How Does The Treatment For Bph Cause Erectile Dysfunction
Alpha-blockers
Alpha-blockers including alfuzosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin and silodosin relax smooth muscles, especially in the bladder neck and prostate which can improve urine flow. However, while they can be helpful in relieving BPH symptoms, in some patients they may also cause unwanted side effects such as impotence , dry orgasm , and a decrease in the production of seminal fluids.
5-alpha reductase inhibitors
Research has shown that men who take these drugs for an enlarged prostate could be at higher risk for sexual problems, especially erectile dysfunction , low libido, and trouble ejaculating.
5-alpha-reductase inhibitors represent a type of drug that is used to treat both BPH and androgenic alopecia . Two examples of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are dutasteride and finasteride. These drugs are considered safe and effective for these two conditions, but they could have sexual side effects.
In a study published in 2016 by the Journal of Sexual Medicine, Chinese researchers analysed seventeen studies on 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and sexual function. The study included almost 17,500 men with an average age of 60 years. About 55% of men were treated with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors while the rest received placebo.
Another study performed by the researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine showed that ED associated with long term use of finasteride for the treatment of BPH appears to worsen.
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.
How Can Prostatitis Affect My Life
Prostatitis can be very painful. If youre unsure about whether the condition can be treated, this can lead to feelings of depression and hopelessness. Prostatitis can also lower your sex drive, because the pain can make it hard to enjoy sexual activity.
Reaching out to family and partners for support can help in dealing with ongoing prostatitis. Although it can be an unpleasant condition, there are treatments that can help with the symptoms.
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If You’re A Gay Or Bisexual Man
To be the active partner during anal sex you normally need a strong erection, so erection problems can be a particular issue. You could try using a constriction ring around your penis together with another treatment like PDE5 inhibitor tablets, to help keep your erection hard enough for anal sex.
If you are receiving anal sex, a lot of the pleasure comes from the penis rubbing against the prostate. Some men who receive anal sex find that their experience of sex changes if they have their prostate removed .
If you receive anal sex, then bowel problems or sensitivity in the anus may be an issue after radiotherapy. Its best to wait until your symptoms have settled before trying anal play or sex. If youve had permanent seed brachytherapy there is a risk in the first few months that your partner might be exposed to some radiation during sex. Talk to your doctor or nurse for further advice.
With all sexual changes you may be able to find ways to work through this.
Watch Martin’s story below for one gay man’s experience.
Watch other men’s personal stories about sex after prostate cancer.
Causes Of Delayed Ejaculation
Like premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation can be caused by psychological and physical factors.
Possible psychological causes of delayed ejaculation are similar to those of premature ejaculation for example, early sexual trauma, strict upbringing, relationship problems, stress or depression.
Physical causes of delayed ejaculation include:
Many medicines are known to cause delayed ejaculation, including:
- antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
- medicines to treat high blood pressure, such as beta-blockers
- antipsychotics, used to treat episodes of psychosis
- muscle relaxants such as baclofen, which is widely used to treat motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis
- powerful painkillers, such as methadone
Delayed ejaculation can suddenly start to happen after previously having no problems, or the man may have always experienced it.
It can occur in all sexual situations, or only in certain situations. For example, you may be able to ejaculate normally when masturbating, but not during sex. When ejaculation only occurs in certain situations, there’s usually a psychological cause.
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How To Produce More Sperm When Ejaculating
A normal sperm count is between 15 million to more than 200 million sperm in each milliliter of semen. Your doctor will diagnose you with a low sperm count if you have less than 15 million sperm per ml of semen, or you release less than 39 million sperm each time you ejaculate.
Having a low sperm count can reduce your odds of conceiving a child. Here are a few tips to help boost your sperm count.
- Get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night.
- linked to a lower sperm count.
If these methods dont work, a doctor may prescribe medication to help increase your sperm count. A variety of hormonal treatments like clomiphene citrate and follitropin alfa lyophilisate may be used to treat this problem.
However, while many of these treatments are approved for women, use by men is considered off-label. That is, although they may be effective for the treatment of male infertility, these medications arent approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this use. If your doctor recommends off-label use of one of these medications, its important to take that medication under their supervision. Learn more about off-label medication use.
It can be difficult to talk about sexual problems with your doctor. But only by having this conversation can you get help with ejaculation issues.
See your doctor if:
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Surgery Effect On Ejaculation
Surgery can affect ejaculation in different ways. For example, if surgery removes the prostate and seminal vesicles, a man can no longer make semen. Surgery might also damage the nerves that come from the spine and control emission . Note that these are not the same nerve bundles that pass next to the prostate and control erections . The surgeries that cause ejaculation problems are discussed in more detail here.
