Pain During Erection Or Ejaculation
Some men find that erections and ejaculating is painful after surgery, or during and after their course of radiotherapy.
Painful erections following surgery could be due to internal bruising caused by the operation. The tube which carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body gets inflamed by the radiotherapy treatment.
This side effect should disappear a few weeks after you finish radiotherapy or as you recover from surgery. Talk to your specialist nurse for specific advice. If masturbation and sex is important to you, its important to keep stimulating the penis to keep it healthy. On the other hand, if erections are very painful, you might need to avoid ejaculation for a while and try again later.
The penile injections to stimulate an erection can cause painful erections in some men. This pain might lessen with continued treatment.
Is There A Link Between Masturbation And Prostate Cancer
In 30 seconds
Any link between masturbation and prostate cancer is yet to be proven categorically. However, some studies over the years have shown, perhaps surprisingly, that the more you masturbate, the lower your chances of developing prostate cancer.
Its not just masturbating that might help.
All ejaculation may help your prostate health, it seems including during sex. Your prostate produces some of the fluid in your ejaculate, so it does make sense that ejaculation and prostate health are related.
However, other studies have suggested that things arent so clear-cut. Frequent masturbation appears to have different effects on prostate cancer risk at different ages. Meanwhile, your risk is affected by your genes, your diet, and your age too.
Science doesnt know for certain what causes prostate cancer. While its known that things like genetics and diet play a role, researchers are always looking for new clues to lead them to a more concrete explanation.
Its this approach that has led them to investigate a possible link between masturbation and prostate cancer. Why? Because the prostate is involved in the production of fluid for your semen. And if you masturbate a lot, your prostate gland will be more active.
However, things are not yet certain. In this article, were going to look at the evidence for the potential link between masturbation and prostate cancer and explore some other causes of the illness too.
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What Are The Different Types Of Prostatitis
In an effort to standardize terminology, the National Institutes of Health proposes dividing prostatitis into four main categories: Acute bacterial prostatitis chronic bacterial prostatitis chronic bacterial prostatitis , which is subdivided into inflammatory and non-inflammatory prostatitis and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis . Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland.
- Acute infectious prostatitis: This may be caused by a bacteria or virus. The symptoms come on suddenly and may be severe. They include fever and chills, low back pain, frequent and painful urination, decreasing or less forceful urinary stream and urinary retention .
- Chronic infectious prostatitis: This also may be caused by bacteria. Stress, caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol may worsen the condition. Symptoms may include repeat bladder infections, frequent urination, and pain in the lower abdomen or low back.
- Noninfectious prostatitis: This form of prostatitis is not caused by bacteria and therefore antibiotics are not helpful. This is the most common type of prostatitis. It may be exacerbated by stress and/or irregular sexual activity. Stress may cause the pelvis muscles to tighten and cause pain. Increased pressure during voiding may cause urine to back up into the ducts resulting in a form of chemical prostatitis. The prostate gland produces fluid for semen and infrequent ejaculation may cause the ducts to become clogged with secretions.
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How Does Prostate Cancer Affect Orgasms
Orgasm and ejaculation. Some prostate cancer treatments can have an effect on orgasms and ejaculation. Find out more about why this happens. Hormone therapy or radiotherapy Hormone therapy can change the intensity of orgasms. Men who have had hormone therapy or radiotherapy, might produce less semen or no semen .
Its Complicated: Enlarged Prostate And Sex
BPH and sexual function
Prostate enlargement, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia , and erectile dysfunction are separate problems. Both increase with age, but one causes problems in the bathroom and the other in the bedroom. However, the two are somewhat linked.
BPH happens when your prostate becomes enlarged, but cancer isnt the cause. A mans prostate continues growing throughout most of his adult life. This is why many older men are affected by the condition.
ED is the inability to get or maintain an erection. It can be caused by physical conditions such as:
It can also be caused by psychological issues.
These two conditions dont necessarily seem linked, but certain treatments that relieve BPH can cause ED and other sexual side effects. On the other hand, treating ED can improve enlarged prostate symptoms.
- inability to empty the bladder
- a weak urine stream
A surgery called transurethral resection of the prostate can help relieve these symptoms. Men who have this procedure often experience sexual side effects after surgery.
Between 50 and 75 percent of men experience retrograde ejaculation after TURP, according to Harvard Medical School. This means that semen released during orgasm enters the bladder rather than exiting the penis. Retrograde ejaculation is sometimes called dry orgasm. Its not harmful but can affect male fertility.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Prostatitis
Each type of prostatitis has a range of symptoms that vary depending on the cause and may not be the same for every man. Many symptoms are similar to those of other conditions.
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. The main symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome can include pain or discomfort lasting 3 or more months in one or more of the following areas:
- between the scrotum and anus
- the central lower abdomen
- the scrotum
- the lower back
Pain during or after ejaculation is another common symptom. A man with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome may have pain spread out around the pelvic area or may have pain in one or more areas at the same time. The pain may come and go and appear suddenly or gradually. Other symptoms may include
- pain in the urethra during or after urination.
