Tens of thousands of men undergo prostate biopsy every year thinking it’s a safe, harmless procedure – only to wake up with the nightmare of severe erectile dysfunction.
But like all nightmares, when you wake up, they’re over. And so it goes for this one as well.
Yes, prostate biopsy causes worsened ED in most men, but there is something you can do about it, according to a new study recently published in BJU International.
In the largest study of its kind, a Canadian research team recently discovered that most men struggled with ED for up to 12 weeks after a prostate biopsy.
They recruited 220 volunteers who visited their hospitals for a TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. This is the test that is done to find out whether you have cancer if the doctor thinks there is a low or moderate chance that you have it.
The men completed questionnaires before the biopsy to report their level of erectile function. They were asked to complete those same questionnaires several times after the procedure: after 1 week, after four weeks, and after 12 weeks.
Most men reported worsened ED one week after the biopsy than before the operation. However, it did get better after four weeks and by the 12th week most men had regained the level of erection strength they had before.
Researchers speculated that some temporary nerve damage may occur during the biopsy, that hematomas could be responsible, and that the type of local anesthetic used can contribute. A hematoma is a solid swelling of clotted blood within body tissue, which may well be present for a few weeks after a biopsy. The procedure puts a needle into sensitive tissue, after all.
However, the ED may also be somewhat psychological. Indeed, the fear of having a needle put in such a delicate organ would cause most of us to go soft for a while. Previous studies have shown that a majority of men report great fear of this procedure. And, ED is worse after the first biopsy than if men had undergone one in the past.
Any procedure like this does, of course, have a risk of infection and other side effects. If your risk of cancer is very low, you may want to talk to your doctor about if the procedure is absolutely needed.
Remember also that the ED following biopsy is usually not permanent. Most men gain their old stamina within 12 weeks. So usually, all you have to do is wait it out.