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Weak Ejaculation: Causes And Treatment
It’s a frustrating fact of nature: as guys age, we’re more likely to experience erectile dysfunction. While the symptoms of ED can hit at any age, the research tells us that age is one of the key factors in ED prevalence: as many as 50% of guys over the age of 40 will experience ED.
The good news is that great pharmaceutical treatments for ED are widely available: sildenafil , tadalafil and vardenafil to name a few.
While erectile dysfunction and its treatment are commonplace anymore, other sexual issues like weak ejaculation aren’t as well known.
Bph Medications And Sexual Side Effects
Some drugs used to treat BPH can cause difficulty in maintaining an erection. Men who take alpha-blockers such as doxazosin and terazosin may experience decreased ejaculation. This is because alpha-blockers relax the bladder and prostate muscle cells.
Alpha reductase inhibitors can also cause ED. Additionally, reduced sex drive is a possible side effect of the alpha reductase inhibitors dutasteride and finasteride.
Approximately 3 percent of men taking dutasteride reported experiencing a decreased libido in the first six months. About 6.4 percent of those taking finasteride experienced this within the first year. Roughly 4.5 percent of men taking dutasteride-tamsulosin reported decreased libido in the first six months.
Men who take these medications may also experience lower sperm count, decreased sperm volume, and lower sperm movement. Adverse events typically decrease with continued use.
Medications that treat erectile dysfunction may help improve BPH. The ED drugs below have all been shown to reduce BPH symptoms:
- sildenafil
- tadalafil
However, they arent currently approved to treat BPH.
These medications inhibit a protein that breaks down a chemical called cyclic guanosine monophosphate , which increases blood flow to the penis. By inhibiting the protein that breaks down cGMP, blood flow to the penis can be increased.
One comparing tadalafil and a placebo showed that men who took 5 milligrams of tadalafil daily had significant improvement in both BPH and ED symptoms.
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Changes To Orgasm And Ejaculation
After prostate cancer treatment you will still have feeling in your penis and you should still be able to have an orgasm, but this may feel different from before. Some men lose the ability to orgasm, especially if they’re on hormone therapy.
If you’ve had radical prostatectomy, you will no longer ejaculate when you orgasm. This is because the prostate and seminal vesicles, which make some of the fluid in semen, are both removed during the operation. Instead you may have a dry orgasm – where you feel the sensation of orgasm but don’t ejaculate. Occasionally, you might release a small amount of liquid from the tip of your penis during orgasm, which may be fluid from glands lining the urethra.
If you’ve had radiotherapy, brachytherapy, high intensity focused ultrasound or hormone therapy, you may produce less semen during and after treatment. With radiotherapy, brachytherapy and HIFU you may also notice a small amount of blood in the semen. This usually isn’t a problem but tell your doctor or nurse if this happens. Some men on hormone therapy say their orgasms feel less intense.
Some men leak urine when they orgasm, or feel pain. Others find they don’t last as long during sex and reach orgasm quite quickly.
Prostate Induced Ejaculation And Male Sexual Health
The prostate, a small organ located between the bladder and rectum in men, doesn’t get a lot of attention from most people. This is surprising, since this organ is extremely important for male sexual health. Regular prostate stimulation in the form of massage can help men have more fulfilling sexual experiences with their partners. It can also decrease the risk of severe problems, such as prostate cancer, later on in life. Here’s a look at how prostate induced ejaculation can improve overall prostate health.
This organ performs an apparently minor function, secreting the fluid that makes up about a third of the volume of male ejaculate. This substance helps sperm move more effectively in the vaginal canal and can contribute greatly to male fertility. The prostate is also made up of some smooth muscle tissue that assists with expelling semen effectively.
This gland contains sensitive nerve tissue that can help stimulate ejaculation in men who normally have trouble with sex. It has also been reported to improve sexual satisfaction, even in men who don’t have any dysfunctions. Because of this, prostate massage is a healthy option practiced by many couples
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What Are The Types Of Prostatitis
Types of prostatitis include:
- Acute bacterial prostatitis : A UTI causes an infection in the prostate gland. Symptoms include fever and chills. You may experience painful and frequent urination or have trouble urinating. Acute bacterial prostatitis requires immediate medical treatment.
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis : Bacteria become trapped in the prostate gland, causing recurrent UTIs that are difficult to treat.
