Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is the inability to sustain an erection for sexual intercourse.
Prostate cancer does not cause erectile dysfunction. However, the treatments, such as prostatectomy surgery, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy will most likely be the cause of it.
How and when does erectile function occur after treatment?
Different treatments can lead to impotence, and some might affect your inability to perform sexual
intercourse sooner than others.
Protestoctomy
Some degree or symptoms of erectile dysfunction can happen right after recovering from surgery.
When the entire prostate gland is removed, the nerve that controls your erections will also come along with it.
Although there are some techniques doctors use to spare the nerve, it is not a 100% guarantee.
Radiation therapy
The symptoms of erectile dysfunction may gradually appear 6 months after radiation therapy.
It is also one of the most common complications of radiation therapy.
However, there is a slight chance of not occurring when you use sophisticated treatments like radioactive seed implants, 3-D conformal radiotherapy, and intensity-modulated radiotherapy.
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy can result in erectile dysfunction or decreased sexual desire.
It may start in 2 to 4 weeks after the start of therapy.
Because of the testosterone-reducing drugs, you may experience a decrease in your libido, which can directly be the culprit for erectile dysfunction.
Is there a way to treat erectile dysfunction when it occurs?
You can try to treat it with oral medication, injections, penile implants, suppository drugs, and other procedures.
But make sure you speak to your doctor and ask for their advice before trying one of these solutions.
Some of these treatments are the common go-to for people who experienced erectile dysfunction after
treating prostate cancer, but that does not mean it can work for you.
