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Prostate Health (Enlarged Prostate, Prostatitis & Cancer Screening)

The prostate can cause three common kinds of trouble: enlargement (BPH), inflammation (prostatitis) and cancer. Their symptoms overlap, so urinary changes are worth checking, and being unable to urinate is an emergency. PSA screening is a personal choice to talk through with a clinician.

Get medical care right away if you:

MBHA suggests going to an emergency department for these signs rather than waiting for an appointment. Never delay urgent care to try a chiropractic, acupuncture or massage visit, an herb or a supplement first.

What the prostate does

The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system, just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body, and it helps make semen (NCI). Because it wraps around the urethra, any change in the prostate can show up as a change in how you urinate. The prostate keeps growing with age: it is about the size of a walnut in a man’s 20s and by age 60 is often the size of a lemon (NCI).

Three common prostate conditions

  • Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH). The gland grows larger than normal, but not because of cancer (NIDDK). Experts estimate it affects 5% to 6% of men ages 40 to 64 and 29% to 33% of men 65 and older, and it is the most common prostate problem in men over 50 (NIDDK).
  • Prostatitis. Inflammation of the prostate, sometimes from infection and sometimes with no clear cause. NIDDK calls it the most common urinary tract problem in men younger than 50 (NIDDK prostatitis page).
  • Prostate cancer. NCI says about one man in eight in the United States will be diagnosed, most men diagnosed do not die from it, and it occurs more often in Black men (NCI). Prostate cancer usually grows very slowly (NCI), and CDC says most prostate cancers grow slowly and don’t cause health problems (CDC).

Neither BPH nor prostatitis raises the risk of prostate cancer (NCI), but the symptoms can look alike. That is why NIDDK and MedlinePlus ask you to discuss any urinary symptoms with a health care professional (NIDDK, MedlinePlus).

Symptoms that can come from the prostate

Common prostate-related symptoms include going to the bathroom often, a sudden strong urge to urinate, waking at night to urinate, trouble starting a stream, a weak or stop-and-start stream, and feeling that the bladder hasn’t emptied (NIDDK, MedlinePlus). Prostatitis can also cause pain in the genital area, lower belly or lower back, and pain with ejaculation (NIDDK prostatitis page). Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms (NCI). Prostate size doesn’t predict symptoms (NIDDK). See also our bladder problems guide and cancer guide. A Sexual Performance guide is planned for erection and ejaculation concerns.

Who is more likely to have prostate problems

You are more likely to develop BPH if you are 40 or older, have a family history of BPH, have heart and blood vessel disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease or erectile dysfunction, or are not physically active (NIDDK). See our diabetes, heart and kidney guides. Risk factors for prostate cancer include being 50 or older, a father, brother or son with prostate cancer, inherited gene changes such as BRCA1, BRCA2 or Lynch syndrome, African American race and a history of smoking (NCI).

When to see a doctor: any new urinary change, pain in the pelvis or genitals, or blood in the urine or semen deserves a visit (NIDDK). The NHS says not to be embarrassed, because a doctor will be used to talking about these symptoms (NHS). Bring a list of every medicine you take, since some can worsen symptoms (see below), and see our medication safety guide.

Side by side

Six approaches compared

For every condition we look at the same six approaches: what each involves, what it typically costs, and what a patient can realistically expect.

