Tag Archives: low sexual desire

erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, sex and relationship, Sex Health

Sexual dysfunction – Facts and Symptoms

It is difficult to establish the prevalence of sexual problems in the population because of the difficulties involved in carrying out surveys of people’s sexual behaviour. The commonest kinds of problems presenting to a sexual dysfunction clinic are,

Women

Low sexual desire 50%

Orgasmic dysfunction 20%

Vaginismus 20%

Dyspareunia 5%

Men

Erectile dysfunction 60%

Premature ejaculation 15%

Delayed ejaculation 5%

Low sexual desire 5%

The assessment of sexual dysfunction

Patients with sexual problems initially often complain about other symptoms because they feel too embarrassed to reveal a sexual problem directly. For example, a patient may ask for help with anxiety, depression, poor sleep, or gynaecological symptoms. It is therefore important to ask routinely a few questions about sexual functioning when assessing patients with non-specific psychological or physical symptoms.

In a full assessment, the interviewer should begin by explaining why it will be necessary to ask about intimate details of the patient’s sexual life, and should then ask questions in a sympathetic, matter-of-fact way.

Whenever possible both sexual partners should be interviewed, at first separately and then together.

The assessment should cover the following issues.

  • Has the problem been present from the first intercourse, or did it start after a period of normal sexual functioning? Each partner should be asked, separately, whether the same problem has occurred with another partner, or during masturbation.
  • The strength of sexual drive should be assessed in terms of the frequency of sexual arousal, intercourse, and masturbation. Motivation for treatment of sexual dysfunction should be assessed, starting with questions about who took the initiative in seeking treatment and for what reason.
  • Assess each partner’s social relationships with the other sex, with particular reference to shyness and social inhibition.
  • Enquiries should be made about the partners’ feelings for one another: partners who lack a mutual caring relationship are unlikely to achieve a fully satisfactory sexual relationship. Many couples say that their relationship problems result from their sexual problems, when the causal connection is really the reverse. Tactful questions should be asked about commitment to the partner and, when appropriate, about infidelity and fears of sexually transmitted disease, including HIV.
  • Assess sexual development and sexual experience, paying particular attention to experiences such as child abuse, incest, or sexual assault that may have caused lasting anxiety or disgust about sex.
  • Enquiry should be made about homosexual as well as heterosexual feelings.
  • In the medical history, the most relevant things to look for are previous and present psychiatric and chronic physical disorders and their treatment, pregnancy, childbirth, and abortion(s), and use of alcohol or drugs, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
  • In the mental state examination look especially for evidence of depressive disorder. Physical examination is important because physical illness often causes sexual problems Physical examination of women may require specialist gynaecological help. Further investigations may be necessary depending on the findings from the history and examination (e.g. if diabetes is suspected as a cause of sexual disorder).

erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, sex and relationship, Sex Health

Study Links Thyroid Problems with Erectile Dysfunction

The potential reasons for erectile dysfunction are numerous and differ broadly from coronary illness to other issue, yet specialists are finding that one common reason is regularly ignored.

A study published in the “Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” suggests a link between erectile dysfunction and thyroid problems – if you are suffering from impotence, the reason may be an undiagnosed thyroid problem. And, if you suffer from hypothyroidism (thyroid hormone production deficiency) or hyperthyroidism (thyroid operating surplus); you have higher risk of developing erectile dysfunction.

There is by all accounts solid association between different thyroid issue and erectile problem. Since thyroid ailment can influence upwards of one in ten men beyond 60 years old, this may imply that a considerable lot of those erectile dysfunction medication and its connected issues may have a sensibly basic sickness to treat.

The thyroid is a little organ situated close to the base of the neck. Keeping in mind it is minor; it discharges different hormones that have some degree of control over numerous organs of the body.

The good news is that with the treatment of gland problems, erectile dysfunction can be reversed. However, if symptoms persist after six months of treatment in thyroid problem, specific treatments for impotent should be realized.

