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Erectile dysfunction after prostate surgery or treatment

Changes in erections are one of the most common side effects of prostate cancer surgery and radiation, and of some treatments for an enlarged prostate. For many men, erections improve with time, and there are good options to help along the way.

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By Aspire Health Community Care · Updated November 2026 · General education, not medical advice.

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Recovery takes time, and there are good options to help along the way.

Why prostate treatment can affect erections

  • Surgery to remove the prostate: the nerves that control erections run right alongside the prostate. Even with nerve-sparing surgery, they need time to heal.
  • Radiation: can slowly affect the blood vessels and nerves, so changes may show up months or years later.
  • Hormone therapy: lowers testosterone, which often reduces desire and makes erections harder to get.
  • Enlarged prostate (BPH) treatment: some medicines and procedures, such as TURP, can change ejaculation, and some can affect desire or erections.

What recovery can look like

After surgery, erections often come back slowly, over months and sometimes two years or more. Recovery tends to go better when nerve-sparing surgery was possible, when erections were strong before treatment, and when men are otherwise healthy. Orgasm is usually still possible even when erections are weaker. After the prostate is removed, orgasm happens without semen.

Getting erections back: penile rehabilitation

Many urologists suggest starting treatment soon after surgery to keep blood flowing to the penis while the nerves heal. This is often called penile rehabilitation. Plans differ from man to man, so ask your care team what they recommend for you.

Treatment options that can help

  • ED pills: work well for many men, especially after nerve-sparing surgery. While nerves recover, they may take time and a few tries to work.
  • Vacuum devices: a pump that draws blood into the penis, with no medicine needed.
  • Injections or medicine placed in the urethra: work directly in the penis, so they can help even while nerves are still healing.
  • Penile implants: a long-lasting option when other treatments don’t work.

Want more detail? See every ED treatment option, explained.

Questions to ask your care team

  • Was nerve-sparing surgery possible for me?
  • When should I start treatment for erections, and which one?
  • How long might recovery take in my case?
  • Could my hormone therapy or prostate medicine be affecting desire or erections?
  • If things aren’t improving, who should I see next?

Support for you and your partner

Changes in sex after prostate treatment are common, and it’s normal to have feelings about them. Talking openly with your partner and your care team helps. Counseling and support groups for men after prostate cancer can help too. Ask your cancer center or urologist what’s available.

Ready for next steps? Read how to find ED care in New Orleans and Metairie, including what a good first visit looks like and the questions worth asking.

Not sure where to start? We list trusted places to get checked in Louisiana, from community health centers to men’s health clinics. See where to get care.

Sources

Where to get care

Any of these is a good next step. Pick the one that fits you.

  • Aspire Health and Wellness†. A men’s health clinic in Metairie specializing in erectile dysfunction and weight loss, with free private visits and a range of treatment options. Visit aspireneworleans.com.
  • Your primary care doctor. A good first stop. They can check your heart, blood sugar, and hormone levels.
  • A urologist. A doctor who specializes in men’s urologic and sexual health.
  • A community health center. Fees are based on income, with or without insurance. Find a community health center.
  • Louisiana Medicaid. If you qualify, it covers doctor visits and prescriptions. See if you qualify.
  • Veterans. Southeast Louisiana VA Health Care offers men’s health care for enrolled veterans.

† Affiliated with Aspire Community Care. We’re a nonprofit and don’t provide medical care; choose any provider that fits you.

Not sure where to start? Tell us what’s going on and we’ll help you find a next step. What you share stays private.

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