- Chronic pelvic pain syndrome, or CPPS : CPPS is the most common prostatitis type. Prostate gland inflammation occurs in approximately 1 out of 3 men. As the name implies, this type causes chronic pain in the pelvis, perineum and genitals.
- Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis : This condition causes prostate gland inflammation but no symptoms. You may learn you have this condition after getting tests to find the cause of other problems. For example, a semen analysis for infertility may detect asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. This type doesnt need treatment.
The Link Between An Enlarged Prostate And Erectile Dysfunction
In the past, the relationship between BPH and erectile dysfunction was believed to be based solely on age. The risk of having enlarged prostate increases with age so, does the risk of erectile dysfunction.
The link between BPH and erectile dysfunction was assessed in several clinical trials. One of the most important clinical trials was the Male Cologne Survey, including 4,489 men aged between 30 and 80. The study participants were questioned about their sexual activities and related factors. The results have shown that a high percentage of men who had lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH also had erectile dysfunction.
Another study was the Multinational Survey of the Aging Male . More than 14,000 men aged between 50 and 80 years were enrolled. The study confirmed that high prevalence of BPH associated with lower urinary tract symptoms is linked with to an increased risk of erectile dysfunction.
The relationship between BPH and erectile dysfunction was not clearly understood by the researchers. One idea concerns the sympathetic nervous system, which studies show is hyperactive in animals and men with BPH-associated urinary tract symptoms. Nerve fibres in the sympathetic nervous system transmit signals that have an impact on stress and stress-related symptoms. An increase in these signals may lead to overactivity in the sympathetic nervous system, which is associated with erectile problems.
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It Feels Really Freaking Good
The male G-spot is packed with thousands of nerve endings, which means that when you stimulate it, it feels really, really good. In fact, some men report being able to reach orgasm from prostate stimulation alone.
While there is not enough research to suggest that prostate orgasms specifically can lower your risk of prostate cancer, generally speaking, having more orgasms is a good thing for your prostate health: according to one Australian study, men who had five or more orgasms per week were 34% less likely to develop prostate cancer than men who had fewer than one orgasm per week.
Ready to go on the hunt for the male G-spot? Check out our tips for how to get started. Make sure to start slow and use plenty of lube, and happy hunting.
And if youre looking for some prostate massager recommendations, look no further. Weve listed a few of our favorite sex toys below.
The Vector is C-shaped because it doesnt just massage your prostate, it also stimulates your perineum, which is the space between your anus and scrotum. The perineum is a highly erogenous zone, yet its often ignored. No one really thinks to stimulate it during oral, manual, or penetrative sex. Read our full review of the Vector here.
LoveHoneys inflatable butt plug is insane, obviously. That said, it really fills up your insides. Read our full review of the inflatable butt plug here.
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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.
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What Is The Difference Between Kidney Stones And Prostate Stones
Kidney stones are solid stones made of minerals that form within the kidneys when your body is having difficulty filtering excess water and waste. Kidney stones affect both men and women and can result in sudden, severe pain in the abdomen, side, or lower back, a burning sensation when you urinate, and problems with urination.
Prostate stones are poppy seed-sized stones that form within the prostate. Only men can have prostate stones. Some men may experience lower back pain or pain in the penis or perineum. Typically, prostate stones do not cause any problems or symptoms. However, if prostate stones become infected, it can lead to urinary tract infections or prostatitis.
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Diagnosis Of An Enlarged Prostate
In order to establish the possible underlying causes for an enlarged prostate, doctors will perform a variety of tests.
Tests which are commonly used to find the cause of an enlarged prostate include:
- A digital rectal exam. A physician or nurse will insert a gloved finger into the patientâs rectum to digitally examine the prostate for swelling and/or enlargement.
- Swab tests for urethral discharge or urine. To determine underlying conditions such as STIs/STDs and urinary tract infections. A swab of discharge or urine is taken and sent to a medical laboratory for culturing, so that any microorganisms are identified.
- Urinalysis. A urine sample is sent to a medical laboratory for analysis and may be tested for urea nitrogen or creatinine, among other things.
- Blood tests. A sample of blood is sent to a medical laboratory for analysis, which may include tests for creatinine or blood urea nitrogen, as well as antibodies and infectious agents.
- Prostate-specific antigen test. A blood sample is sent to a medical laboratory to be tested for prostate-specific antigen , an enzyme produced by cells in the prostate. A change in PSA levels can indicate that there is a problem with the prostate.
If patients are referred to a urologist, they may have further tests, including:
Before referring the patient for tests, the physician may also ask questions in order to determine the possible causes of the discomfort, their severity, and their duration. Such questions may cover:
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