Sexual Health Information-Sexual Problems

There are basically four different types of sexual problems and include a decrease in sexual desire, problems with sexual arousal, problems with attaining orgasms and problems with sexual pain.

When the normal level of the production of estrogen in women or of testosterone in both men and women does not occur, this can lead to a reduction in sexual desire. Other factors that may contribute to a lack of sexual desire are fatigue, the aging process, and medications that are used to treat depression such as Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac. There are other psychological conditions such as anxiety that can also be the cause of a decrease in sexual desire.

Problems with sexual arousal are referred to as erectile dysfunction in men and female sexual dysfunction in women. These problems typically show themselves as trying to avoid or having an aversion with a sexual partner. In men, not being able to achieve or keep up an erection or not having an interest in sexual activity are some of the signs of erectile dysfunction. Lack of blood flow in men or lack of lubrication in women may be the medical causes of these problems. There may also be issues in the relationship that contribute to a lack of sexual arousal.

Both men and women can have problems with reaching an orgasm after normal sexual activity. The delay of an orgasm or not reaching one at all is usually attributed to those medications that deal with the treatment of depression.

Women almost exclusively suffer from sexual pain disorders that include intercourse which is painful and an involuntary spasm of the muscles of the walls of the vagina which interfere with intercourse. The former may result from the vaginal area being poorly lubricated while the latter may be a result of past sexual distress that may include abuse as a child or rape.

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Sexual Health and Sexual problems

Even when engaged in healthy sexual relationships, problems may arise that can be physical or psychological in nature or may be a combination of both.

One individual in the relationship may be having emotional problems such as depression, sexual fears or guilt or having experienced sexual trauma in the past. There may be problems between the individuals in the relationship that may include marital problems, or a lack of open communication between the partners leading to lack of trust. In these cases, a mental health professional should be consulted to help the individual or the couple deal with these problems.

The physical factors that can lead to sexual problems are many. These can include drugs such as nicotine from smoking, narcotics, antihistamines, medications that lower blood pressure, and drugs that treat psychological problems such as depression. There may be issues with one’s body such as injuries to the back, an enlarged prostate gland, problems with the supply of blood, low levels of testosterone or estrogen, problems with the endocrine system or the existence of certain diseases. Any one of these conditions should also be checked out with a health care professional to be dealt with and hopefully resolved.

Most sexual problems occur in the early adult years, while people are in their twenties and thirties. The other part of the general population that may experience sexual dysfunction are the elderly who commonly have physical and medical conditions that interfere with a healthy sexual relationship. People with degenerative neurological disorders and those with diabetes may also be inclined to have sexual problems.

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Sexual Health-Treatment of Sexual Problems

The type and cause of the sexual problem or dysfunction will determine the type of treatment that is received. Medical and surgical procedures are used for medical causes that are reversible. If physical illness, disabilities or other physical problems are the cause, then physical therapy and mechanical aides may be employed.

The medication Viagra and other similar medications are used to treat men with erectile dysfunction. These medications increase the flow of blood to the penis and most need to be taken about one to four hours prior to having sexual relations. When these medications have proven not to be effective, then penile implants and other mechanical aides are used. Men who have coronary disease and take nitrates for it should not be taking Viagra.

Lubricating gels and hormone creams are used to help women with vaginal dryness. Premenopausal and menopausal women are usually helped with hormone replacement therapy. Sometimes the use of testosterone or a testosterone crème can be effective with vaginal dryness.  Typically surgery is not an option.

Behavioral treatments tend to revolve around the use of the Master and Johnson treatment strategies. These strategies focus on the couple as a cooperative unit and involves discussing their current situation and their sexual education with male and female co-therapists. A medical examination is done to rule out any medical disorders. In on-going sessions, the couples receive guidance and instruction as well as activities of a sexual nature that can be practiced in the privacy of their bedroom.

Sometimes all that is required is some basic and supportive education about sexual behaviors with the addition of psychotherapy to deal with issues of anxiety, fears or poor body image.

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Practicing Abstinence

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For many teens and some young adults, the pressure to become sexually active can be a very difficult decision for them to make. Many times the pressure may stem from other people within their circle of influence who are already sexually active, or from the significant person in their lives who may be ready to take their relationship to “the next level.”

If a person is not ready to have sex, or if they’ve been sexually active for a while and want to stop, abstinence is what they will choose to do to help them avoid sex. Abstinence is a lifestyle that doesn’t practice sex in any kind of way, and requires that anybody who is in a relationship with that person understands and respects their position. Although for some who practice it, abstinence may not be easy, over time it can become easier for them to manage and handle on a long-term basis.

