Do Hemorrhoids Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
Key takeaways:
Hemorrhoids can’t cause erectile dysfunction (ED), but they can lead to ED symptoms.
Having hemorrhoids, though, can make someone experience shame, anxiety, and fear in the bedroom.
Other factors like age and blood flow affect whether ED will appear at the same time as hemorrhoids.
We’ve all been there — wondering if one ailment is going to lead to another. Hemorrhoids and erectile dysfunction (ED) may not seem intertwined, but a deeper dive into the subject says otherwise. Often, they set in at around the same time, which leads us to ask — do hemorrhoids cause ED?
The short answer is no. While there’s a known and studied correlation between the two, they don’t cause one another. What does this mean? Hemorrhoids cause pressure and pain near the genitalia. In turn, this stress leads to psychological, physiological, and emotional complications associated with the symptoms of ED. But it’s probably not the direct cause itself.
Can hemorrhoids cause erectile dysfunction?
No. But having hemorrhoids can increase your risk of ED. There are a few reasons for this:
Feeling shame or uncertainty because of hemorrhoids could affect sexual performance.
The pain in that area of your body may lead you to associate the same pain with your genitalia.
Problems with the pelvic floor muscles are linked to both erectile dysfunction and hemorrhoids.
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There’s no research to date supporting the notion that hemorrhoids cause sexual disorders.
What’s the link between hemorrhoids and erectile dysfunction?
The connection between the two is tethered by a thread. The link stems from hemorrhoids’ chemical ability to infiltrate the same brain mechanisms that allow you to get and maintain an erection.
When you experience painful hemorrhoids, you may experience embarrassment, anxiety, or fear around having sex. Even if you don’t already have ED, this can negatively affect sexual performance.
Other factors that contribute to this correlation could include age, blood flow, and anatomy.
Age: ED typically occurs more frequently as you age, with a drastic climb in rates after age 60. If you’re older than 40 years, you have a 1 in 2 chance of developing ED. Likewise, hemorrhoids are more common with age.
Blood flow: Hemorrhoids cause inflammation, which can affect the circulation around the penis. Your penis needs healthy blood flow to keep an erection.
Anatomy: The pelvic floor is a series of muscles that support your bladder and bowel, prostate in men, and vagina and uterus in women. Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when these muscles don’t work properly. While pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to hemorrhoids, it can also lead to ED. Interestingly, a small study showed improvement in ED symptoms in men after surgical repair of hemorrhoids. This further supports the role of anatomy in both problems.
When should you get care for hemorrhoid treatment?
If your symptoms last more than 7 days or you have intense pain in or around your rectum, you should see a healthcare professional. There are treatment options available. Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, usually disappear a few days after you begin treatment.
Other reasons to get medical care include symptoms, such as stomach pain, weight loss, fever, dizziness or lightheadedness, and bright red blood leakage from your rectum. These could mean your hemorrhoids are getting worse or something else is going on.
There are home remedies you can try to reduce inflammation caused by hemorrhoids, such as drinking water, eating fiber, and taking stool softeners. Other lifestyle changes can help, too. Try to take regular warm and shallow baths, get plenty of physical exercise, and not force any bowel movements.
The bottom line
If you have hemorrhoids, you may be worried about developing ED. The symptoms of hemorrhoids can lead to triggers for the sexual condition — but one doesn’t cause the other. If you have either one of these conditions, there are treatments available. It’s best to speak with your primary care provider if you’re concerned about your hemorrhoids and potential complications.
Why trust our experts?
References
Abdelaziz, A. S., et al. (2019). The impact of surgical hemorrhoidectomy on male sexual function: A preliminary study. Cureus.
Cohen, D., et al. (2016). The role of pelvic floor muscles in male sexual dysfunction and pelvic pain. Sexual Medicine Reviews.
Grimes, W. R., et al. (2023). Pelvic floor dysfunction. StatPearls.
Keller, J. J., et al. (2012). Haemorrhoids are associated with erectile dysfunction: A population-based study. International Journal of Andrology.
National Hospital Service Inform. (2023). Erectile dysfunction (impotence).
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2016). Definition and facts of hemorrhoids.
