Tag: sexual health

Categories
Fibroids

Female Sexual Dysfunction

The relationship between uterine fibroids and sexual dysfunction, and what to do about it.

We’ve all seen the commercials for Viagra, Cialis, and several other drugs to treat male sexual dysfunction. But what about female sexual dysfunction? And can uterine fibroids contribute to this?

The answer: Yes.

Not only are fibroids uncomfortable, but they come with a slew of symptoms that can be detrimental to a woman’s sexual health.

After all, who wants to engage in any sort of sexual activity when they are experiencing pelvic pressure, pain, and heavy bleeding?

Those aren’t quite the symptoms of desire.

Nor are the following fibroid symptoms which can wreak havoc on a sex life such as:


Vaginal dryness:

The hormone imbalances underlying fibroid growth can cause vaginal dryness, and the friction of vaginal penetration can lead to the irritation and tearing of those delicate tissues which can make sex painful and even harmful.


Irregular periods:

One of the unfortunate realities of having uterine fibroids is that they can cause abnormally long and heavy periods as well as bleeding in between cycles. This excessive blood flow can make intercourse or any type of vaginal contact awkward and unpleasant.


Fatigue and loss of energy:

In some cases, the heavy bleeding caused by fibroids can be so severe that it leads to anemia, and even occasionally requires blood transfusions.

Anemia, and the nausea and headaches that come with it, can cause dizziness, weakness, and fatigue, all of which can greatly diminish libido.


Frequent urination:

Frequent urination is caused by fibroids pressing on the bladder, leading to an increase in urinary frequency, and urgency, and can even lead to incontinence.

Fibroids can also block the ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), resulting in kidney problems and urinary tract infections amongst other health issues.

It’s hard to get intimate when you’re feeling the constant urge to urinate, or experiencing the pain of a UTI.

As if that isn’t enough, fibroids can also affect a woman’s sex life by causing or exacerbating body image issues.

In our next article, we will take a look at the effect that having uterine fibroids can have on a woman’s body image, and we will offer some valuable suggestions on how to cope with this and other sexual health problems related to having fibroids.

We will also look at some of the best treatment methods for treating fibroids without adversely affecting sexual health and wellness.

 

Categories
Enlarged Prostate

BPH Medications and Sexual Dysfunction: Something to Consider

Some treatment methods for an enlarged prostate can increase problems with sexual dysfunction, and in some cases, even cause them.

Some treatment methods for an enlarged prostate can increase problems with sexual dysfunction, and in some cases, even cause them.

Though prescription drugs are often very good at improving the symptoms of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia- such as urinary issues, they can come with their own set of problems. Because of this, some men may resort to surgery, however, that too comes with its risks regarding sexual function.

Some surgical procedures for men with an enlarged prostate can increase the risk of inadvertently damaging structures around the penis which can lead to erectile dysfunction and other problems.

But before we get to that, let’s take a look at some of the common BPH medications and the effect they can have on sexual health.

We’ll start with the commonly prescribed 5-Alpha reductase inhibitors and the impact these medications that are used to shrink the prostate and reduce BPH symptoms can have on sexual health.

5-Alpha reductase inhibitors show promising results in their ability to shrink the prostate and reduce benign prostate hyperplasia symptoms.

These medications work by inhibiting the 5-alpha reductase enzyme from converting some of the body’s testosterone into dihydrotestosterone- which can cause further prostate growth. Unfortunately, one of the most common side effects of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors is sexual problems.

Several clinical trials have looked at the problem of side effects caused by the 5-alpha inhibitor finasteride, also known by the brand name Proscar.

These studies found that sexual adverse effects occur at the rates of 2.1% to 3.8%, erectile dysfunction (ED) being the most common, followed by ejaculatory dysfunction and loss of libido.

Another common 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, dutasteride (Avodart), has neem known to cause a multitude of adverse effects concerning sexual function. 3.4 to 15.8% of men treated with dutasteride experience erection problems, loss of libido, and reduced semen volume.

