Tag Archives: sexual health

Could There be a Medical Cause Behind a Suffering Libido?

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In our stressful, fast-paced world, it is no surprise that many people experience a sex-drive drought every now and then. While most cases of suffering libidos are psychological or emotional by nature, sometimes there is a more medical cause. Let’s take a look at some of the potential conditions or medical situations that could cause the unfortunate side effect of a de-railed sex drive:

  1. Fatigue – Whether you are suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome or any other type of fatigue, feeling physically and emotionally drained will almost always negatively affect sexual function and drive.
  2. Type 2 diabetes – Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes can cause both men and women to experience lower libidos as well as impaired sexual function (such as erectile dysfunction in men). Research suggests that people with type 2 diabetes are more likely to experience decreased interest in sex than those without the disease. This may be because of the complicated nature of the disease, comorbid depression, low energy levels as well as medications that can interfere with sexual function.
  3. Sleep or sensorimotor problems – People who have insomnia or sensorimotor conditions like restless leg syndrome that interfere with a good night’s sleep may be too tired much of the time and therefor, generally less interested in pursuing sex than those who regularly sleep well.
  4. Chronic pain – It is hard to be ‘in the mood’ when you experience daily pain. Those with arthritis or other conditions that cause them to be in pain much of the time often experience issues with sexual drive or function because of their near-constant discomfort. If you are always in pain and it is interfering with areas of your life such as sleep or sexual functioning, talk to your doctor (or one of ours!) soon about pain management options.
  5. Menopause – Hormonal imbalances or changes such as those experienced during menopause may cause a woman to have a lower (or higher) sex drive either temporarily, or long term. If you are experiencing changes in your libido because of menopause, talk to your doctor about any medical options such as medications that may help you.
  6. Lifestyle – If you are a moderate or heavy drinker or smoker, you may find yourself unable to, or uninterested in engaging in sexual activity.
  7. Autoimmune diseases can sometimes cause random inflammation all over the body as well as physical problems with the genitals such as vaginal constriction. These problems may lead to a reduced sex drive.
  8. Medications – Many medications such as antidepressants or corticosteroids may adversely affect your sex drive or ability to perform sexual activity.
  9. Dyspareunia – Women who experience pain during sex (dyspareunia) will likely have lower sex drives until the problem is rectified. Certain conditions or anatomical abnormalities may cause pain during intercourse.
  10. Post-surgery – Having to get surgery (especially on the genitals or breasts) often hamper a person’s sex drive, sometimes for long after the surgery is healed.
  11. Heart disease – People with heart conditions may be afraid to engage in sex (or advised not to do so) until their condition is better controlled. High blood pressure medications can cause a lowered libido or sexual dysfunction as they decrease the force of blood flow to the lower part of the body.

There you have some of the potential medical causes of a low libido. Thanks for visiting DocChat! We hope you return again soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

STI Prevention And Awareness

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It is becoming increasingly important to promote awareness and become educated about Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) as the numbers are steadily rising around the country and will only continue to climb if we don’t take preventative measures. Simple choices like not having unprotected or intoxicated sex may mean the difference between being healthy or HIV positive. Untreated STIs can have devastating reproductive consequences if left undetected for years.

STI Statistics:

  1. Over 110 million American men and women have Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
  2. Of the 8 most common STIs only: syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis are treatable. The other 4: hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus, HIV, and human papillomavirus (HPV) are incurable (however there are medications available to help minimize symptoms).
  3. Gonorrhea is progressively developing resistance to common antibacterial treatments making it harder to treat effectively. If this continues, gonorrhea may become one of the incurable ones, therefore it is important to contain the spread of this STI.
  4. Many STIs are transferrable from mother to baby through birth including herpes and HIV. STIs can cause stillbirth, birth defects such as missing limbs, blindness, prematurity, or ailments such as pneumonia.
  5. Undetected or untreated syphilis causes more than 300,000 fetal fatalities annually, and leads to birth defects, congenital conditions and other health complications in 215,000 babies.
  6. Untreated STIs can cause infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women.
  7. Approximately 290 million women across the world have HPV.
  8. Each year HPV leads to over 520,000 cases of cervical cancer, 266,000 of which are deadly.
  9. Having certain STIs like herpes or syphilis can triple your risk of contracting HIV, so you should use extreme caution if you are already infected with an STI.
  10. Many STIs such as syphilis or gonorrhea can have few-to-no symptoms and may go undetected until they resurface to cause pregnancy complications or other issues years later. It is important to get checked for STIs when you first become pregnant so your doctor can take measures to protect your unborn baby in the presence of an STI such as to arrange a caesarian section birth.

STI Prevention

  • Avoid engaging in risky behaviors, such as: unprotected sex of any kind (unless you are in a committed monogamous relationship and were both tested); sex with multiple partners; sexual encounters with anonymous people; receiving unsterile or dangerous tattoos or injections; engaging in sexual behavior while under the influence of alcohol or drugs (your judgement may be impaired).
  • Females should be vaccinated with the HPV vaccination.
  • Use condoms properly every time you engage in sexual behaviour.
  • If you have multiple sexual partners (or one that you suspect may have an infection) get tested regularly for sexually transmitted infections.
  • If you are engaging in sexual activity with a partner who is HIV positive, ask your doctor about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to see if it is a viable option for you.
  • Have open an discussion with your partners about if they were recently tested or have any existing STIs.
  • Talk to your doctor about your sexual habits and lifestyle to see what preventative measures he or she would suggest to help you lower your risk of contracting STIs, or prevent spreading STIs to others if you already have them.
  • Abstinence until you find a desired life partner is another preventative measure some wish to partake in.
  • It is also important to talk to your children when they are old enough about the importance of practicing abstinence or safe sex.

More Information

For more information about STIs or about how to talk to young people about STI prevention, visit the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s comprehensive database on sexual health and sexually transmitted diseases. If you already have an STI, there are resources available that can help with management and providing support, such as the American Sexual Health Association. For more information on these topics, you can talk to your doctor or one of our highly skilled DocChat physicians about STI prevention, treatment, management, or how to get tested today.

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