The best way to practice abstinence would of course be to say “no”, but often is easier said than done. With so many temptations and opportunities around the person who is abstaining, they can experience failure if they’re not mentally prepared to deal with the challenges.

The person should avoid placing themselves in compromising situations where there are opportunities, especially if they find that they are weak or mentally unprepared. Also, making it very clear through communications as to what their intentions are is also a good way to help avoid any problems.

It’s also a good idea for the person to talk to other people who are also practicing abstinence to get tips and advice on handling situations. It also helps the person to form a new circle of friends who have the same goals and thoughts as they have. Over time, coping becomes easier and a new way of life!

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Having Sex Too Soon

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Sex is a very natural act, performed between two (consenting) people who want to share intimacy and love. The act of sex itself is very pleasurable, but very often, young people get involved in sex for mainly the physical reasons and forget other aspects of it until they’re faced with difficult decisions.

Some of the dangers in teenagers or even young adults having sex too soon involve more of the emotional aspect of the act than it does the physical. Young people, whether it’s in age or their maturity level, may think that they have the emotional capabilities to deal with sex, but once they’ve become involved in a relationship, they may find that they are not ready for such an emotional ride.

Basically, having sex too soon means engaging in a sexual relationship that the person is neither physically or emotionally prepared to do. To be physically ready means that the person must at least be developing and maturing physically to accommodate being sexual. This doesn’t mean necessarily that their anatomy is prepared, but probably that the development of their hormones is in such a state that can be controlled. If the girl hasn’t started menstruating before she begins a sex life, she runs the risk of becoming pregnant at a very young age.

For the young man, he also runs a risk since his body is still growing and developing and his body’s sperm count may in full bloom. Also, both the developing young man and woman must caution against their underdeveloped emotions. Their bodies may be changing at a fast rate, but their emotional state may lag far behind. When this happens, they run the risk of tying physical pleasure with emotional satisfaction and many times, the two may not match up. Taking the time to allow both developments to mature will likely be better for them in the long run.

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Educating Your Teen About Sex

Educating teens on the subject of sex is probably very awkward to say the least, but also one of the best things that a parent can do to help their teen through a very difficult time in their growth and development.

Many teens have bad information when it comes to sex. Talking to a teen about their knowledge of sex can sometimes be enlightening when they share with you their ideas on the subject. What’s even more surprising is how and where they got the information, which is sometimes from other teens who have gotten bad information.

The best way to address the issue of sex with teenagers is to be as completely honest and open as possible. Don’t go too fast with them as to overhwhelm them, but make the conversation very relaxed and low-key so that they feel comfortable discussing even the most embarrasing subjects with you.

Talk with them frequently and ‘off-the-cuff’ to see where their heads are. It’s important to know what they’re thinking since having bad information or incorrect information can lead them to make bad choices.

Although is best to take the journey slow and careful, it’s also good to be direct and honest with them about all aspects of sex. It won’t benefit them in any way to get a watered-down version of sex issues and subjects, but if they completely understand things, they have a better chance of approaching situations with full solid, good knowledge and education about the way situations work.

If you routinely ask your teen questions and leave the door open for them to be inquisitive, you are helping your child in a tremendous way by showing them the importance of having good information. As you are candid in your answers, they will learn too to be candid in their approach, and the mystery of sex will be lifted making it seem less awkward for the teen and the parent.

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The Dangers of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Being sexually active exposes a person to risks involved with having a sexual lifestyle. Pregnancies, infections and diseases contracted through having sex are some of the risks that are taken. When a person contracts a sexually transmitted disease, they can alter the quality of their life, routine and perhaps have to even change their lifestyle to accommodate dealing with their new health status.

Although sexually transmitted diseases are difficult to deal with, they are not to be taken as a life sentence for the person who suffers from them. The diagnosis does not have to become a permanent part of their lives, but can be managed well enough so that they can lead a degree of normalcy everyday.

There are things that a person can do however to avoid contracting a sexually transmitted disease and altering their quality of life and their everyday routine. Some things include:

- Managing the number of sexual partners that they have. Be selective in the choices of sexual partners. Don’t have random sex with multiple partners. Know your partners.

- Always use protection of some kind during sex, preferably condoms. They are very effective in helping to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies.

- Always visit the doctor for scheduled check-ups and routine bloodwork. Know your body and what’s going on with it by asking questions and staying abreast of any changes and developments.

