Stress affects all of us in our daily lives. It could be due to work deadlines, traffic jams, or forgetting to meet someone for lunch. If not managed properly, stress can have a detrimental impact on our physical health, leading to complications such as headaches, insomnia, and a racing heartbeat. However, stress can also affect our urological health, particularly our bladder function and sexual health.
Let’s take a look at how your bladder and sexual functioning can be compromised by leading a stressful life:
-
How stress affects the health of your bladder
The question of how stress affects the bladder is a valid one. When you are under stress, you may notice urinating more frequently than usual. This can happen during the day, but you may also experience nocturia, which is waking up at night to urinate.
The reason behind this may be related to bladder conditions such as overactive bladder (OAB) or interstitial cystitis. People who experience higher levels of anxiety than usual tend to have more frequent and severe symptoms of OAB or interstitial cystitis.
If you are experiencing more emotional distress than usual and are noticing changes in your bladder habits, discuss this with your doctor for a urological evaluation. There are ways to minimize and treat OAB and interstitial cystitis along with managing a stressful lifestyle.
-
The strain of stress on men’s sexual health
Men experiencing stress are often affected by erectile dysfunction (ED). Stress is one of the top contributors to a man being unable to perform sexually, and it can be a devastating and embarrassing event when it happens.
Men, what you need to know is that experiencing ED when under stress is normal. In fact, research has found that up to one-third of men with anxiety have difficulty getting an erection and about 1 in 10 men with depression also suffer this same consequence.
The most important thing for men with stress-related ED to know is do not suffer in silence. When stress is persistently affecting a man’s love life, it’s time to see a urologist. A urologist can help find the root cause and rule out possibilities of physical issues, such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes, that could also be contributing to ED.
In the meantime, men with ED caused by chronic stress, should consider seeking mental health counseling for advice on practical ways for relaxing and calming their body and mind. This might include becoming more physically active, eating healthier, deep breathing, yoga, meditation, or simply finding quiet time to take a break throughout the day.
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.
