Erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer are two common male medical issues in Hong Kong, but discussing them with your man can be tricky. If protecting his genital health means taking matters into your own hands (so to speak) first, here’s what you need to know.
Your sex life often goes through different stages; maybe you’re swinging from the chandeliers, taking sex slow and steady, or are just all about the snuggles. Wherever you’re at, if his manhood remains softer than your Egyptian cotton bedsheets, there could be cause for concern. According to statistics, over 50% of men aged 40 to 70 in Hong Kong have experienced some degree of erectile dysfunction. The good news is that neither of you have to say bye-bye to your sex life. A range of erectile dysfunction treatments can get things back on an upward trajectory fast.
What causes erectile dysfunction and why?
Erectile dysfunction (also known as ED or impotence) is the persistent inability to obtain or maintain an erection adequate enough for satisfactory sex to take place. For an erection to occur, something physical or visual triggers the pelvic nerves and causes blood supply to the penis, making it rigid. If the party isn’t starting, it can be due to physical or emotional factors, or a combination of both. Common physical causes of erectile dysfunction can range from smoking and surgery to diabetes and a bad diet. Emotional contributors can include stress, lethargy or an unhappy relationship.
What treatments are there for erectile dysfunction in Hong Kong?
Seek professional help from a reliable doctor who will determine whether the problem is physical or psychological. Sexual counselling can help with psychological causes; physical causes require erectile dysfunction treatment. Viagra, which improves blood flow to the penis, is the most well-known, but do check out the side effects to ED drugs, and never take them without a doctor’s prescription. Still on a downer? Shock Wave Therapy and Trimix Therapy increase the number of blood vessels, blood supply and nerve supply to the penis. Also, there’s penile prosthesis.
How does penile prosthesis help with erectile dysfunction?
There are two types of penile prosthesis. One is made of silicon with metallic parts inside. It’s a fixed length and malleable, like the stand of a bendy table lamp; so when it comes to intercourse you simply straighten it out. The other option is an inflatable prosthesis where a pump is placed inside the scrotum. While perhaps as appealing for a man as hours spent bargain hunting at Mong Kok Ladies’ Market, the operation is not difficult and only requires one night in hospital.
How are erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer linked?
Prostate cancer is the third most common cancer for men in Hong Kong and accounts for 13.3% of new cancer cases in males in the country. Unfortunately, research shows that some men who have had prostate cancer treatment can go on to suffer from erectile dysfunction.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
The prostate gland is usually the size and shape of a walnut. It sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra, the tube men use for urination and ejaculation. Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate reproduce more rapidly than normal, resulting in a tumour. Frustratingly, signs of any plumbing problems don’t tend to reveal themselves until the disease is very advanced. Symptoms include a difficulty to pass urine and the need to pee frequently.
What’s the treatment and success rate for prostate cancer?
Doctors will undertake a prostate examination, biopsy and scans to identify the stage of your cancer. Radiotherapy or radical prostatectomy (the surgical removal of your prostate gland) are both options for curing prostate cancer that has not spread very far, and the success rate is high if the cancer isn’t aggressive or you catch it before it spreads.
This article was independently written by Expat Living and is not sponsored. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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