Every man has a prostate, yet few men have much knowledge about how sex and the prostate can help with men’s health. It relates to sexual function, pleasure and it’s just part of healthy sex life reports our resident sex therapist and relationship counsellor, Matty Silver. She rids the bedroom of the taboo subject of prostate pleasure.
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis in front of the rectum. The urethra runs through the centre of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis, letting urine flow out of the body. The prostate secretes fluid that nourishes and protects sperm. During ejaculation it squeezes this fluid into the urethra and it is expelled with sperm as semen.
The prostate is responsible for regulating much of male sexual functioning. It produces prostatic fluid, which is an important component of semen and is a contributor to higher fertility. The prostate also helps men experience more satisfying sexual encounters and can be an important component in sexual dysfunction, such as loss of erections or ejaculatory problems. It is affected strongly by the testosterone levels produced in the testes.
Over the last year some of my clients have shown curiosity about prostate massages, apparently a new hot trend in male sexuality, whether heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual. Several health professionals are recommending prostate massage as a preventive health practice, and some men are reporting it gives them the best orgasms they have ever experienced.
In some Asian countries, prostate massage therapy is widely practised by men to enhance their sexual performance. A side benefit may be the fact Asian men tend to have lower rates of prostate cancer. Historically, men who had many wives or mistresses hired monks or doctors to administer prostate massages to help ensure they could perform sexually.
So why could regular prostate massage be healthy and what are the benefits?
- It may help eliminate the build-up of prostatic fluid in the prostate gland ducts, which can lead to prostatitis, a painful inflammation of the prostate.
- It may improve blood flow to the prostate which helps the gland produce the fluid that mixes with semen and increases circulation, helping with impotence.
- It may be helpful in minimising painful ejaculation.
- It may help to keep the prostate functioning properly which may prevent or reduce a man’s risk of getting prostate cancer.
- It may increase the intensity of ejaculation, heightening sexual experience.
If you think you have prostate problems, it’s really important to check with your doctor first to see if a prostate massage is ideal or potentially harmful
The prostate often enlarges as men get older, but or two out of three men aged over 50 this doesn’t cause any problems. In some cases, an enlarged prostate can press on the tube carrying urine from the bladder, which can lead to difficulty in urinating or cause bladder infections. This is known as BHP (benign prostatic hyperplasia). Other prostate conditions include inflammation of the gland, also known as prostatitis.
For men who suffer from BHP and are looking for an alternative to drugs or major surgery, may be candidates for a new procedure that has been developed, called UroLift System. It essentially stents open the prostate lobes which have collapsed against each other causing urinary obstruction.
Urologist Dr Chi Can Huynh, of the Male Clinic in Woolloomooloo, who regularly performs this procedure, told me its main advantage includes that it can be done as day surgery, it’s very safe and carries minimal if any risk of sexual dysfunction. The majority of men return back to normal activities within a week.
By comparison most other BPH procedures can have permanent side effects including loss of ejaculation, incontinence and erectile problems.
Prostate cancer develops when abnormal cells in the prostate gland start to grow more rapidly than normal cells, and in an uncontrolled way. Most prostate cancers grow more slowly than other types of cancer, although this is not always the case.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men (apart from common skin cancers). There are about 17,000 new cases in Australia every year. One in five men in Australia are at risk of developing prostate cancer before the age of 85. The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, with the majority of cases diagnosed in men aged 60–79 years of age.
Unfortunately some men are often very reluctant to see their GP if they develop symptoms because they are afraid of a diagnosis of prostate cancer.
ABOUT
Matty Silver Matty Silver is a sex therapist and relationship counsellor based in Sydney. She is also the New South Wales president of the Australian Society of Sex Educators, Researchers and Therapists.
Website
mattysilver.com.au
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