All of us at the ISSM would like to wish you and your families a very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

- Wayne Hellstrom, ISSM President, and the ISSM Board of Directors

 

Many men suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) and climacturia after prostatectomy. A new study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research explains how these patients may benefit from pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT).

Researchers from Belgium worked with 33 men who had had ongoing ED for twelve months following prostatectomy. Some of the men also had climacturia - incontinence that occurs with orgasm. 

Sixteen men were assigned to receive PFMT immediately. The rest started PFMT fifteen months after surgery and served as the control group. 

After three months of therapy, men in the PFMT group saw improvements in erectile function and climacturia when compared to the controls. 

The researchers also compared the therapy results for both groups. Overall, men had better erectile function and sexual satisfaction after treatment. Climacturia decreased significantly. 

The scientists suggested that pelvic floor muscle contractions could help blood remain in the penis, keeping erections rigid. 

PFMT is painless and non-invasive, they added. The treatment can lead to spontaneous erections, which is not the case with other ED therapies. For these reasons, patients may be more likely to stay with their program. 

Learn more about this study here.