- pain in the penis during or after urination.
- urinary frequencyurination eight or more times a day. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination.
- urinary urgencythe inability to delay urination.
- a weak or an interrupted urine stream.
Acute bacterial prostatitis. The symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis come on suddenly and are severe. Men should seek immediate medical care. Symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis may include
What Is Painful Ejaculation
Ejaculation is the release of semen from the penis during the male orgasm. It is normally a pleasurable experience and shouldnt be uncomfortable.
Yet ejaculation can sometimes be painful, and its not an uncommon problem. A review article published in the journal, Translational Andrology and Urology, reported that up to 10% of men have had painful ejaculation at some point in their lives. Among those with prostate issues, that rate climbed to 30% to 75%.
The sensations of painful ejaculation vary. It may feel like pain or burning in the perineum , the urethra, or scrotum. The pain may begin during sex and become more severe when you climax, or it may be painful only when you ejaculate.
Painful ejaculation can be a symptom of an infection, inflammation, or blockage of the lower urinary tract . One of the most common causes is prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate.
Ejaculation could also be painful because of psychological and emotional factors. Discuss painful ejaculation, and any other symptoms, such as discharge or pain, with your doctor.
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Study Raises Biological Questions
Researchers say the findings raise several questions about the biological role of sexual activity and ejaculation in the development of prostate cancer.
Leitzmann says that until now, sexual activity had been associated with prostate cancer risk due to the hormone hypothesis. The male sex hormone testosterone is known to spur the growth of prostate cancer cells and it also fuels the male sex drive. Therefore, it had been proposed that very sexually active men had a higher risk of prostate cancer because they had higher testosterone levels.
But he says this theory has its shortcomings because testosterone levels alone do not predict prostate cancer risk and they do not appear to correlate with sexual desire as much as previously thought.
Instead, researchers say ejaculation may protect the prostate through a variety of biological mechanisms that merit further research, such as:
- Flushing out cancer-causing substances. Frequent ejaculation may help flush out retained chemical carcinogens in the prostate glands.
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Reducing tension. The release of psychological tension that accompanies ejaculation may lower nervous activity associated with stress and slow the growth of potentially cancerous cells in the prostate.
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Promoting rapid turnover of fluids. Frequent ejaculation may help prevent the development of mini-crystals that can block ducts within the prostate gland, reducing cancer risk.
Symptoms Of An Enlarged Prostate
Because the prostate is positioned so close to the bladder, penis and rectum, most disorders which cause enlargement of the prostate share several basic symptoms. These include:
- An urgent, at times uncontrollable, need to urinate, which may lead to incontinence if the person canât make it to the bathroom in time
- Trouble urinating
- Sexual problems and loss of sex drive
- Postcoital pain
In the case of prostate cancer there may be no immediate symptoms, or there may be urinary symptoms like those listed above. In addition, there may be symptoms such as:
- Hematuria or blood in semen
- New onset of erectile dysfunction
- Back, especially lower back, hip or pelvic pain
- Unexplained weight loss
Good to know: A lot of the urinary symptoms above could also be caused by diabetes or may be related to the use of certain medications. If any of these symptoms are detected, it is of paramount importance that a physician is consulted and the cause diagnosed, so that appropriate next steps can be taken.
Worried you may have an enlarged prostate? Start your free symptom assessment in the Ada app.
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What Are Symptoms Of Prostatitis
How you feel will help your doctor diagnose the type of prostatitis you have. Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is an inflammation of the prostate and the nerves to this area. Pain from CP/CPPS can last for weeks to months. This is NOT an infection. Symptoms are:
- Trouble passing urine
- Pain in and around the bladder, testicles, penis and/or anus
- Pain with ejaculation
Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis is from bacteria and is less common. It is known to come and go over a long period of time at least three months. Symptoms can be:
- A burning feeling while passing urine
- The need to pass urine often
- Pain in and around the bladder, testicles, penis and/or anus
- Pain with ejaculation
Acute Bacterial Prostatitis is also from bacteria and is less common. Symptoms for this problem can begin suddenly and can be very painful. Men should get medical care right away. Symptoms include:
- Chills
- Very painful burning while passing urine
- Trouble draining the bladder
Nonbacterial Prostatitis may be from stress, nerve irritation, injuries or past urinary tract infections. This form of prostatitis has no signs of bacteria in the urine or semen.
Side Effects Of Not Ejaculating
The side effects of not ejaculating depend on the cause and the person.
People who choose not to ejaculate are unlikely to experience harmful side effects. The body breaks down unused sperm, which does not build up to trigger further problems.
Over time, not ejaculating can trigger psychological problems.
For example, people with sexual dysfunctions that affect their ability to ejaculate may experience distress or embarrassment. It can also lead to relationship problems. For example, partners may become frustrated with a person with sexual dysfunction.
