BPH: Your Prostate and Your Sex Life
The topic of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate, may be uncomfortable to discuss, but it’s important to understand the impact it can have on your life. While BPH is not linked to cancer, it can cause a host of symptoms that affect your daily routine. As you age, your prostate gland grows, making it harder to urinate, and the condition is often accompanied by sexual dysfunction.
BPH symptoms generally emerge after age 50, and become more prevalent as you get older. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common issue for older men, and many men with BPH also suffer from ED. While the two conditions are not necessarily linked, they often go hand-in-hand.
BPH can cause a decrease in libido, ejaculation problems, and even lower your sex drive. Alpha-blockers like Flomax are commonly prescribed for BPH, but they can cause problems with ejaculation. Another class of drugs, the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, can cause ED, reduced libido, and ejaculation issues. In clinical trials, few men experienced sexual side effects, but it’s possible.
Cialis is a drug that can treat both BPH and ED. By increasing blood flow to the penis, Cialis helps you get and maintain an erection. Surgery is another option for severe cases of BPH. Surgical advancements have reduced the risk of sexual side effects.
Ejaculation problems are common after prostate surgery. If you’re concerned about fertility or want to ejaculate normally, you should consider minimally invasive surgical therapy (MIST) for BPH, which can be done without general anesthesia.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to BPH and its associated sexual issues. Talk to your doctor about which treatments may work best for you.
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