Sexual Health Archive

The troubling symptoms of prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate, accounts for roughly two million doctor visits every year. Fortunately, research advances are leading to some encouraging developments for men suffering from this condition.

While blood in semen may look alarming, in most cases it is caused by a recent medical procedure. Other possible causes are trauma to the genital area, a bladder infection, prostatitis (inflammation to the prostate), or a sexually transmitted infection.

Although doctors and patients rarely talk about it, cardiovascular disease and its treatment can affect sexual function. Atherosclerosis can affect arteries that supply blood to the genitals, and high blood pressure medication can cause sexual side effects. Certain medications used to treat common sexual issues (namely, erectile dysfunction drugs and some types of estrogen) may be unsafe for some people with heart disease.

Erectile dysfunction pills have helped millions of men continue to enjoy an active sex life. However, they may not work for all men, and others may not like being dependent on the medication or are bothered by side effects, such as headaches, flushing, upset stomach, or dizziness. In these cases, men may benefit from nondrug options, such as increasing aerobic exercise, adopting a plant-based diet, performing Kegel exercises, and using sexual aids that help them get and keep erections.

Vaginal moisturizer and lubricant both combat vaginal dryness, but they're not the same. Vaginal moisturizers are absorbed into vaginal tissue, while lubricants remain on the surface. Women should speak to their doctor if vaginal dryness persists.

Scrotum pain should be checked out, as it's a common symptom of certain conditions. These include infections, like sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections; twisting (torsion) of a testicle; varicocele (swollen veins in the scrotum); inguinal hernia; hydrocele (a collection of fluid in the scrotum); and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

There are four main FDA-approved erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs: sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil, and avanafil (Stendra). While all ED drugs work the same way, they differ in how quickly they act (from 15 to 45 minutes) and how long the effect lasts (from six to 36 hours). Which one is the best choice for a man depends on his lifestyle and whether he takes medication that ED drugs may interfere with.

In a 2024 study of men ages 49 to 76, low levels of testosterone were associated with higher rates of death from any cause and specifically deaths from cardiovascular causes, such as heart attack, cardiac arrest, heart failure, or stroke.