The question of Viagra side effects is actually a very tricky one because it is vital to balance between being truthful about the side effects, not omitting any of them and acknowledging the fact that there is much emphasis being put on the side effects of Viagra from certain circles. Namely, it would be insane and irresponsible to say that Viagra will definitely not cause any side effects, but it would also be a fallacy to say that everyone who takes Viagra feels side effects. As usual, the truth is somewhere in between.
First of all, certain side effects are definitely possible when taking Viagra. This is true for any other medication and Viagra is no exception. The most common side effects of Viagra include headaches, upset stomach, flushing and stuffy nose. Over the years, headaches have been identified as the most common side effect and even they affect only about 10% of men who use Viagra. Headaches can be alleviated by drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding alcohol and perhaps taking some medications for headache. Firstly, you need to make sure that you can combine these painkillers with Viagra, of course.
More serious side effects of Viagra include the following: prolonged/painful erections, vision changes, lightheadedness, ringing in the ears, short breath, chest pains, swelling of the feet and hands, pain that spreads to shoulders, irregular heartbeat, sudden hearing or vision loss. These side effects sound very serious and they are, but the good news is that they occur only in a very, very small portion of users, usually those who have underlying conditions or who have not been taking Viagra properly. If you should experience any of these, you have to contact your doctor straight away and report them.
Sometime in the mid 2000s, there was much talk about vision loss that was suspected to have to do with Viagra and other similar medications. However, FDA concluded, after a long research, that the use of PDE5 inhibitors such as Viagra cannot be directly connected to the vision loss and the underlying cause of it, NAION, or nonarteric anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. However, there is still mention of NAION on the warning label due to legal reasons.
One thing that you must never forget is that there are lot of interested parties that tend to talk up side effects caused by Viagra. These are mainly manufacturers and retailers of different natural products aimed at treating ED. They know that their products have no effects on ED and that they are not exactly competitors, which has lead them to playing the side effects card as their products do not cause any side effects. This is very important to keep in mind because you might come across scary lists of side effects and faulty statistics that might make you opt for their products, which ultimately have no effects (other than placebo) on your condition