According to the National Institute of Health, 30 million Americans have erectile dysfunction. The real number is undoubtedly larger, considering the social stigmas associated with erectile dysfunction prevents an unknown amount of people from seeking treatment. As a result of this tremendous chunk of potential patients, the erectile dysfunction industry is booming. Everything from penis pumps, medications and even surgeries are presented to the public as a possible cure. However, sometimes the most effective treatment is nothing more than simple exercises and lifestyle changes. Pelvic floor physical therapy is worth investigating, for those with erectile dysfunction.
What are Pelvic Floor Muscles?
Pelvic floor physical therapy are exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of one’s pelvic floor. Pelvic floor muscles are located between one’s tailbone and the pubic bone, which is in the pelvis.
According to an article in the Gastroenterol Clinics of North America, pelvic floor muscles have two purposes.
- To serve as a “floor” to the abdominal viscera, which includes the rectum.
- To control movements of bowels and bladder.
Have you ever really had to pee, but had to hold it in for a long time? Thank those hard working pelvic floor muscles for sparing an inconvenient mess. The next time you are peeing, try to stop and then resume urination. If done properly, one should feel the pelvic floor muscles tightening.
How does Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Help Erectile Dysfunction?
When a man’s pelvic floor muscles are not working properly, whether they are too tight or too short, it may restrict blood flow into the shaft of his penis. Dysfunctional pelvic floor muscles can prevent optimal erections, orgasms or even ejaculations. Pelvic floor muscle exercises will strengthen these muscles.
Like any muscle in the body, strengthening it allows the muscles to function better and stronger. Strong pelvic muscles improves one’s bladder and bowel control as well as their sex life. In addition, strong pelvic muscles could reduce severity of symptoms such as urinary leakage, incontinence, back pain and so much more.
The benefits associated with a strong pelvic floor are endless. This article from the Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy, contends that healthy pelvic floor muscles can actually lead to improvements in one’s quality of life.
Try Some Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Exercises
The best part about pelvic floor therapy is that the exercises are simple to do. You could actually pull off some exercises while reading this article! According to MedlinePlus, here are some different exercises one can use to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles.
- First, empty the bladder.
- Tighten the pelvic floor muscles, while counting to ten.
- Relax the pelvic muscles, while counting to ten.
- Repeat 10 times – three times a day.
If someone does these exercises everyday as outlined, they should begin to experience noticeable improvement anywhere between four weeks and three months.
Don’t Overdo it
Considering that these exercises are so simple, and could be done while watching a football game or the latest soap operas, people may be inclined to increase repetitions or to hold the muscles for a longer duration. However, by doing more pelvic floor exercises than required, one could develop muscle fatigue or an increase of urine leakage.
Kegel Exercises
Another term for pelvic floor exercises are Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises have been shown to improve control of one’s ejaculation. As a result, Kegel exercises can be used to restrain men from cumming quicker than they may desire. Read this article to find out more about Kegel exercises.
Improving One’s Blood Flow is Often an Effective Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction
As noted earlier, pelvic floor exercises can be a notable solution for erectile dysfunction, because they strengthen the same muscles responsible for maintaining an adequate blood flow into the penis. Improper blood circulation is one of the most common causes of erectile dysfunction.
A man’s brain sends a signal to the penis to become erect. If the man’s blood vessels have narrowed or if there is plaque in the blood, then the signal from the brain will have difficulty reaching the desired destination.
GAINSWave is a safe and non-invasive procedure that uses low intensity shock waves to break down micro-plaque in a penis as well as create new and healthy blood vessels. Click on this link to read more than 30 scientific studies that all agree that GAINSWave procedure is effective in treating erectile dysfunction.
Conclusion
Pelvic floor exercises are a great treatment for erectile dysfunction, before consuming harmful medications or undergoing dangerous operations. The exercises are easy to perform and they usually only take a few weeks to show improvement. However, pelvic floor exercises will certainly not heal everyone’s erectile dysfunction. Try it for a few months to see if it works.
