Physiotherapy includes therapy and management of deformity, disease, or injury. It’s the therapy that helps to restore functions and movement when someone is affected by disability or illness. Physiotherapy management of erectile dysfunction includes physical therapies or exercise to cope up with illness or disability.
Physiotherapy and Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile Dysfunction is difficulty in getting and keeping an erection. To have sexual intercourse it is the inability to get and maintain an erection long enough. This erectile dysfunction is a complication occurring in any phase of the sexual response cycle. These phases are desire, orgasm, resolution, and arousal which get infected in erectile dysfunction however effective treatments and management by pills and physiotherapy are available.
What are different risk factors of Erectile Dysfunction
Medical conditions including diabetes, heart disease, urinary tract infection, stroke, and chronic illness of person may put him at risk of getting erectile dysfunction. Different physiological conditions like anxiety, and depression, and medications used to treat these conditions are also put at risk of having erectile dysfunction. As medication has worse effects like some substance abuse causes erectile dysfunction. Various other risk factors include prostate cancer, lumber spine stenosis, several surgical complications and chronic pelvic pain syndrome are conditions that put at risk of sexual dysfunction.
Assessment for Erectile Dysfunction
Individuals with erectile dysfunction condition get referred by specialists after following screening for urethral complications and cancers. A physiotherapist who specializes in pelvic floor can complete pelvic floor palpation and then feel for trigger points in the obturator, puborectalis, and the coccygeus, and iliococcygeus muscles. Assessment for sexual dysfunction also includes endurance speed of contraction, activation pattern, and questionnaires.
Traditional Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction:
Tradition treatment for erectile dysfunction includes oral medications which mechanisms by increasing blood flow to the penis. Other options in traditional treatment include penile injections, surgical implants, and vacuum devices. These treatments can be effective in coping with sexual dysfunction but they also come with various potential side effects and risks. This issue has led to an increased interest in other alternative options of treatment such as physical therapy for management.
Physiotherapy Management of erectile dysfunction
Physical therapy for erectile dysfunction involves techniques and exercises that aimed to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, improve blood flow, and address underlying physical issues that may contribute to erectile dysfunction. A meta-analysis of different studies indicate that training of pelvic floor muscles is effective in treating erectile dysfunction, chronic pelvic pain, and ejaculation complications.
The physiotherapy includes biofeedback, specific exercise, and manual therapy to improve muscle coordination and control. Physical methods also address movement patterns and postural that might be affecting sexual function. A non-invasive and drug-free approach that can be used in combination with other treatments or as standalone therapy.
Role of physical therapy in erectile dysfunction
Physical therapy or exercise techniques can play a beneficial role in treating erectile dysfunction. The reason behind erectile dysfunction is majorly caused by underlying physical issues such as muscle weakness, nerve damage, and poor blood flow. Physical therapy can manage these issues by targeting different manual techniques and exercises that help to improve blood flow strengthen your muscles and restore nerve function.
Benefits of physical therapy over other treatments
Physical therapy offers several unique benefits as compared to other traditional treatments like medication and surgery. As physiotherapy is drug-free and a noninvasive approach make itself a safe option for individuals possessing adverse reactions to medications. It focused on addressing the root cause of erectile dysfunction rather than just treating symptoms of sexual dysfunction. Physiotherapy leads to long-term improvements in sexual function.
Types of physiotherapy techniques used for Erectile Dysfunction:
In treating erectile dysfunction depending upon the underlying cause, various physical therapy techniques are available. It may involve manual therapy techniques to improve your blood flow properly and enhance nerve function in this area. It involves pelvic floor exercises that can help strengthen muscles that are responsible for maintaining various functions such as supporting the internal pelvic organ, voluntary contractions of urethral and regulates emission, erection, and ejaculation. A trained and specialized physiotherapist will assess the individual’s specific needs and issues and then create a personalized therapy plan for them.
Benefits of seeking a trained physical therapist for therapy:
It’s crucial to select a trained or specialized physiotherapist for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. This is because they are experts in their work and have the proper knowledge to diagnose and assess the major causes of sexual dysfunction and the expertise to create effective plans for treatment. They provide you with guidance on proper techniques and monitor progress to verify the best possible outcomes.
Different complications and relevance to physiotherapy
Erectile Dysfunction:
Literature indicates that about 9-40% of men struggle with erectile dysfunction by the age of 40. It is the inability to obtain and maintain a rigid erection sufficient for penetration. Following physical therapy properly including electrical stimulation, pelvic floor exercises, and biofeedback erectile dysfunction is recovered.
Chronic Prostatitis:
Chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome defined as abdomen, pelvic, and genital pain without symptoms of urinary tract infection that commonly occurs after and during ejaculation. To cure this motor control exercise that emphasizes on relaxation of levator ani muscles and coordinating activation–deactivation biofeedback methods are beneficial treatments for men with chronic prostatitis.
Ejaculatory Dysfunction:
During ejaculation contraction of smooth muscles of prostate gland and bladder neck occur. Premature ejaculation is a common cause of sexual dysfunction in men. Behavioral changes and pelvic floor therapy sessions provide improvements in ejaculation dysfunction.
Urinary Incontinence:
Sexual dysfunction is related to urinary dysfunction in men and women. Treatment methods include rehabilitation and bladder retaining pelvic floor muscle contractions to inhibit muscle contractions. These techniques help to prevent urinary muscle contractions.
Final Verdict:
Although Sexual dysfunction is a severe issue causing various complications still physiotherapy can provide you with a better way of living by improving your condition of dysfunction. Literature indicates that physiotherapy management and pelvic floor rehabilitation can be effective in treating many conditions such as sexual dysfunction, ejaculation dysfunction, pelvic pain syndrome and urinary inconvenience.