- Inquire of your sexual partners about their past sexual history and any other partners that they may have been with. Inquire about any past illnesses or sexually-related infections or other diseases. Ask and expect honesty, but also keep yourself protected as well.

You can enjoy a sexually-fulfilling lifestyle void of diseases by being proactive and knowledgeable on the subject. By taking good care of yourself both physically and mentally, you will certainly appreciate it in the long run.

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The Onset of Puberty

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Ask any teenager and they will tell you that the most difficult time in their life is the beginning of their teenage years, also known as puberty. Also, ask the parent of any teenager the same question, and you’ll likely get the same answer. Puberty is a very emotionally-draining and physically-taxing time on both the teenager and the parent’s than most anything else.

Faced with puberty, many teens have questions, concerns and want to know more about their bodies and what’s going on. What they might NOT do is ask these questions out loud to an adult (specifically their parents), a counselor or any other adult. What they’re more likely to do is discuss it with their friends or muddle through it all alone. This may be a time where they will recieve bad or incorrect information, leading them to be ill-informed and make bad choices. It can be a very lonely, scary and upsetting time for many kids.

Adults who are around teens experiencing puberty can help them out tremendously by offering their own words of motivation, sharing their own experiences and giving them a listening ear to talk to and to vent to. This is important for them because the onset of puberty can be different for each teen at different stages of their development.

After the teen has reached a comfortable point in their maturtiy and development where they feel that they can safely discuss their feelings with an adult, they will find that things will become easier for them to manage. The stress level somewhat diminishes, the emotional outbursts may decrease and they may begin to feel more at ease with their bodies and themselves. Their confidence level may also begin to take a turn, showing good signs of a well-adjusted, stable and emotionally-developing teenager on the path towards adult development.

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5 Myths About Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (known also as STD’s) can occur without between partners at any time, and some may even manifest without symptoms. Since they are transmitted through sexual, physical contact, there can also be an occurence of sexually transmitted infections that occur but present with symptoms that differ slightly from STD’s.

Unfortunately, sexually transmitted diseases are often misunderstood in the ways that they’re transmitted, which can cause them to be further spread. Some erroneous information about STD’s include:

- Transmission only occurs through genital sex. This is incorrect since sexual diseases and infections can be transferred through oral and anal sex as well. This also includes tranmission through bodily fluids like saliva (kissing).

- Condoms help prevent STD’s. This is true but only if the condoms are used correctly to prevent breakage or slippage. Since condoms are also used as a method of birth control, they are also thought to help prevent sexual diseases as well. In both instances however, they must be properly used to avoid any mishaps from occuring.

- STD’s are not painful and no symptoms will occur. This is untrue because there are multiple symptoms that can occur with sexual diseases. If a person has had exposure to any sexual diseases through their partners, they should be examined by a physician immediately.

Reportedly, there are approximately 15 million cases of diseases that are transmitted sexually, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirm that these statistical cases occur in the United States. HIV is the most commonly transmitted sexual disease that is reported with others that also occur but less frequently including syphillis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital herpes and bacterial vaginosis.

Individuals who are at a high risk for acquiring a sexually transmitted disease include adolescents and young adults, which are often those who are sexually inexperienced.

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Common Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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There are many sexually transmitted diseases in the world, and many individuals are simply not aware of just how prevalent they are. In fact, many older people in the United States are contracting these diseases because they just don’t know of their existence and how easy it is to get one. All it takes is one instance of unprotected sex to be at risk. The most common STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, and human papilloma virus (HPV).

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that can affect genitals, eyes, or throats. It often has no symptoms, but can cause serious damage to the body if not treated immediately. Around 3 million new cases in the U.S. are diagnosed each year. Gonorrhea is also a bacterial infection, but it is less common; around 600,000 individuals are infected per year. Genital herpes can be spread even when the affected partner is not having an outbreak; it consists of small and painful sores on the genitals. Another type of herpes virus can be spread to the mouth, eyes, and nose. Once a person has herpes, it will be in the body for life. There are treatments for symptoms and outbreaks, but no cure. HPV is rapidly becoming more common for several reasons: it can be transmitted via skin contact, it is virtually impossible to test for, and there are almost no symptoms. However, it can lead to cervical cancer in women so it can be very dangerous. The only way to know if a woman is infected is if she has an abnormal pap smear. HIV is less common, but if a person is infected they have virtually no immune system and must be on treatment for symptoms for their lifetime. All sexually transmitted diseases can be dangerous and painful, and safe sex should always be practiced to avoid becoming infected.

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