Must Read: Sexual conditions as medical pointers

Good sex is meant for men and good men enjoy good sex and in many years to come, sexual intercourse is going to be a great thing to the average man. And it remains great until something goes wrong. Out of ignorance, most men blame it on what is happening in their marriages or places of work. But in actual sense, the body could be telling us something that we need to know, or it could it be an indication that there is a serious health condition that we need to attend to urgently.

Yes, there is an increasing awareness that poor attitude to sex isn‘t just about the quality of life. It could be a sign of an underlying mild or serious medical condition.

For instance, if a couple notices certain changes in their sex lives, it is necessary to tell a doctor or sex therapist. It is not proper to just wave it off.  Under normal circumstances, men are more aggressive sexually than women. But when a husband‘s slogan is ‘I am just not interested in sex anymore,’ it might be due to many underlying health issues.

Continue reading after the cut....
It is true that a lot of things can cause a man‘s sex drive to become low; work stress, falling out of love, lack of sleep, poor monetary state and so on. But if those things don‘t apply to your man, and he would rather do every other thing than make love, or if the sights and touches that once turned him on do not appeal to him any longer, such a spouse is probably having his hormone out of place or extremely overweight leading to shrinking of the penis. Or increased risk for osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, metabolic syndrome and so on.

At times, you or your wife could notice an unusual growth near your testis, which was not there few years back. Don‘t take it for granted. It could be testicular cancer and the problem with testicular cancer most times is that it may not be accompanied by pain.

I know that one of the basic challenges that most husbands go through is premature ejaculation, which can also be an indication of hyperthyroidism. Premature ejaculation, coming before intercourse or soon after it begins is common to newly married men or newly married men who have not been very active sexually prior to marriage but have engaged in heavy masturbation, liquor and cigarette smoking. Besides, premature ejaculation could strike at any age.

Though premature ejaculation was initially attributed to psychological issues,  medical research has been able to identify physical causes like the malfunctioning of thyroid (the gland responsible for making and storing key regulatory hormones). It has also been discovered that masturbation, especially in the early stage of life, could trigger off this case. Teenagers, young adults and unmarried single men are advised to steer clear of any indecent practices that can affect their health in future.

Another case that should be critically looked into is painful ejaculation. Some men complain of pains whenever they ejaculate. It could be as a result of muscle spasm disorder or prostatitis. In women, there‘s a condition known as vulvodynia. It is the chronic pain of the vulva (around the vaginal opening) caused by nerve disorder. This could be as a result of infection, trauma or any other reason.

Physical problems can turn into psychological ones. When a wife is not interested in sex, at times, it could have something to do with her upbringing or past experiences. But there could also be medical explanations. For instance, some newly wedded want to know why it hurts when they have intercourse. Painful intercourse can cause physical and psychological problems, ranging from bacterial infection to anxiety. It can also be as a result of hormonal changes, when a woman attains menopause.

Some wives said they have been treated repeatedly for the same vaginal infection, but sex still hurts. Could there be another reason for the pain? If sex hurts, try to note the time the pain began and where you feel it (at the opening of your vagina or deep inside); the nature of the pain (whether it is sharp or dull); does the pain start and stop with penetration; observe any unusual vaginal discharge and so on. This will help you a lot.

Some women complain that they feel a deep pain in their abdomen when they engage in penetrative sex. According to medical science, a wide range of health conditions can cause deep abdominal pain during sex. It could be a urinary tract infection or other causes which can destroy fertility if they go unchecked. These include Chlamydia gonorrhoea, pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis. Some birth control pills could be another factor that affects women’s sex life. It can reduce a lady’s capacity for lubrication and cause vaginal weakness – thinning of the vaginal walls – that can make sex painful. The culprits are usually the newer formulations of oral contraceptives that contain low doses of oestrogen and testosterone-reducing progestin, which can also decrease lady’s libido. Be observant during sex and give prompt attention to any irregularities noticed.

- Funmi Akingbade (cafi.punch@yahoo.com) 

Share your thoughts...thanks!