ApproachWhat it involves Estimated costWhat to expect
Conventional medicine (AMA) Evaluation by a primary care clinician or urologist: history, exam, urine and sometimes PSA blood tests. BPH: lifestyle changes, medicine classes (alpha-blockers, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, PDE-5 inhibitors), minimally invasive procedures or surgery. Bacterial prostatitis: antibiotics. Cancer: active surveillance, surgery, radiation, hormone therapy and others. Medicare Part B covers a PSA blood test once every 12 months for men over 50 at no cost to you; a digital rectal exam is 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the deductible. Other costs: being researched. Many men need only monitoring and habit changes. 5-ARI medicines can take months to help and can affect sexual function. Whether to have PSA screening is a personal decision made with your clinician.
Chiropractic No role in treating BPH, prostatitis or prostate cancer; we found little research. Its main safety job here is to notice red flags and refer. About $55 to $100 per follow-up visit paying cash, per The Pricer. Medicare covers only spinal adjustments for a subluxation. Back, hip or pelvic pain that keeps getting worse, especially in an older man or with urinary changes, can be prostate cancer that has spread; case reports describe men who first sought chiropractic care.
Acupuncture Needle treatment for chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome; little research for BPH. About $90 to $185 per follow-up visit paying cash, per The Pricer. Medicare covers acupuncture only for chronic low back pain. For chronic pelvic pain, a Cochrane review found acupuncture reduced symptoms compared with sham needling, and a larger sham-controlled trial agreed. Side effects were mild.
Herbal medicine Saw palmetto and other plant products are widely sold for prostate health. Cost estimate being researched. A 2023 Cochrane review found saw palmetto alone gives little or no benefit for BPH symptoms. Some supplements may be harmful for men with prostate cancer. Tell your clinician about everything you take.
Massage therapy General massage is not a prostate treatment. Specialized pelvic-floor myofascial physical therapy has been studied for chronic pelvic pain. One national chain: about $70 to $90 a month on a 12-month membership, per The Pricer. Medicare Part B covers medically necessary outpatient physical therapy (20% after the deductible). A small feasibility trial favored myofascial physical therapy over general massage for chronic pelvic pain syndromes. Evidence for prostate massage is uncertain.
MBHA Wellness Coach Everyday habits that ease urinary symptoms: fluids and timing, alcohol and caffeine, activity, weight, constipation, stress and a medicine review, plus help preparing for doctor visits and the PSA conversation. Cost estimate being researched. Supports — never replaces — medical evaluation. Small changes can reduce nighttime and out-of-the-house bathroom trips.

Approach 1 of 6

Conventional medicine (AMA)

What care looks like depends on the condition; details are in the sections below. NIDDK says BPH can be treated with watchful waiting, medicines or surgery, depending on how severe the symptoms are and how they affect your quality of life (NIDDK). Bacterial prostatitis is treated with antibiotics, while the chronic pain form has no single treatment that works for every man (NIDDK prostatitis page). Prostate cancer options range from active surveillance to surgery, radiation and hormone therapy (NCI). Your primary care clinician may refer you to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in the urinary tract and male reproductive system (NCI).

What it costs

Medicare Part B covers a digital rectal exam and a PSA blood test once every 12 months for men over 50. You pay nothing for the PSA blood test itself; for the rectal exam you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible (Medicare.gov). We have not yet researched other costs, such as visits, procedures or medicines.

Find a medical doctor in our directory

Approach 2 of 6

Chiropractic

Chiropractic care is not a treatment for an enlarged prostate, prostatitis or prostate cancer; we found little research on it for these conditions.

Why a chiropractor should know about the prostate

Prostate cancer can spread to the spine, hips and pelvis. NCI lists pain in the back, hips or pelvis that doesn’t go away as a sign of advanced disease (NCI). One published report describes two older men with no known cancer and no prior PSA screening who sought chiropractic care for worsening, radiating low back pain; the chiropractor ordered imaging and referred them to an oncologist, who made a presumptive diagnosis of prostate cancer. The authors also reviewed seven earlier similar cases (Chu et al., 2022). A second report, of a 62-year-old man with worsening hip pain, found nine earlier cases in the literature (Chu et al., 2023). These are case reports, so they show that it can happen, not how often.

The safety take-away: back, hip or pelvic pain that is new, keeps getting worse, or comes with urinary changes needs a medical evaluation, not only an adjustment. MBHA suggests telling any chiropractor about urinary symptoms and asking whether you need to see your doctor first. NCCIH notes that serious side effects of spinal manipulation are very rare, and that practitioners should assess patients thoroughly and patients should share their health conditions (NCCIH).

What it costs

The Pricer lists about $55 to $100 for a self-pay follow-up visit and $90 to $200 for a first appointment (The Pricer). Medicare covers only spinal adjustments by a chiropractor to correct a subluxation, and does not cover other services or tests a chiropractor orders (Medicare.gov).

Find a chiropractor in our directory

Approach 3 of 6

Acupuncture

The best evidence for acupuncture in prostate problems is for chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), not for BPH. We found little research on acupuncture for BPH.

