Prostate surgery is an invasive procedure performed on the prostate. One of the most practiced prostate surgeries is prostatectomy which will remove either a part of the gland or the entire gland. This is mostly done when the gland gets infected with cancer.
The prostate gland is located right below the male bladder, in the pelvis. It drains the urine from the bladder and carries it to the penis to eject urine from the body. The glands also help synthesize seminal fluid that plays a key role in sperm health and transportation.
It is typical that a prostatectomy can affect the penile nerve cells which can lead to erectile dysfunction (ED).
Nerve Regeneration After Prostate Surgery: Effective Strategies For Faster Recovery
There are several methods used for this purpose. Some of them are oral medications and dietary supplements that can help to improve nerve regeneration by providing the right ingredients. There are also therapies and exercises that can be useful in this.
Here are the most commonly approached methods that can fasten the process of nerve regeneration after prostate surgery. Go through it.
1. Dietary Supplements
Taking dietary supplements can be helpful when it comes to nerve regeneration. Always make sure that you have the clearance from your doctor when you start to use any supplement.
And, choosing such a supplement should not be based on any recommendation from someone who does not have a medical background.
The supplements will provide the right nutrients to speed up the process of repairing the damage.
2. Penile Rehab
Penile rehab exercises are the ones that can support the penis to gain back its optimal functioning. These exercises focus on muscles around the pelvis and the core.
3. Injection Therapy
There are injection therapies that can support nerve regeneration after a surgical procedure. In this therapy, certain medications like Caverject are directly injected into the penis using a syringe. It is the process that most doctors will advise after trying the supplements.
4. Penile Traction Therapy (PTT)
This is a therapy that involves an external device called the penile traction device. It is a metal device to be worn on the penis and it keeps the organ in a certain position. It is not worn always but for a specific period, but daily.
This device helps in the strengthening of the organ and helps with the ED.
5. Linear Compression Therapy
It is another therapy used to quicken the process of nerve regeneration. This therapy is also referred to as linear shock wave therapy and it makes use of low-intensity shock waves that can stimulate the formation of new blood cells. Through these blood cells, more blood will be provided to the penis.
This is one of the most successful methods that is used in this particular field.
6. Vibration Therapy
In vibration therapy, the penis is stimulated by a vibrating device. This vibrating device stimulates the nerve fibers present in the penis. It is non-invasive and is not expensive.
When the nerve fibers in the penis get stimulated it will help with erectile dysfunction. When the nerve fibers are electrically stimulated with the help of an external device this can help to speed up nerve regeneration by improving the blood circulation.
This is one of the most preferred and most basic methods to treat ED post-prostatectomy.
7. Oral Medication
Your medical care provider would prescribe your medications that help to improve the blood flow.
Commonly, these medications will relax the muscles and make more blood available to the penis. The efficacy of such oral medication can differ according to your condition and the certain surgical procedure that you have undergone.
However, you are not to take these medications on your own.
Read More: Prostate Health in Young Men: A Comprehensive Health Guide
Conclusion
These are the most generally practiced ways to speed up nerve regeneration after prostate surgery. Note that, you can only proceed to do these, with the recommendation of your doctor. Especially, when it is any medication that you take orally, you are not to depend on the OTC medications that someone told you about or you saw an ad on the TV or the internet. Make sure that you are patient and also remember that you can not expect instant results from any of these methods.
FAQ
Keep a distance from foods that can cause gas issues like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, onion, and beans.
Many things can be done to recover from prostate surgery. One among them is going for a walk early in the morning. It can improve bowel activity and support blood circulation to the legs.
It is best to sleep on your back when you have undergone a recent prostate surgery.
