The most common way surgery affects erections is by removing or causing injury to the nerves that help cause an erection. All of the operations listed above can damage these nerves. The nerves surround the back and sides of the prostate gland between the prostate and the rectum, and fan out like a cobweb around the prostate, which makes it easy to damage them during an operation.
Injections Some medicines can be injected or placed inside the penis to help create an erection.Testosterone Your doctor may recommend that you take this hormone if your levels are low.Devices and Surgery
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Hormonal therapy is not used as a primary therapy for the treatment of ED. Testosterone therapy is used if there is ED and symptoms of low testosterone, as well a low blood level of testosterone.
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In men, Kegel exercises can help with erectile dysfunction (ED) and enhance sexual performance. One study of men with ED found that after 6 months of performing Kegel exercises, 40% of men regained normal erectile function. Helping prevent incontinence (which can be important after prostate surgery) Longer time between bathroom visits Fewer “accidents” and leaking Drier underwear Preventing accidental passage of gas or stool Bulbocavernosus (BC) muscle Squeezes semen or urine out of the urethra Squeezes more blood into the end of the penis This is the main muscle used when performing Kegels Pubococcygeus (PC) muscle Plays a role in urination and bowel movements Forms a large part of the pelvic floor, supporting lower organs Contracts during orgasm Iliococcygeus (IC) muscle Forms part of the strength of the pelvic floor Pulls the anus back up after a bowel movement
They reported that 160 minutes of exercise a week for 6 months “contributes to a decrease of ED” for men experiencing ED due to physical inactivity, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
The most common way surgery affects erections is by removing or causing injury to the nerves that help cause an erection. All of the operations listed above can damage these nerves. The nerves surround the back and sides of the prostate gland between the prostate and the rectum, and fan out like a cobweb around the prostate, which makes it easy to damage them during an operation.
Yes. In addition to other health benefits, regular exercise can help men with their erections.
Your doctor will take a medical history to understand your general state of health. As part of the medical history your doctor will ask about any other conditions you may have. If you take any medication If you smoke When and how much you drink If you drink much coffee or alcohol If you use recreational drugs on a regular basis If you ever had pelvic surgery If you have any heart and/or vascular problems If you have hormonal disorders If you have any psychological problems
Research has found that doing Kegel exercises twice a day can help a man build a strong pelvic floor. The benefits of a strong pelvic floor include maintaining longer and more rigid erections.
A man’s psychological state is clearly an essential consideration when addressing issues of sexual function. While ED that is purely psychological is not common, many men who experience difficulty with erections may develop anxiety or fear about being able to get an erection the next time they try. This anxiety may lead to a stress response involving activation of the sympathetic nervous system and release of adrenaline, which will tend to make it even more difficult to get an erection. Conflict with a partner (or the absence of a partner) will also tend to increase stress and potentially interfere with erectile function.
There are many causes of erectile dysfunction, including anxiety, low testosterone, and high cholesterol. If you’re unsure about what is causing your erectile dysfunction, you’re likely to benefit from taking a blood test because it can help to narrow down (and identify) the potential cause or causes of your ED. For example, testosterone and cholesterol - both of which are linked to ED - can only be measured with a blood test. Nowadays, you don’t need to see a doctor in person to have these measured. A blood test kit like the Erectile Dysfunction Test Kit can be used to accurately measure them from home, saving you from waiting weeks or even months to have any blood work done with a public healthcare provider.
If medications do not work, we would discuss either penis injections or the vacuum pump. There is also something called MUSE, which is basically a small medication pellet that gets inserted inside the urethra (the tube that transports urine) and releases medication directly into the penis. Some men prefer it, as it may be a bit more effective than oral medications, but some will complain of pain and burning with insertion.
Erectile dysfunction is the inability to either achieve or maintain an erection. This may happen either occasionally or regularly, but may occur only in certain situations depending on the cause (i.e. patients may still have early morning erections).
There are hundreds of medications that have the side effect of ED and/or decreased libido. Examples of drugs implicated as a cause of ED include hydrochlorothiazides and beta-blocking agents. Medications used to treat depression, particularly the SSRIs such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox, Luvox CR), paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft), may also contribute to ED.9 Bupropion (Wellbutrin) which has a predominant effect on blocking the reuptake of dopamine is an antidepressant with lower incidence of ED.10 The side effects of 5ARIs occurring in fewer than 5% of patients can include gynaecomastia, ED, loss of libido and ejaculatory dysfunction.11
Understanding that erectile dysfunction could have a medical cause, just as asthma or arthritis do, can help you to feel more at ease in mentioning it to your doctor. Your doctor is used to talking about these issues. By opening up this discussion, which is confidential, your doctor can help you in a number of ways.
This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.