get and keep an erection at some point in their lives – while a quarter have problems every time.
Nearly half, or 42 per cent, also revealed they have regular sex with a ‘semi’ erection – when it is not fully erect.
One in ten even claimed they would rather give up sex altogether than get help for their impotency. Embarrassment was a major factor.
The stigma of it being an ‘old man drug’ has left thousands of men too embarrassed to talk to their GP about their erectile difficulties.
Doctors say it is usually nothing to worry about – but recommends patients should see a GP if it keeps happening. It can be linked to heart disease.
Users are quizzed about their confidence in getting an erection and whether they struggle to get hard enough for sex
WHAT IS VIAGRA?
Viagra was developed in 1998 by accident, after scientists discovered it had benefits for sufferers of erectile dysfunction.
Manufactured by Pfizer, the magic blue pills are taken by more than one million men in Britain each year, figures suggest.
Most users are in their early to mid 50s, but younger people are starting to take the drugs more often, the pharmaceutical previously said.
Until 2013, only the US drug giant had permission to make the pills – costing on average £21.27 for a pack of four.
But since its patent expired, rivals have made generic versions containing the same active ingredient, priced at around £1.45 for the same amount of capsules.
Celebrities such as Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy magazine, and Hollywood actors Ben Affleck and Ashton Kutcher have previously admitted using Viagra.
Dr Kieran Seyan, of Lloyds, said: ‘Having the ability to achieve and maintain an erection is extremely important for men – both physically and mentally.
‘When men experience a problem it can be really difficult to talk about not only with a health professional but also with their partners, which can often cause relationships to suffer.
‘Erectile dysfunction is more common than many men realise and I would encourage anyone with concerns to get the help they need as the issues they are experiencing could be linked to other health conditions which are often treatable.
‘It is definitely not something men should feel ashamed of and the more we can encourage people to talk about the topic the easier it will become for people to seek support.’
Erection problems, including impotence, strike around half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70, according to figures.
Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection. This is usually due to stress, tiredness, anxiety or drinking too much alcohol.
Dr Seyan warned that ED can be a sign of high blood pressure, prostate problems and type 2 diabetes.
The new erection tool comes after guidelines in March urged GPs to ask men who struggle to get an erection whether or not they are gay.
A 28-page report, issued by the British Society for Sexual Medicine, was dished out to doctors – but received backlash from the Royal College of GPs.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A HEART PILL
Research scientist Dr Mike Wyllie was head of biology at the pharmaceutical company Pfizer during the development and launch of Viagra in the 1990s. He is still a consultant for the firm today.
He says: ‘Viagra – as it’s used in its current form – was an accidental discovery. The drug was originally designed to help angina but an unexpected side effect was that the men trailing it were getting erections.
‘As well as dilating their coronary blood vessels, as expected, the drug was acting on the blood vessels in the penis.
‘And Viagra very nearly didn’t happen at all. In fact it was very nearly shelved for being morally wrong: there were concerns over “selling sex”. And very few people thought there was a market for it.
‘Back in the early 1990s, erectile dysfunction, or impotence, as it was more commonly known, was not considered a problem. Or certainly not one that was ever talked about.
‘And the vast majority of people thought it was “all in the mind”. GPs said patients didn’t mention it, but then they also never asked about it, not like today.
‘Viagra’s biggest achievement in the past 20 years has been to put the very embarrassing, but very widespread problem of erectile dysfunction on the map, and that can only be a good thing.’
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