Is Erectile Dysfunction a Sign of Prostate Cancer?

Blood in the urine or semen, problems getting an erection (erectile dysfunction or ED) – prostate cancer does not directly cause ED, but treatments for prostate cancer may lead to this condition. In fact, erectile dysfunction is one of the most common side effects after any type of treatment for prostate cancer. Almost all men will experience erectile dysfunction during the first few months after prostate cancer treatment. However, within a year after treatment, almost all men with intact nerves will see substantial improvement.Erectile dysfunction can have many causes, including some forms of prostate disease and medications and surgery for prostate cancer.

Fortunately, in many cases, this problem can often be addressed effectively. Some men find relief by taking medications to treat ED. If they aren't effective for you, other options are available, including injections and aspiration devices. The possibility of finding the right solution is now greater than ever.Clearly, surgery is associated with an immediate and precipitated loss of erectile function that does not occur when radiation therapy is performed, although surgery makes recovery possible in many people with prolonged and adequate follow-up.

The doctor may also request a urine sample because the presence of red or white blood cells could be a sign of a non-underlying urological problem.Radiation therapy, on the other hand, often results in a steady decline in erectile function to an almost negligible degree over time. Hormone therapy to block testosterone and neurovascular bundle damage caused by radical prostatectomy further increase the frequency of erectile dysfunction. That's why I and most of the urologists and medical professionals you talk to encourage men over a certain age to have regular prostate exams.While therapy generally includes medication, erectile dysfunction is sometimes a symptom of an underlying condition that requires its own treatment. I feel pain when I try to reach orgasm and my penis doesn't stay in an erectile position for as long as I want.

The only one specifically approved for ED is the prostaglandin alprostadil (Caverject, Edex). And if a psychological condition is significantly involved, it might be beneficial for you to get counseling from a mental health professional trained in sex therapy.In the treatment of prostate cancer, since testosterone is involved in the prostate and its mechanism of action, erectile dysfunction often presents itself as a critical complication, regardless of the selection of surgical treatment or hormone therapy. Several explanations have been proposed for this phenomenon of delayed recovery, including mechanically induced nerve stretching that can occur during prostate retraction, thermal damage to nerve tissue caused by electrocoagulative cauterization during surgical dissection, tissue injury nervous in attempts to control surgical bleeding and local inflammatory effects associated with surgical trauma.It has been reported that the frequency of recovery varies significantly depending on preoperative erectile function, the patient's age, postoperative changes in penile hemodynamics, the preservation of the neurovascular bundle during surgery, and the surgeon's performance. Common complications of prostate cancer include urinary incontinence, metastasis, and conditions involving penile function such as erectile dysfunction (ED).

Even so-called nerve-conserving surgical techniques cause ED in up to half or more of the cases.Symptoms or complications of prostate cancer include progressive problems with urination, blood in the urine, body pain, and ED.

Bridget Lauby
Bridget Lauby

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