Sexual Health for Men
Why is sexual health important?
Sexuality is an important part of out life. It is more than
the act of sex.
Having diabetes can affect a person's sexuality. It may be
hard to tell someone that you have diabetes for fear you will loose
that relationship. It can affect family roles. For
example, if a man is not able to work at his usual job, he may feel
he is not doing his part as a father or husband. If the
diabetes meal plan means a change in the family food habits, the
person with diabetes may feel unhappy or guilty.
Diabetes can also cause problems with sexual function. For
men, the most common sexual problem caused by diabetes is erectile
dysfunction.
What is erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction is also called ED or impotence.
Erectile dysfunction is when the penis will not become erect (hard
enough for sex) or stay erect long enough for sex. There is
still the desire for sex. Diabetes can cause damage to the
nerves that cause the penis to become erect. ED is also caused
by some medications, alcohol, tobacco use, feeling too much stress
or other health or psychological problems.
ED can be treated. You will need to discuss the problems
you have with your doctor. For some men, keeping the blood
sugar near normal will help. Sometimes not drinking alcohol,
stopping tobacco use or changing other medicines will help.
If you have ED the doctor will do a blood test to check your
testosterone (male hormone) level. You will also have your
prostate checked if you are over 40 years old.
The most common treatment for ED is a pill, like Viagra.
This works well for most men. There are other pill medicines
as well as medications that are injected into the penis.
If these treatments do not help then a surgery to place an
implant can help.
What is retrograde ejaculation?
Another sexual problem men might have is retrograde ejaculation.
When this happens, the man is able to have an erection and climax an
usual. But when he has the orgasm, the fluid and sperm go
backwards into the bladder instead of out the penis. This does
not affect sexual function but does affect fertility.
What other help is there for sexual problems?
Sexual problems can affect your life in other ways. Some
men feel tense, angry or sad if they can not have sex the way they
did before. Their wife may feel sad or un satisfied. You
may want to discuss these feelings with your doctor and each other.