Although pelvic floor dysfunction is closely associated with sexual dysfunction in women, not a lot of people know that pelvic floor dysfunction can also cause various sexual problems for men.

            In fact, men suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction often develop erectile dysfunction. Pelvic floor dysfunction is also tied to ejaculatory problems and impaired orgasms in men. Continue reading to learn more about how pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to sexual dysfunction in men.

Overview

            When you’re unable to control the way your pelvic floor muscles contract or relax when you have a bowel movement, that inconvenient and embarrassing condition is called pelvic floor dysfunction.

            Your pelvic floor muscles support the organs found in your pelvic area including your prostate, bladder, and rectum. In order for you to have normal urinary and bowel movements, it’s essential that your pelvic floor muscles are able to properly relax and contract.

            If you’ve had to stop urinating mid-stream, the muscles that you used to accomplish that are your pelvic floor muscles, the same ones that are used when you control your bowel movements. People with pelvic floor dysfunction, however, tend to contract their pelvic floor muscles instead of relaxing them.

            This results in various symptoms such as difficulty with bowel movements like constipation, strained bowel movements, or incomplete bowel movements. Urinary and fecal incontinence are also common in people with pelvic floor dysfunction, meaning they may leak urine or stool.

            When you have pelvic floor dysfunction, you may frequently feel the need to urinate or you may suffer from painful urination. You may also experience pain in your lower back or in your pelvic region or genitals. Women with pelvic floor dysfunction often suffer discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse.

            Untreated pelvic floor dysfunction can result in various health problems such as infections, long-term colon damage, as well as pain and discomfort. In many cases, the cause of pelvic floor dysfunction is unexplained or unknown. For women, though, childbirth is a common cause of pelvic floor dysfunction.

            For men, the condition may be a result of traumatic injuries affecting the pelvic area. Nerve damage, especially to any of the nerves located in the pelvic region, can also result in pelvic floor dysfunction.

            Obesity and pelvic surgeries may also be possible causes of pelvic floor dysfunction. There are also instances when the condition is a result of a learned behavior that results in an incorrect muscle coordination.

Erectile Dysfunction and Your Pelvic Floor

            For you to achieve a sufficiently rigid erection, increased pressure within your corpora cavernosa is necessary. The corpora cavernosa is the region in your penis that gets engorged with blood during penile tumescence. The increased intracavernosal pressure helps to keep the blood trapped within your corpora cavernosa.

            Your bulbospongiosus and ischiocavernosus muscles, both part of your pelvic floor muscles, can help you increase the pressure inside your corpora cavernosum. Such intracavernosal pressure increases can help you achieve sufficient penile rigidity to be able to accomplish penetrative sex.

            This is why pelvic floor exercises are often recommended for men with erectile dysfunction. On the other hand, when your pelvic floor muscles are constantly contracted, this can cause erectile dysfunction by unnecessarily compressing your pudendal artery and impeding the inflow of blood.

Ejaculatory Dysfunction and Your Pelvic Floor

            Normal ejaculation is a result of the simultaneous actions of several muscles. The smooth muscles of your prostate gland need to contract, so do the smooth muscles of your bladder neck. The smooth muscles of your urethral sphincter, on the one hand, need to relax.

            During ejaculation, the semen in your urethra is expelled through the involuntary contraction of your bulbospongiosus muscle. Strong contractions of this muscle can intensify your orgasmic pleasure whenever you ejaculate. Hence, pelvic floor muscle exercises can actually increase your ejaculatory force and volume, as well as the intensity of your orgasm.

            If you’re suffering from premature ejaculation, the squeeze technique may be able to help you control your ejaculation. The squeeze technique involves your partner squeezing your penis at the point where your penis glans and shaft meet. This technique, which helps delay ejaculation, actually involves your bulbospongiosus reflex.

            When you train your pelvic floor muscles and perform a sustained contraction of those muscles, this can serve as an internal squeeze. It can also reduce the urgency to ejaculate. When you perform this technique, you won’t need to have your partner squeeze your penis for you.

Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome and Pelvic Floor Syndrome

            Chronic pelvic pain syndrome is often accompanied by pain or discomfort during or after ejaculation, as well as other sexual dysfunction like ejaculatory disorders or erection problems.

            Unfortunately, chronic pelvic pain syndrome is also strongly tied to pelvic floor dysfunction. Moreover, chronic pelvic pain syndrome is also associated with higher rates of depression. One of the explanations why men with chronic pelvic pain syndrome often develop erectile dysfunction is that they have an elevated pelvic floor muscle tone.

Treatment Options for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

            There are several treatment options for pelvic floor dysfunction, the most common of which is biofeedback. This treatment is non-surgical, although you will need a physical therapist to help you retrain your muscles as well as improve your muscle coordination.

            Certain medications like muscle relaxants can also help treat pelvic floor dysfunction. These medications will basically enable your pelvic floor muscles to relax so that they’re not in a constantly contracted state. However, in cases wherein pelvic floor dysfunction is a result of a rectal prolapse, surgery may be necessary to correct the problem.

Managing Male Sexual Dysfunction

            Male sexual dysfunctions like reduced libido or erectile dysfunction are often a result of psychological factors or low testosterone levels. If you’re dealing with such problems, you can try all-natural male enhancement supplement to manage your sexual dysfunction.

            One of the most widely popular male sex enhancement supplements today is composed of herbal ingredients that are known to have significant positive effects on male sexual function and reproductive health.

            It contains herbs like Tribulus terrestris and Tongkat Ali which help promote testosterone synthesis, thereby resulting in an increased drive for sex. Both Tribulus terrestris and Tongkat Ali are also known to dramatically improve erections in men suffering from erectile dysfunction.