Evaluating 27 men with hyperthyroidism, 44 with hypothyroidism, and 71 healthy men, the researchers found that 79% of men with thyroid dysfunction had some degree of erectile dysfunction – 85% of those with hypothyroidism and 71% of those with hyperthyroidism – compared to only 25% people without these conditions.

In addition, experts observe severe erectile dysfunction in 38% of those with insufficient functioning of the thyroid, and 29.6% of those with excessive operating gland.

With treatment to restore normal gland activity, only 30% of patients continued with erectile dysfunction, very close to the observed rate among those who had no thyroid problems.

In another recent study, analysts from the University of Modena, Italy, took a peek at right around 50 grown-up men who had hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Every man was given a poll to reply about their sexual capacity and were then acquired some information about erectile dysfunction and related issues by a specialist.

Eventually, it was resolved that more than 63 percent of the men with hypothyroidism were determined to have low sexual desire, untimely discharge and postponed discharge. Among the men with hyperthyroidism, 50 percent were determined to have premature ejaculation, 17 percent with low sexual libido and 15 percent with erectile problem.

The majority of the men in the study were then treated for their thyroid disorder. Among the men with hypothyroidism, the frequency of untimely discharge or premature ejaculation dropped from 50 percent to 15 percent. Also, the low sexual craving and impotency vanished in the vast majority of the men.

The relationship between the thyroid and erectile disorder is not yet clear, but rather since thyroid sicknesses and erectile dysfunction are considerably more regular among men more than 60, these discoveries propose that maturing may not assume as large a part as already accepted.

erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, sex and relationship, Sex Health

Chronic Illness and Sexuality

Diseases can strongly affect and complicate everyday life and that includes sexuality too. However, sexuality should not be forgotten even when someone is suffering from some chronic illness.

Every chronic illness or pain in general will certainly lower your sexual desire and sexual endurance. If you are recovering from some acute disease you will also notice that your libido is affected. In addition, the medications that you have to take in most cases have negative effect on your sex drive and sexual activity. Furthermore, if you are practicing unhealthy lifestyle you will soon feel the negative effects when it comes to your sexuality. Heavy drinking and smoking for example can lead to erectile problems. Besides physical health, mental health is very important too. Depression for example brings some devastating effects to our self-confidence and ultimately leads to low sexual desire and erectile problems too. Certain health problems cause specific sexual difficulties but the good news is that there is a solution for all those problems.

Diabetes mellitus can cause erectile dysfunction and these difficulties are getting more complicated as the patient grows older. The best advice is to stick to a healthy diet and never miss a meal. This is the best way to postpone possible erectile problems that diabetes brings. Another good advice is to stop worrying too much, because you can develop emotional problems and blockage too. The more you think about your problem the more worried you will get and that doesn’t bring anything good. If you are too worried and you don’t follow the advice from your doctor, you may even completely lose interest in sex.

Erectile problems are very often present before a heart attack and a certain period after a person survives a heart attack. The cause for these erectile problems is the reduced blood flow in the genitalia. The penis needs sufficient blood flow in order to get hard and easily penetrate into the vagina. Those who have survived a heart attack usually face mental problems because of the fear that they can experience another heart attack during the sexual intercourse. This mental pressure is usually present in older men who are trying to have sex with younger women. There is no need to panic because if your doctor has confirmed that you are ready to engage in physical activity again then it is perfectly safe to have sex again. If you are worried that you might get too excited, it’s a good idea to masturbate some time before you have sex. Men who have experienced heart attack should be very careful if they are having sex with a new partner because the whole atmosphere brings a lot more tension.

Those who are suffering from multiple sclerosis should be prepared for erectile problems. They usually have reduced feeling of stimulation and some of them lose the ability of ejaculation. The best thing to do in such case is to stimulate your own erection and continue with the sexual intercourse.