What studies found

  • A Cochrane review of non-drug treatments for CP/CPPS found that, in three studies with 204 men, acupuncture reduced prostatitis symptoms compared with a sham procedure over the short term (high-quality evidence), with little to no difference in side effects. It probably also reduced symptoms more than standard medical therapy (two studies, 78 men; moderate-quality evidence) (Franco et al., 2018).
  • In a sham-controlled trial of 440 men in China, 20 sessions over 8 weeks produced more responders than sham acupuncture (about 61% versus 37 to 38%), and the benefit was still present 24 weeks after treatment. No serious adverse events were reported; the authors noted that sham acupuncture might itself have had some effect (Sun et al., 2021).
  • A 2023 review of ten high-quality trials (798 men) found acupuncture improved pain, symptom scores and quality of life compared with sham acupuncture and with Western medicine, with mild side effects such as bruising and pain; the authors called for larger, longer trials (Pan et al., 2023).

NIDDK lists acupuncture among the alternative treatments for chronic prostatitis, and the NHS says it may be offered where available (NIDDK prostatitis page, NHS). MBHA suggests that acupuncture not replace a medical evaluation of a urinary blockage, a possible infection or a possible cancer.

Safety

NCCIH says acupuncture can cause serious problems, including infections and punctured organs, when it is not delivered properly (NCCIH). MBHA suggests choosing a licensed practitioner who uses sterile, single-use needles, and telling them about any urinary symptoms.

What it costs

The Pricer lists about $90 to $185 per follow-up visit and up to about $230 for a first private appointment, with community acupuncture around $50 to $90 (The Pricer). Medicare covers acupuncture only for chronic low back pain (Medicare.gov).

Find an acupuncturist in our directory

Approach 4 of 6

Herbal medicine

Many products are sold for “prostate health.” Federal sources say the evidence is weak for the best-known one, and that some supplements may be harmful for men with prostate cancer. NCI says that herbal or natural remedies for an enlarged prostate may not help and can possibly cause harm, and that you should check with your doctor before trying any (NCI). Natural doesn’t always mean safe (NCCIH); dietary supplements are not approved by the FDA before they are sold (NCCIH saw palmetto page).

Saw palmetto

  • NCCIH says that for urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate, saw palmetto is probably not helpful. A 2023 review of 27 studies found the herb alone provides little or no benefit for BPH symptoms, including in two NIH-funded trials, and conclusions about combination products could not be reached (NCCIH).
  • The underlying Cochrane review (27 studies, 4,656 participants) concluded that saw palmetto alone provides little to no benefit for men with these symptoms, with more uncertainty about combinations with other herbs (Franco et al., 2023).
  • A 2022 review of five studies for chronic prostatitis / pelvic pain syndrome did not find a significant benefit (NCCIH).
  • Safety: saw palmetto is well tolerated; side effects are mild and infrequent and may include digestive symptoms, dizziness and headache. It does not appear to change PSA readings. Check with your provider before using any herb if you take medicine, because some herbs and medicines interact (NCCIH).

Other products

NCI notes that pygeum (African cherry) and beta-sitosterol have been studied for BPH (NCI); we did not review those studies. NIDDK mentions quercetin and bee pollen for chronic prostatitis (NIDDK prostatitis page).

Supplements and prostate cancer

NCI says results of the large Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) suggest men with prostate cancer should not take selenium supplements, that selenium had no effect on preventing prostate cancer in that randomized trial, and that studies of vitamin E have been mixed, with some showing an increased risk of prostate cancer (NCI). Tell your cancer team about every supplement. MBHA lists no dose for any product. See our medication safety guide.

What it costs

Cost estimate being researched.

Approach 5 of 6

Massage therapy

General relaxation massage is not a treatment for BPH, prostatitis or prostate cancer, and we found little research on it for these conditions. Psychological stress may increase the chance of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (NIDDK prostatitis page), so some men look for relaxation approaches; the better-studied hands-on option is below.

