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What do you need to know about your sexual health? Dr Aideed Abdi Kahie, a urologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital gives a low-down.
Age
Age is a great factor in a man's sexual performance. Testosterone levels start coming down at around 55 to 60, ages in which the typical male starts experiencing sexual problems.
Boosters
Boosters can be used to amp a man's libido. Common food libido boosters include onions and garlic, bananas, nuts and peanuts.
Foods rich in Vitamin B like eggs, beef, chicken, lentils, and those ich in in Omega 3 like fish help in nervous transmission.
These are important because you need intact nerves to function from the point of desire (looking at a woman).
Cancers of the penis
Communities that circumcise children in their early childhood like the Israelis hardly have incidences of cancers of the penis, while communities that circumcise much later in life or not at all have the highest incidences of penile cancers.
Desensitisers
These work like local anaesthesia and are available in the pharmacies, over the counter, and they can help solve some premature ejaculation problems.
However, you have to use it right. You also have to put on a condom so that you do not desensitise the woman's vaginal wall and cervix.
It has no major side effect even through prolonged use could make you psychologically dependent on it.
There is the Xylocaine jelly, that goes for about Sh2,000 and generic versions that cost about Sh300.
Enlargement of the penis
There is nothing so far scientifically proven to enlarge the penis. It is all a myth. It is not even necessary.
According to the women we have talked to, it does not have to be a certain size for women to enjoy sex. The adage it is true: It is not about the size, it is how you use it.
Focus
Premature ejaculation is a common problem among many men. Increased sensitivity is what makes you reach orgasm too quickly. To delay ejaculation means the sensitivity has to be reduced.
You can do this by simply increasing the mind's concentration so that you focus on delaying it. You can also learn delaying tactics.
For example, when passing urine, you can repeatedly start and stop, so you can learn to control it. You can also pinch the glans of the penis when you are about to orgasm.
The pain prevents you from wanting to ejaculate. You can also apply desensitisers to the glans of the penis so that it is less sensitive.
Genetics
There are no direct links for prostate cancer. However, if you have a strong family history of prostate cancer, you should start screening for it at the age of 45 and 50.
If you have lower urinary tract symptoms e.g. not passing urine properly or have other problems with your urinary system, start screening for Prostrate Specific Antigens (PSA) at the age of 50, even if you do not have a family history of cancer.
PSA's can be found in the blood but are not absolutely indicative of the cancer.
Heart attack
What you can get if you abuse Viagra. It has side effects and there have been many reported deaths in bed for which it is thought Viagra was responsible for.
Before it is prescribed by a doctor, it has to be known that the patient does not have heart disease, tendencies of stroke and high blood pressure.
Impotence
30 per cent of our male attendees here in our clinics complain of impotence. Some of them are as young as 18 and in their early 20s.
When we test them, most of them do not have any physical problem or organic causes. Most of it is psychogenic erectile dysfunction, rather than organic impotence, meaning it is caused by psychological factors. Organic impotence is caused by physical problems.
Junk
Junk foods and foods high in cholesterol are bad for your sex life. High bad cholesterol affects the blood vessels by constricting them.
Blocked blood vessels mean that the pumping system to the penis becomes weaker. Sometimes, erectile problems are a predictor of what is going heart attacks and strokes.
Laptops and phones
Far from popular opinion, placing the laptop on your lap and putting your phone in your pocket near your crotch won't cause impotence. However, heat is generally bad for sperm production hence why you shouldn't place a running laptop on your lap.
Masturbation
Though a shunned habit, scientifically, it can be beneficial. You can use it to learn, like to practice delaying tactics such as pinching the glans to prevent premature ejaculation.
If you aren't using it as a learning tool, but for pleasure, it will destroy your sexual life because you shorten the duration of sex when you have a partner.
Also, some men do it so vigorously that it can cause micro-injuries to the penis that with time could lead to impotence and Peyronie's disease.
Mumps
This is a childhood disease that causes an inflammation of the testicles. In the long term, 1 in 10 of those affected experience infertility (not sexual dysfunction).
If both testes are affected, the chances of infertility rise to 80 per cent. When the inflammation affects the testicles, it reduces the testosterone levels and testosterone production interfering with erections.
New-born boys
New-born boys should always have a testes check. This can be done by their mothers. They should check to see if the testes are descended into the scrotum and if they don't find them, to report to the attending doctor.
There are very high rates of undescended testicles being reported too late due to negligence following birth or lack of follow up.
Orgasms
Yes, men too can fake the big 'O's. A study published in the Sexual and Relationship Therapy says found that men who faked orgasms were happier with in their unions both sexually and romantically.
They mostly faked orgasms to make their partners happy.
Peyronie's disease
When you masturbate and work your organ too vigorously, you could cause micro injuries to the penis that with time could lead to impotence and Peyronie's disease. This is a disease caused by scar tissue making the penis bend upward or to the side. It can make sex painful for some.
Questions
Questions regarding your sexual health should be directed to a qualified andrologist or urologist.
Do not be tempted to consult alternative practitioners because sexual health Is a sensitive matter that should be professionally handled.
Research
A study done in Nyanza compared sexual experiences of men before and after circumcision. It was found that penile sensitivity and pleasure increases after circumcision.
Sperm
Sperm is just like any other protein. You therefore have to be healthy to have quality sperm. Eat foods high in protein and avoid smoking, excessive alcohol and stress for prime sperm. Heat affects the quality of sperm.
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer: Many people have thought that sitting on the saddle while cycling compresses the nerves that come from the pelvis.
However, that notion has since been dispelled. There is no direct correlation, pathological connection or bio mechanism that can connect cycling to testicular cancer.
Urology
The branch of medicine that deals with the urinary tract system and male reproductive organs. An andrologist deals with conditions specific to men.
Viagra
Many people believe that once you take Viagra (Sildenafil), you just get an erection straight away but nothing could be further from the truth.
You have to get a natural erection first. Viagra sustains it. It only prolongs the duration of blood staying in the penis, giving you a prolonged erection and a longer time to enjoy sex.
It is taken one hour before sex. It is a prescription drug.
Vasectomy
This is voluntary permanent sterilisation, where the men's tubes are tied. It is a pretty easy surgery, where the surgeon feels the scrotum for the vas deferens.
Once he gets it, he makes a small nick, picks it up, holds the tube on both ends and cuts in the middle. He then burns both ends of the cut tube to seal them.
Work out
Exercising for about 30 minutes a day gives you a good heart rate. When your heart is good, your sex life is good. The quality of the pumping and the quality of the blood vessels contributes a lot to your sex life, because the penis works by getting blood pumped to it.
Zzzs
What you need more or less of if you and your partner are finding it hard to get pregnant. New research shows that too much or too little sleep could decrease the chances of impregnating your partner.
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