These psychological problems could lead to mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety disorders.
Not everyone needs treatment for not ejaculating. For example, people who practice edging choose to delay ejaculation.
There are several treatments for people with sexual dysfunctions that prevent ejaculation, depending on their cause.
Many triggers are psychological, and people may benefit from psychotherapy or counseling. These sessions may involve the individual alone or with their partner.
Other causes are physical. For example, people with an infection can experience anejaculation or retrograde ejaculation. In these cases, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics or antiviral medications.
In addition, certain medical procedures, such as prostate surgery, can lead to retrograde ejaculation.
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Why Erectile Dysfunction May Result From Prostate Disease
In the past, it was thought that most cases of erectile dysfunction were psychological in origin, the result of such demons as performance anxiety or more generalized stress. While these factors can cause erectile dysfunction, doctors now think that 70% of the time the problem can be traced to a physical condition that restricts blood flow, hampers nerve functioning, or both. Such conditions include diabetes, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, and alcoholism.
However, some types of prostate disease and treatments may also be responsible.
Can You Prevent Prostate Cancer
Because experts cant definitively say what causes prostate cancer, they havent issued recommendations on how to prevent it. But according to Harvard Medical School , quitting smoking and eating a heart-healthy diet focused on fish, poultry, plant-based protein, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and salads may reduce your risk. Getting regular exercise and using 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors have been shown by some studies to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
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What Are Some Reasons For Prostate Problems
It is believed that many prostate related health problems result from anxiety, stress, inactivity . The human body was not designed to sit for extended periods of time. This is one of the reasons why men who work in an office setting often report the most issues with their prostates.
When a man sits for prolonged periods of time, the prostate and the muscles surrounding it become weakened because there is not as much blood circulating in the area. Vital nutrients are not able to reach the prostate, and over time, its function becomes impaired.
Prostate problems are commonly seen in men who are 50 years of age and older. However, for those who have a family history of prostate related problems or have a sedentary lifestyle may notice problems as early as their 30s or 40s.
Causes Of Premature Ejaculation
Various psychological and physical factors can cause a man to suddenly experience premature ejaculation.
Common physical causes include:
- relationship problems
- anxiety about sexual performance
Itâs possible, but less common, for a man to have always experienced premature ejaculation since becoming sexually active. A number of possible causes for this are:
- conditioning itâs possible that early sexual experiences can influence future sexual behaviour. For example, if a teenager conditions himself to ejaculate quickly to avoid being caught masturbating, it may later be difficult to break the habit
- a traumatic sexual experiencefrom childhood this can range from being caught masturbating to sexual abuse
- a strict upbringing and beliefs about sex
- biological reasons some men may find their penis is extra sensitive
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What Is The Prostate
The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that is part of the male reproductive system. The main function of the prostate is to make a fluid that goes into semen. Prostate fluid is essential for a mans fertility. The gland surrounds the urethra at the neck of the bladder. The bladder neck is the area where the urethra joins the bladder. The bladder and urethra are parts of the lower urinary tract. The prostate has two or more lobes, or sections, enclosed by an outer layer of tissue, and it is in front of the rectum, just below the bladder. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. In men, the urethra also carries semen out through the penis.
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Can Kidney Stones Affect Your Prostate
Every year more than 500,000 people seek emergency care for kidney stones. Kidney stones are hard mineral deposits that form within the kidneys when your body is not properly filtering waste and excess water. Kidney stones will eventually exit your body through the urinary tract. Kidney stones typically do not cause symptoms until they start to pass through the urinary tract. When kidney stones pass, it can be extremely painful and cause complications like blockages of the urinary tract, blood in the urine, and problems with the prostate. Were taking a closer look at how kidney stones can affect your prostate.
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What Is Weak Ejaculation
Also known as inhibited or delayed ejaculation, weak ejaculation is when a man experiences an overall reduction in the amount of semen that they ejaculate or an overall reduction in the force of their ejaculation. While it’s perfectly normal for this to happen occasionally, if it happens frequently it could be a sign of an underlying issue.
There are two stages to ejaculation:
- Emission. This is the first stage of ejaculation and occurs when the semen is collected in the urethral bulb, which is located at the base of the penis.
- Expulsion. The second stage of ejaculation occurs when the muscles that are located around the urethra rapidly squeeze and force the semen out of the penis.
Problems with the first stage can reduce the overall amount of semen that’s ejaculated, and any issues with the second stage can reduce the overall force with which the semen is expelled. These changes to ejaculation can be hard to notice, especially when they occur over a long period of time, making a diagnosis difficult. The intensity of an orgasm and ejaculation can also vary significantly from man to man, so its a subjective condition.
As men gets older the strength and volume of their ejaculations can begin to weaken, which can also lead to less intense orgasms.
It may be difficult to tell if your weak ejaculation is a result of natural aging or a sign of something more serious, but if you experience any of these symptoms you should consider talking to a physician.