Pelvic-floor myofascial physical therapy

For chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome, NIDDK lists physical therapy, including myofascial release — pressing and stretching the muscles and soft tissues of the lower back, pelvis and upper legs — plus Kegel exercises, relaxation exercises and biofeedback (NIDDK prostatitis page). In a small feasibility trial of 48 people with chronic pelvic pain syndromes (23 men), 57% of those given myofascial physical therapy reported a response, compared with 21% of those given global therapeutic massage; the authors said the result warrants further study (FitzGerald et al., 2013). Notably, general massage did worse in that trial, so look for a physical therapist trained in pelvic floor care rather than a spa massage.

Prostate massage

A Cochrane review found two studies of prostatic massage (115 men) and was uncertain whether it reduces or increases symptoms (very low-quality evidence), with no information on side effects (Franco et al., 2018). MBHA suggests not trying it on your own.

Safety

NCCIH says the risk of harm from massage appears low, but rare serious problems such as a blood clot, nerve injury or bone fracture have been reported, some after vigorous deep-tissue work (NCCIH). For people with cancer, NCCIH says massage can be part of supportive care with appropriate precautions, though evidence of benefit is not strong (NCCIH). Tell your therapist about your diagnosis and treatments.

What it costs

One national chain’s membership runs about $70 to $90 a month on a 12-month term (The Pricer). Medicare Part B helps pay for medically necessary outpatient physical therapy certified by your provider; after the deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount (Medicare.gov).

Find a massage therapist in our directory

Approach 6 of 6

MBHA Wellness Coach

An MBHA Wellness Coach can help you build everyday habits that ease urinary symptoms and prepare you to get the most from medical visits — alongside, never instead of, evaluation and treatment.

Habits for urinary symptoms

For mild BPH symptoms, NIDDK suggests drinking fewer liquids, particularly before going out or to bed; avoiding or limiting alcohol and caffeine; being physically active; emptying the bladder completely; using the restroom often rather than holding urine for long periods; and avoiding or monitoring medicines that can make symptoms worse (NIDDK). The NHS adds eating enough fiber to prevent constipation, keeping to a healthy weight, relaxing rather than straining to urinate, waiting a moment and trying again to empty the bladder, and not cutting fluids too much, which can cause urinary tract infections (NHS). MedlinePlus also lists bladder training and exercising the muscles that control urine flow (MedlinePlus). A coach can help you keep a drink-and-bathroom diary; the NHS says a GP will usually ask you to keep a record for at least 3 days of how much you drink and how often and how much you urinate (NHS). See our bladder problems guide.

Researchers have not found a way to prevent BPH, but being physically active may help reduce the risk (NIDDK). For chronic pelvic pain, a Cochrane review found low-quality evidence that a physical activity program may slightly reduce symptoms (Franco et al., 2018).

Medicines and substances that can make things worse

NIDDK says to tell your clinician if you take cold and cough medicines such as decongestants or antihistamines, tranquilizers, antidepressants or diuretics, since these can worsen BPH symptoms (NIDDK). Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Stress and mood

For men whose pelvic pain is affected by psychological stress, NIDDK says stress reduction may reduce recurrence of symptoms (NIDDK prostatitis page). A coach can help with routines for sleep, relaxation and movement. See our sleep problems guide if waking at night is the main issue.

After prostate surgery

A review of 11 randomized trials (1,028 men) found that pelvic floor muscle training, with or without biofeedback, hastens the return to continence after radical prostatectomy compared with no training (MacDonald et al., 2007). A coach can help you keep up the exercises your care team teaches you, and prepare questions for visits (see the PSA section below).

What it costs

Cost estimate being researched.

Another approach

Enlarged prostate (BPH) in more detail

Complications. As the prostate grows it squeezes the urethra, and the bladder muscle has to work harder. Eventually the bladder may weaken and not empty completely (urinary retention). Other complications can include blood in the urine, infections, kidney disease and bladder stones (NIDDK). Scientists aren’t sure why BPH occurs; aging and hormone changes may play a part. NCI says that untreated BPH can lead over time to a weak bladder, backflow of urine and infections, or a blocked flow that can cause kidney failure (NCI).

How it is diagnosed. A clinician asks about your history, every medicine you take and how much you drink, and does an exam that may include a digital rectal exam. Tests can include urinalysis, a PSA blood test, bladder-function tests, cystoscopy (a look inside the urethra and bladder) or an ultrasound (NIDDK, MedlinePlus).

