Common Cialis Side Effects and How to Treat Them

As a medical student, I've been able to study Cialis and its effects. As we all know, Cialis, also known as Tadalafil, is a treatment for erectile dysfunction. Cialis works by inhibiting a chemical called PDE5. The inhibition of this chemical in turn increases the amount of another chemical called cGMP. Cyclical GMP causes smooth muscle relaxation, allowing more blood flow into the corpus cavernosum, the part of the penis that fills with blood and causes erection.

It's this same mechanism, however, that causes Cialis side effects. The drug can't target the penis specifically, so this increased blood flow happens in other parts of the body as well. For this reason, it's very dangerous to take Cialis, or any other PDE5 inhibitor without first consulting a doctor. Assuming you have a prescription from a doctor though, you shouldn't encounter any dangerous side effects.

Some of the most common Cialis side effects include:

-headache
-indigestion
-back pain
-muscle aches
-flushing
-and stuffy or runny nose

Treating Cialis side effects

As you can see, these side effects are pretty harmless. Most go away in just a few hours. If necessary, they're treatable by ordinary over-the-counter medications.
Another possible solution is talking to your doctor about maybe lowering your dosage. Many men find lower dosages of the drug to work almost as well as the higher dosages. In fact, in June of 2007, the European Commission approved low-dose (2.5mg and 5mg) Cialis as a once-daily treatment for erectile dysfunction.
One last suggestion is to avoid taking Cialis too often. Remember to wait at least 24 hours in between taking Cialis. This is especially important with Cialis's longer half-life.

To summarize, you can treat some Cialis side effects by:

-waiting it out
-over-the-counter medication
-lowering your dosage
-and waiting at least 24 hours between dosings

There are more dangerous side effects as well, but these are pretty rare. If you notice any serious health concerns, contact your doctor immediately. Know that, although serious side effects can occur, they rarely do, to the point where some are so rare there's some doubt there's actually any correlation. Nonetheless, take all the warnings seriously, and be careful. And remember, don't take any advice you read here or elsewhere without first consulting your doctor.