Treatments for prostate cancer by your urologist Des Moines – such as surgery and radiation – regularly save lives. But those treatments sometimes create problems of their own —such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction (ED).
With about 15 percent of men being diagnosed with it at some point in their lives, prostate cancer is more common that most people realize. Yet prostate cancer, its treatments and the side effects of it are still rarely discussed. And your urologist Des Moines finds that more and more men are keeping quiet about it sometimes to the point where they’re miserable, even though they don’t have to be.
Because of the damage that surgery can cause on those delicate nerves and vessels that control erection, nearly all men will experience some ED for the first few months following their surgery. Within a year, there is usually substantial improvement, but it depends on how the cancer has grown and the eradication process. The nerves may have to be cut and sometimes just disturbing them can cause ED.
Treatment
ED treatment typically begins with medications, but they may not help the patient achieve erections. There is also injection therapy, but men don’t usually find it easy to inject medicine into their penis. Some men have found the pump to be a viable option, but others say it removes the possibility of spontaneous sexual intercourse.
Other Options?
There are also treatments by your urologist Des Moines that are available for men who are having problems with urinary incontinence after surgery and radiation. In these cases, the tube that urine passes through is damaged during the surgery and the sphincter that closes off the urine flow doesn’t close all the way. It can be a life-changing problem that causes men to shut themselves off from the world for fear of urine leaking onto their clothing in public and there is no pill available to treat this condition.
Treatments are available, including pelvic floor exercises, a male sling and an artificial urinary sphincter, which can stop leakage by up to 97 percent.
If you are experiencing trouble with ED or urinary incontinence following prostate cancer Des Moines residents turn to urologist Dr. Fawad Zafar, who routinely performs such procedures.