Treatment. Not everyone needs it (MedlinePlus).

  • Watchful waiting (active surveillance) with yearly checkups and the lifestyle changes in the coaching section, if the prostate is only slightly enlarged and symptoms don’t affect your quality of life (NIDDK).
  • Medicines by class: alpha-blockers, which relax muscles in the bladder neck and prostate; 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), which help stop prostate growth or shrink it; and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, which relax muscles around the bladder, bladder neck and prostate. Combining an alpha-blocker and a 5-ARI may work better than either alone (NIDDK). MedlinePlus notes, using finasteride as its example of a 5-ARI, that it controls BPH but will not cure it, may take at least 6 months to improve symptoms, and can cause sexual side effects (MedlinePlus). 5-ARIs also lower the PSA level (NCI), so tell your clinician and the laboratory that you take one before any lab test (MedlinePlus). We list no doses.
  • Minimally invasive procedures that remove tissue or widen the urethra, such as water vapor therapy or a prostatic urethral lift (NIDDK).
  • Surgery to remove part or all of the prostate if medicines don’t help, symptoms are severe or complications develop. NIDDK says it can relieve symptoms but may not cure BPH; possible complications include painful or difficult urination, temporary leakage, infection, scar tissue and sexual problems, and about 10% of people may need more surgery within 20 years (NIDDK). A Sexual Performance guide is planned.

Another approach

Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate

NIDDK describes four types: chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome, acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, which causes no symptoms and needs no treatment (NIDDK prostatitis page). (This NIDDK page was last reviewed in 2014, so ask your clinician about newer approaches.)

  • Acute bacterial prostatitis comes on suddenly and is severe: fever, chills, burning or painful urination, pain in the genital area, groin, lower belly or lower back, and sometimes the complete inability to urinate. NIDDK says men should seek immediate medical care (NIDDK prostatitis page).
  • Chronic bacterial prostatitis has similar but milder symptoms that come and go or worsen slowly over months (NCI); it may develop after a urinary tract infection or after treatment for acute prostatitis (NIDDK prostatitis page).
  • Chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the most common but least understood type, with pain lasting more than three months in the genital area, lower belly or lower back and urinary symptoms. Its cause is unknown (NIDDK prostatitis page, NCI).

Treatment. Bacterial forms are treated with antibiotics, for weeks in acute cases and longer in chronic ones, and a severe case may need a short hospital stay for fluids and antibiotics by vein. The chronic pain form is harder: antibiotics don’t help nonbacterial prostatitis, though they may be tried at first to rule out infection, and no single treatment works for every man. Clinicians may try alpha-blockers, 5-ARIs, anti-inflammatory pain relievers, muscle relaxants or nerve-pain medicines, along with sitz baths (warm baths), heat, pelvic physical therapy, relaxation exercises, biofeedback and acupuncture (NIDDK prostatitis page). The NHS also lists cognitive behavioural therapy or counselling (NHS).

Prostatitis does not raise the risk of prostate cancer, but it can raise the PSA level (NCI).

Another approach

The PSA screening conversation

MBHA does not tell anyone whether to be screened. This section describes what federal health agencies say so you can have an informed talk with your clinician.

What the PSA test is

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein made by normal and cancerous prostate cells. Cancer, BPH and prostatitis can all raise PSA in the blood. The test can follow up on prostate symptoms, monitor known prostate cancer, or screen men without symptoms (NCI). It cannot show what is causing a high level (MedlinePlus). CDC calls it the main screening test and says age, race, some medicines, an enlarged prostate and infection can affect the level (CDC).

