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Men who are experiencing low back pain and spine problems may also have a good chance to suffer from erectile dysfunction. Back in late 2009, Irwin Goldstein, M.D(President and Director Of Institute Of Sexual Medicine) discovered that treating back pain in men also restore the ability to achieve erections.
Although, this may not be true in all cases. For instance, I suffer moderate back pain from time to time, but I have excellent erection quality. Of course, it is different when the pain is chronic.
The human body is a very complex infrastructure where all parts are connected to one another either to function fluidly together and stop working properly when something wrong with one part or area of the body.
Dr. Jeff Echols(Chiropractor in Austin, United Bodyworks) explains in the video below how sexual function in both men and women can be affected by back pain. Moreover, he also showed some techniques on how to go over the back pain as well as tips about nutrition to maintain good health.
Erection is a process when something is sexually stimulating that impact the senses. Then, along with the process of sexual stimulation, the muscles within the penis relax allowing an increase in blood flow into the corpora cavernosa until the penis achieves a full erection.
Normally, erectile dysfunction is caused by a disrupted or slowed blood flow in the entire body. As Dr. Jeff explained in the video, the back is the central or the hub where the distribution of senses to certain areas of the body including the penis in men and reproductive system in women, as well.
When veins or nerves in the back area are pinched, it can potentially trigger erectile dysfunction as it leads to a decreased in blood flow throughout the pelvic area, and to the sexual organs, as well. In fact, the majority of men who have experience back or pelvic injuries through car accidents also faced erectile dysfunction.
How Back Pain Occurs and Get Relief
The main goal of performing the exercises is to bolster the weak muscles and help increase blood flow throughout the entire body. Fortunately, doing regular exercise can also promote good health including sexual health in both sexes. Workouts such Yoga stretching, cardiovascular either done at home or the gym and even therapeutic massage can help increase and maintain proper blood flow.
One thing that has been found to relieve back pain is through grounding also known as earthing. This is a very simple technique that involves walking barefoot on the ground, grass, or sand. Most people when they heard this for the first time can’t believe it. However, when done regularly it is one of the effective supplemental means of relieving back pain.
On the other hand, should you have a severe back pain and suffer erectile dysfunction at the same time, it is a smart move to consult with your doctor. There may be other causes the back pain that needs professional attention and administered medically as soon as possible.
When doing any of the exercises mentioned in the article causes more pain instead of relief, STOP the exercise immediately and go to your doctor as early as possible.
Stretching Exercises To Help Ease Lower Back Pain
2More Exercises To Prevent Back Pain
My Personal Back Exercise Choice
The exercises demonstrated above are very useful for preventing and easing back pains. However, should the pain persist, it is highly advisable to consult your physician. That being said, my personal choice of exercise for preventing back pain is “Plank”.
Plank is very simple to do and I always do it every day after my workout routine. I learned this exercise from the scientific 7-minute workout. Since I was doing a plank for more than 5 months now, I experience lesser back pains. The good news, it seems the back pain is going away bit by bit, and I’m hoping it will completely go away.
This is how to do PLANK…
Noninvasive Low Back Pain Treatments
WebMD says there are two types of low back pain namely acute and chronic. Acute low back pain is pain that lasts less than 3 months. Most people with acute low back pain will get better with home treatment.
On the other hand, chronic low back pain can last beyond 3 months and need a treatment that is more intensive. It is important to consult with your healthcare provider if you have such a chronic back pain for proper guidance.
The first option to treating low back pain should be noninvasive which includes rest, exercise and putting heat or ice packs on the affected area. There are also over-the-counter painkillers. However, be careful as there are some risks associated with opioid painkillers.
Even prescription painkillers can be addictive. Once you get hooked on it, you’ll be dependent on it for life.
1ACP Noninvasive Recommendations
In 2007, the American College of Physicians(ACP) and the American Pain Society(APS) published their diagnosis and treatment for low back pain. There were seven recommendations in that guidelines1.
In Feb. 2017, they published a new guideline2 with three recommendations. In the recent recommendations, more priority are given to noninvasive treatments such as yoga, exercise, meditation and mindfulness, progressive relaxation, motor control exercise and many others.
Reducing and managing stress is one of the recommendations. Although not many are aware of it, stress causes many unhealthy consequences including pains3 and heart disease.
If you have low back pain and unsure how to handle it, always consult your healthcare provider. When it comes to treatment, always ask and opt for noninvasive treatments.
Your health care provider may offer you additional low back pain treatments including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS) and ultrasound. Traction method is another low back pain treatment. It uses similar traction technique like that of a penis extender, but of course, a different machine.
Final Thoughts
Impotence or erectile dysfunction should not be hindrance towards enjoying an active and happy sex life. Unlike during the early day, today there are many available options to treat ED should only be open and consult a medical professional.
The recent discoveries along with medical technology advancements allow scientists and medical experts to find better ways to solve ED. One example is Irwin Goldstein discovery about the connection between back pain and sexual dysfunction.
Lastly, one must keep this in mind that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help maintain excellent sexual health, as well. A healthy lifestyle includes regular exercises, eating nutritious and well-balanced meals.
WebMD(refer to slide #7) also mentioned a study looking at people with chronic lower back pain have depression prior to it. Hence, managing stress and keeping it minimum is smart endeavor.
In addition, adding vitamin D supplementation can be a good idea, too. If you’re in an area where ample sunlight is available, go for sun exposure and eat foods containing vitamin D.
Another good thing to consider when it comes to sex is the position. One particular sex position such as the Doggy Style or Enter From Behind is suitable for individuals with low back pain.