Most of these sexual issues caused by 5-alpha inhibitors are believed to be due to their effect on decreasing levels of dihydrotestosterone which is a natural sex hormone and is essential for normal sexual function.

Another type of medication that is commonly prescribed to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate is alpha-blockers.

Alpha-blockers, such as tamsulosin ( Flomax) doxazosin (Cardura), and terazosin (Hytrin) work by relaxing the bladder neck, and prostate muscles. Unfortunately, they can also cause erectile issues such as decreased ejaculation. Men who take these medications may also experience lower sperm count, decreased sperm volume, and lower sperm movement.

According to a 2008, Cochrane systematic review that looked at the sexual side effects of Flomax for BPH, 63% of users reported some form of side effect from the medication. The side effects of tamsulosin that were reported the most included erectile dysfunction, reduced libido, and something called retrograde ejaculation or a dry orgasm- where the semen exits into the bladder rather than out of the penis.

Combination medication therapies, such as dutasteride and tamsulosin ( brand name Jalyn), can also cause sexual problems.

Clinical trials found that the most common adverse reactions reported were impotence, decreased libido, breast disorders (including breast enlargement and tenderness), ejaculation disorders, and dizziness.

In fact, studies have found that ejaculation disorders occurred significantly more in subjects receiving coadministration therapy (11%) compared with those receiving dutasteride (2%) or tamsulosin (4%) as monotherapy.

The Bottom Line:  Issues with sexual dysfunction that are caused by certain BPH treatment medications should be taken into consideration.

These issues can be very upsetting and have a detrimental effect on a man’s private life and relationships. Therefore it’s important to discuss any risk of sexual problems that can come alongside your preferred treatment method for BPH.

There are many options out there for treating an enlarged prostate, so it’s important to be open and honest about your concerns and work with your doctor to find the best treatment option with the lowest risks of sexual side effects, such as Prostate Artery Embolization.

To learn more about this state-of-the-art procedure, please call and set up a consultation today.

Categories
Enlarged Prostate

Urinary Symptoms and Sexual Dysfunction

The Mayo Clinic Proceedings published the results of a study that looked at the link between BPH urinary symptoms and sexual dysfunction.

The periodical Mayo Clinic Proceedings published the results of a study that looked at the link between common BPH urinary symptoms and sexual dysfunction.

Researchers studied 2,115 men between the ages of 40 and 79, by having them complete a questionnaire about their sexual function and urinary tract symptoms every two years.

What they found was that sexual function and urinary tract symptoms were indeed related. To put it simply: The greater the urinary symptoms, the lesser the sexual function.

The study also found that the urinary tract symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate that were most associated with sexual dysfunction were:

–  A feeling of urgency

–  Needing to get up multiple times at night to urinate

–  A weak urine stream

–  Straining to start urinating

These urinary symptoms were all associated with:

–  Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection

–  The way men felt about problems with sexual drive, erection, and ejaculation

–  Sexual satisfaction problems

So the solution is to treat the urinary issues caused by BPH, and then as a result, sexual function will improve?

Well, it’s not that simple.

Though there are many ways to treat the urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, some of these treatment methods can actually make things worse, or even cause sexual dysfunction.

In fact, some drugs that are commonly used to treat benign prostate hyperplasia, can actually cause erectile dysfunction and reduce sperm count.

Though prescription drugs are often very good at improving the symptoms of BPH, they do not tackle the real problem, and they can cause their own set of problems, such as ED.

In order to avoid such issues, some men may resort to surgery. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this too can come with the risk of sexual problems.

Many of these surgical procedures for men with an enlarged prostate, can increase the risk of inadvertently damaging structures around the penis which can lead to erectile dysfunction and other problems.

In our next article, we’re going to dive deeper into the connection between BPH treatment methods and sexual dysfunction.

In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about Prostate Artery Embolization, an outpatient procedure with proven results without the risk of sexual issues, please call us and schedule a consultation today!