What the guidance says

  • USPSTF (2018): for men 55 to 69, the decision to have periodic PSA screening should be an individual one, made after discussing the potential benefits and harms with a clinician and weighing personal values and preferences. It recommends against PSA screening for men 70 and older (USPSTF). The task force’s page notes this topic is being updated, so ask your clinician what is current.
  • CDC repeats these age groups, and notes the task force does not recommend the digital rectal exam as a screening test because of a lack of evidence on benefit (CDC).
  • NCI says the PSA test is not recommended for routine screening of the general population; most organizations recommend that people considering it first discuss risks and benefits. Some organizations recommend routine testing starting at age 40 or 45 for higher-risk men, including Black men, men with inherited BRCA2 (and to a lesser extent BRCA1) variants, and men whose father or brother had prostate cancer (NCI). USPSTF found inadequate evidence about whether the benefits differ for African American men or men with a family history (USPSTF).
  • NHS (UK): routine PSA testing is not offered unless genetic tests show a faulty BRCA2 gene, but anyone can ask a GP about it (NHS).

Possible benefits and harms

NCI says a meta-analysis of randomized trials found PSA screening leads to a small reduction in prostate cancer deaths over 10 years (NCI). USPSTF estimates screening men 55 to 69 may prevent about 1.3 prostate cancer deaths and about 3 cases of metastatic cancer per 1,000 men screened over about 13 years, with no reduction in deaths from all causes shown in trials (USPSTF). Harms include:

  • False alarms and biopsies. About 6% to 7% of men have a false-positive PSA test in a given round, and only about 25% of men who have a biopsy because of a high PSA are found to have cancer. Biopsy side effects can include infection, pain and bleeding (NCI); about 1% of biopsies lead to complications needing hospitalization (USPSTF).
  • Overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Some screen-found cancers grow so slowly they would never cause problems; follow-up of large trials suggests 20% to 50% of screen-detected cases may be overdiagnosed (USPSTF).
  • Treatment side effects. Per 1,000 men screened, USPSTF estimates about 100 are diagnosed, about 80 treated, with about 50 having sexual dysfunction and 15 urinary incontinence (NCI).

Things that change a PSA result

Infection or inflammation of the prostate and a recent biopsy can raise PSA for a month or two; vigorous exercise such as cycling and ejaculation can raise it briefly, so NCI says to avoid these for 2 days before testing, and the NHS gives a similar 48-hour list (NCI, NHS). There is no single cutoff for a “normal” PSA; higher levels make cancer likelier (NCI). A high result may be followed by a repeat test in 6 to 8 weeks, continued observation, other tests such as MRI, or a biopsy (NCI).

Questions to take with you

NCI suggests asking what prostate condition you have, what treatment is recommended and what side effects men have (NCI). MBHA also suggests asking: What is my own risk, given my family history and background? What would we do with an abnormal result? How do I feel about the chance of a biopsy, or of treatment that might not have been needed?

Cost

Medicare covers a PSA blood test once every 12 months for men over 50 at no cost for the test (Medicare.gov).

Another approach

Prostate cancer: symptoms and treatment overview

Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. The NHS explains that it often grows on the outer part of the prostate, away from the urethra, so symptoms may not appear until it has grown or spread (NHS). When it does cause symptoms they can include changes in urination, erection problems, and blood in the urine or semen; lower back pain and unexplained weight loss may be signs of advanced cancer. These symptoms are also common with BPH, so they don’t always mean cancer (NHS). NCI says advanced disease can cause pain in the back, hips or pelvis that doesn’t go away, and signs of anemia such as shortness of breath, tiredness or pale skin (NCI).

Treatment. NCI lists watchful waiting or active surveillance, surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and bone-directed treatments, and says there are treatments for bone pain (NCI). Active surveillance means closely following the cancer with exams and tests and treating it only if it begins to grow (NCI). In the UK ProtecT trial, more than 1,600 men with screen-found, localized prostate cancer were randomized to surgery, radiation or active surveillance, and 10-year survival was 99% in all groups (USPSTF).

Side effects to discuss. USPSTF reports that about 1 in 5 men who have the prostate removed develop long-term urinary incontinence requiring pads, and 2 in 3 have long-term erectile dysfunction; more than half who receive radiation have long-term erectile dysfunction, and up to 1 in 6 have long-term bothersome bowel symptoms (USPSTF). See our cancer guide. A Sexual Performance guide is planned.

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This page is for education only and is not medical advice. Costs are typical U.S. ranges and estimates; yours will depend on your provider, location and insurance. Talk with your doctor before starting, stopping or combining any treatment. In an emergency, call 911. See our disclaimer.

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