Sexual medicine is a medical specialty that deals with sexual health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines sexual health as “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality”. It includes not only the absence of disease or sexual dysfunction, but of “a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships.” The specialty of sexual medicine refers to both aspects of sexual health.
Conditions that can affect sexual health
A specialist in sexual medicine understands the wide variety of conditions and injuries that can negatively affect the experience of having sex, and how they can be managed. In women, these may include:
- Ovarian, vaginal or cervical cancer.
- Uterine fibroids
- Urinary tract infections
- Endometriosis
- Nerve damage after pelvic surgery, such as hysterectomy.
In men, they can be:
- prostate or testicular cancer
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
Both men and women can also be affected by:
- Arthritis
- Spinal cord injury
- Sexually transmitted infections, such as gonorrhea, herpes, genital warts, chlamydia, and syphilis.
Finally, there are a variety of conditions that can take a long-term toll on both men and women in terms of fatigue, mobility and self-confidence, such as:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
Both men and women can suffer from sexually transmitted infections.
Types of sexual dysfunctions
Sexual problems include any type of difficulty that affects the frequency and desire for sex. In addition to the above conditions, sexual dysfunction can be caused by trauma, changes in hormone levels, stress, drug or alcohol use, medications, or mental health problems. In some cases, the exact cause is not known.
The types of sexual dysfunction experienced by men are:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Delayed or premature ejaculation
- Anejaculation
- Retrograde ejaculation
- Painful orgasms
The types of sexual dysfunction experienced by women are:
- Painful intercourse
- Vaginismus
- Pain in the clitoris
Both men and women can be affected by low sexual desire, can suffer from anorgasmia, suffer from sperm allergy, suffer from post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) and “post-sex sadness”.
What does sexual medicine consist of?
Sexual medicine can consist of:
- Clinical treatment of specific sexual disorders through medication, physiotherapy or surgery.
- Rehabilitation after injury or surgery
- Sex therapy or counseling to address the psychological factor of some types of sexual dysfunction.
- Education and counseling to promote healthy sexual relationships.