Can you believe that it is November? Where did the year go?
Although 2020 has been a rough one and many would love to see it fly by, I want to pause a bit as we head into the month of November for some men’s pelvic health awareness.
Every November the Movember Society runs a charity event involving the growing of moustaches to raise awareness for men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide. At JMM Health Solutions, we also serve men and address male pelvic health issues. After all, men have pelvises too!
This month we want to highlight three issues within our blog:
1. Hard Flaccid Syndrome
2. Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
3. Post Prostatectomy Recovery
Today we will address Hard Flaccid Syndrome, but stay tuned for the other two posts.
Now… What is Hard Flaccid Syndrome?
Hard flaccid syndrome is poorly understood but is characterized by a constantly semi-rigid penis at the flaccid state and a loss in erectile rigidity (Abdessater et al, 2020). It falls under the category of Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS), which is persistent pain in the pelvic region greater than 6 months of unknown etiology. It typically occurs in a man’s 20’s and 30’s and current knowledge indicates that it might be precipitated by trauma at the base of the penis including via aggressive masturbation.
Hard flaccid syndrome involves a variety of symptoms including: penile sensory changes
(numb or cold), semi-rigid penis at the flaccid state, decreased frequency of morning and/or nocturnal erections, difficulty in achieving and maintaining their erections, need for excessive physical or visual stimulation to become erect, and pain on ejaculation and/or urination according to Gul et al, 2019. Symptoms appear worsened with anxiety, are worse in standing and diagnostic imaging and blood tests are negative.
Hard flaccid syndrome is further compounded by psychological factors such as anxiety, stress and depression. That being said this will take a comprehensive treatment approach to address. Not only do we need to focus on the pelvic floor, but we also need to address behavior through decreased stress, improved nutrition, increased movement, and good sleep hygiene. Pelvic floor therapy is important in improving muscle function, addressing pain, addressing trigger points both in the pelvic region and immediate areas such as the back and the abdomen. Neurological screening is important as we cannot overlook the involvement of spinal nerves and pelvic function. Ultimately, addressing hard flaccid syndrome will take a comprehensive approach as there are many factors involved and we cannot neglect the importance of acknowledging factors, behaviors and activities that might have preceded the diagnosis as well as those that might be contributing after.
If you have further questions regarding hard flaccid, email us at info@jmmhealthsolutions.com
If you are dealing with hard flaccid syndrome, schedule a video consult with us or if you are in the Atlanta metro area, schedule a session in our office.
Resources:
1. Abdessater, M., Kanbar, A., Akakpo, W. et al. Hard flaccid syndrome: state of current knowledge. Basic Clin. Androl. 30, 7 (2020).
2. Gul, Murat & Towe, Maxwell & Yafi, Faysal & Serefoglu, Ege. (2019). Hard flaccid syndrome: initial report of four cases. International Journal of Impotence Research. 32. 10.1038/s41443-019-0133-z.Post
3. Urology News UK: https://www.urologynews.uk.com/features/synopsis/post/hard-flaccid-syndrome
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