What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction, or impotence, is a term that’s used when a man has difficulty in having and maintaining an erection strong enough to have penetrative sex.
According to the UK’s National Health Service, most men will experience erectile dysfunction at some point in their life, and perhaps it could be affecting you.
It’s understandable that many men don’t want to talk about impotency and erection challenges as it can bring up feelings of frustration, inadequacy, low self-esteem, shame, and guilt. Cultural conditioning about sexual 'performance' as man and embarrassment can also be a barrier to seeking professional support.
Rather than reaching for Viagra tablets, which offer a short-term solution, or perhaps hoping that erectile dysfunction will simply go away, it’s worth considering professional tantric massage therapy as a viable option.
How can Tantric Massage Therapy help?
Tantric healing massage is a unique combination of bodywork, coaching and self-practice exercises, which is offered in a caring and confidential environment. It can help you to regain confidence and enjoy intimacy again.
Over the past four years of client practice, I’ve seen how tantric massage therapy can help support clients with a range of erectile dysfunction issues. My approach is to identify and address some of the underlying causes of erectile dysfunction (ED), rather than just treating the symptoms.
There can be physical and / or psychological reasons which can interfere with getting and keeping a healthy erection. So, let’s take a look at these, and I’ll explain how therapeutic tantric massage can help.
Tantric Massage for Physiological Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
When a man becomes aroused, his nervous system is activated and sends signals to the brain to increase the flow of blood to the penis. The sudden influx of blood causes an erection by expanding, lengthening, and stiffening the penis. There are a range of physical conditions that can interfere with the arousal mechanism, and therapeutic tantric massage can successfully treat some of them.
Medical Conditions and Erectile Dysfunction:
Before starting treatment for ED, it’s worth having a quick check up with your doctor if you’ve been experiencing difficulties for more than a few weeks. Diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, prostate disease, and some prescription medicines, can play a part in erectile issues. Surgery, injuries, scarring, chronic pelvic conditions, and certain treatments for cancer can also affect getting and maintaining an erection.
Tension in Muscles and Fascia of Pelvic area and Penis:
Did you know that tension in the muscles and fascia of the pelvic area, including the penis, can affect the blood flow needed for a healthy erection? If you’re into sports, or work out a lot, then you may well have a lot of tension in the genital area. Therapeutic genital massage is a specialist feature of tantric massage, as most other bodywork modalities completely avoid this area. However, the genitals are no different from any other part of the body, with fascia and muscles that require regular treatment.
Lingam massage (‘lingam’ is a Sanskrit word for penis) is offered as part of sessions to optimise the blood circulation needed for healthy erections. Tantric and Taoist (ancient Chinese) therapeutic techniques are used to help clear blockages in the flow of blood and lymph. This is particularly important for men as they get older, to help them maintain erectile health. Therapeutic prostate massage is also a part of tantric treatment for erectile dysfunction, as internal tension can affect the blood circulation needed for a healthy erection. It’s a gentle massage, which helps to remove any build-up of stress, toxins, and emotions, (such as anger and frustration), in the area of the prostate gland, as all of these can affect erectile health.
It's also a great way to combat high stress levels, and leaves clients feeling very relaxed afterwards.
Too Tired for Sex:
Being physically exhausted after a stressful day can affect your libido and erection. However, there are simple tantric sexual exercises, (which are given as optional ‘homework’ after sessions), that can boost sexual energy levels, and leave you feeling energised rather than depleted after love-making. Tantric education is a key part of bodywork sessions, and includes learning about how to activate and harness sexual energy to create and maintain healthy erections. Clients can also learn to bring this vital life-force energy into all parts of their body and become multi-orgasmic, whether they have erectile difficulties, or not.
Tantric Massage for Psychological Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
For many men, distressing thoughts and emotions play a major part in erectile dysfunction, and this can be more challenging to treat. However, Tantric Healing Therapy helps to address these issues directly through bodywork, rather than just through talking therapy. Our bodies are very intelligent and will often reveal emotions and other causes of ED that talking therapies can't always access.
Performance Anxiety and Sex:
‘Performance anxiety’ is a particular stress response which brings up negative thoughts and feelings in the run-up to sex. It can interfere with getting aroused and having an erection.
Shame about past negative sexual experiences, strict cultural conditioning around sex, and fear of rejection can all create anxiety about being able to get and keep an erection.
Tantric massage sessions begin with consultation, as many men don’t have a confidential space to talk about the psychological impact of ED in their life. The consultation time is followed by a long sequence of therapeutic bodywork to help identify and re-programme old conditioned patterns and beliefs around sex. Strong emotions may come up, and are given space to be felt and processed in a safe and caring therapeutic environment.
Stress and Getting an Erection:
High levels of stress caused by work, depression, chronic conditions, and relationship difficulties can all play an underlying role in ED. The stress hormone, cortisol, can reduce testosterone levels, and results in a lower libido over time. Cortisol can also restrict the blood vessels in the lingam.
Tantric bodywork sessions include deep relaxing massage to target stress and tension in the body. Different massage techniques are used to activate hormones and endorphins, such as oxytocin and serotonin, which help to break down cortisol in the body.
Pornography Addiction and Erectile Dysfunction:
Current research hasn’t reached consensus about the effect of watching porn on ED. Some research, however, suggests that excessive viewing can desensitise some men in real-life sexual situations. I’ve noticed in my client practice that some men who watch a lot of porn have de-sensitisation in the genital area, and that their sexual experience is taking place more in the mind than the physical body. These clients can find it challenging to get an erection without visual stimulation.
Touch, presence, and breathwork techniques are key in helping to reactivate neural pathways in the genital area, and as a result, activate the blood flow needed for a healthy erection.
Sexual Abuse and Physical or Emotional Violence:
Many men have experienced sexual abuse and physical or emotional violence whilst growing up, and also during adult life. Sadly, many cases go unreported. Trauma from past sexual abuse and physical violence can often cause pain, numbness, and strong emotions in the genital area, and throughout the body, which can affect being able to get or keep an erection. 'Trauma Aware’ Tantric Healing Therapy Practitioners are able to support men who’ve experienced sexual and physical violence. If clients have experienced significant trauma, the practitioner will ask them to work with a trusted counsellor or psychotherapist to provide additional support whilst receiving Tantric sessions.
Addiction Patterns and Impotence:
Lifestyle choices, including the use of recreational drugs and large amounts of alcohol, can affect getting and keeping an erection. Being overweight or obese can also have an impact.
There are many ways that we choose to comfort ourselves in day to day life, including using food, social media and intoxicants.
For some clients, therapeutic tantric massage offers an introductory space to look at underlying causes of addition patterns, which are often trauma related, and have a big impact on intimacy and relationships. The practitioner may then signpost the client to other therapy modalities that support clients with addiction issues.
Lack of Sexual Confidence:
Many men experience low self-confidence around their sexuality at some point in their life, and this is a key psychological cause of erectile dysfunction. Tantric healing therapy supports men to build and regain sexual confidence caused by a range of situations, including:
rejection by sexual partners
the ending of a long-term relationship
body dysmorphia
sexual inexperience
strong negative cultural conditioning around sex
bereavement
illness and chronic health conditions
If you're reading this article, and are experiencing ED, it's reassuring to know that there are a range of ways to help you regain your erection, and come back into your full sexual expression.
This article was originally published by Kate Elena on https://tantrichealingtherapy.com on July 1 2020
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