Zion Physical Therapy Can Help! Over 165,000 New Cases
Read on to find out more about Post Prostate Surgery
Over 165,000 New Cases Of Prostate Cancer Will Be Diagnosed In The US In 2018 According To The American Cancer Society. That’s Nearly 10,000 New Cases In New York Alone! This Makes Prostate Cancer The Second Most Prevalent Cancer In Men In The US.*
Depending on the severity of the cancer, one’s doctor may recommend different treatment options for post prostate surgery. Procedures such as a radical prostatectomy, laser surgery, radiation, TURP (Transurethral Resection of the Prostate) or laparoscopic surgery are all common options.
Unlike most surgeries, the most common side effects affect your sex life and your bladder. These side effects are intimate. They can feel embarrassing. They are not often talked about, but a lot of them are common. If you experience any of the following:difficulty getting or maintaining an erection
pain with orgasm
urinary leaking
dribbling
more intense urinary urgency
frequent trips to the bathroom
pain in your pelvic area (penis, testicles, perineum, and even lower abdomen)
Zion Physical Therapy can help! These side effects are the result of weak or impaired pelvic floor muscles. The good news: You can rehab your pelvic floor muscles just like any other muscle. What are your pelvic floor muscles you ask? These are the muscles that are responsible for healthy bladder, bowel, and sexual function. These muscles can be rehabbed just like your shoulder muscles after a rotator cuff repair surgery or your back if you experience low back pain.
Pelvic floor physical therapists are specially trained to strengthen both internal and external muscles so life does not revolve around wondering where the nearest bathroom is or can I have sex tonight? They’ll guide you in internal and external workouts to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and other muscles which support your pelvic floor so you become even stronger. In addition to training your pelvic floor muscles, your physical therapist will review diet and proper hydration which can also effect symptoms, and provide a home exercise plan just like you’d get after any other injury. Feel like yourself again, realize you are not alone, and ditch the diapers! -Francesca Warner, DPT
*Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer | Prostate Cancer Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved January 08, 2018, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
