22 LOVE & LIFE
THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, March 23, 2013
MARITAL SEX
Don’t Let Erectile Dysfunction Ruin Your Sex Life By Ebere Ameh ODAY, we are discussing a very T common yet hardly discussed area of health known as Erectile Dysfunction (ED). In spite of our freedom of speech and information, issues about our sexuality are still discussed in hushed tones. Because no man wants to have anything to do with impotence, discussing it with a doctor is also difficult for most men. This has led to discord between some married couples as such men rather refrain from the sex act than give poor performances. Though we are in the information age when all kinds of information are got at the press of a button, getting the right ones from the right source is always a Herculean task. It is on that note that we present to you excerpts from an interview with Dr. Funmilade Omisanjo, a Consultant Urologist. As an expert in the field, he has given us the facts, including, causes and treatment options for the disease as contained in the following. What is erectile dysfunction? Erectile dysfunction is another name for impotence. It is the inability of a man to achieve or maintain an erection that is satisfactory for sexual intercourse. It may be a total inability to achieve erection, an inconsistent ability to achieve erection, or the ability to only sustain a brief erection. Having erection trouble from time to time is not necessarily a cause for concern. But if it is an ongoing problem, it may cause stress, relationship problems or affect ones self-confidence. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), up to 30 million men are affected with ED. Causes A number of factors contribute to ED. According to Dr Omisanjo,
“ An onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother”
“erectile dysfunction is a spectrum and is caused by so many factors. It could be stress, injury to the blood supply to the penis, hormonal problems, aging process of some sort, and chronic diseases.” One major cause of erectile dysfunction is premature ejaculation. This is the inability of a man to maintain an erection long enough for mutual satisfaction. There is primary and secondary premature ejaculation. Primary premature ejaculation is a learned behaviour that begins when a man becomes sexually active. Secondary premature ejaculation is the one that occur after years of normal ejaculation and intercourse grow progressively shorter and ejaculation, more quickly. This type is always caused by some underlying ailments, which affect the penile arteries and veins. Other causes of ED include performance anxiety, depression, diabetes, venous leak, neurological causes, hormone and drug-induced impotence among others. The risk factors or the things that make people prone to ED include medical problems like hypertension, diabetes, vascular disease, low testosterone, high blood cholesterol, smoking, alcohol abuse and drug. Treatments for erectile dysfunction It is always advised that patients see their doctor instead of resorting to self-medication and the patronage of quacks, ED is not an exception. Most men resort to the use of Viagra and other performance enhancing drugs and drinks to manage their impotence. It is unfortunate that some go to the extent of using concoctions like paraga, burantashi and other local concoctions that enhance their performance on a daily basis. The most unfortunate is that both people with erectile dysfunction and those without it, now resort to these medications for enhanced performance without considering the implications on their
longed erection could be a side effect and the person should be treated for that.” “Viagra is made for men who are unable to have or maintain an erection that is satisfactory for sexual intercourse. We don’t encourage people who do not have ED to be taking Viagra just to enhance sex. The drug is a prescription drug and generally safe but we do know that when people are on some other medication or have some cardiac diseases they have to be cautious in the use of Viagra and should opt for other forms of treatment because it can have fatal consequences,” he added. On Paraga, he said “We hear about paraga used by the Yorubas and burantashi, by the Hausas. They are all mixtures of herbal extracts and roots. The bottom line is that we don’t know what they contain. Some of them do enhance sexual performance but beyond that, it is thought that when they are abused or used for long periods, they may have damaging effect on the kidney and the liver. These side effects may not be
Premature Ejaculation
– Gen. 38 vs 9. REMATURE ejaculation is defined P as the inability of a man to control his ejaculatory reflex. Once he is sexually aroused he will reach orgasm very quickly, sometimes even before he penetrates a women’s vagina. Some men reach orgasm more than half the time before their partners does. However, the time it may take for a woman to reach or need to reach orgasm during a sexual encounter, is highly variable. It depends on the woman. For a man to be good in bed, he must be able to engage in fore play while he is in the state of sexual excitement without reaching orgasm before his partner does. This will require good self-control and training. What are the causes of premature ejaculation? 1. Prostatitis, or infection and inflammation of the postrate gland, for example may cause premature ejaculation. It could also because by syphilis and multiple sclerosis. It is important to visit the hospital so that there can be a thorough examination of the man’s urinary and nervous systems to find out if a disease or injury
health and general wellbeing. It is good to see your doctor because he will assess you to know your age, your overall health and medical history. He will also try to find out the extent, cause and nature of the condition, your tolerance for specific medications and procedures among other things, which, put together, will help him determine the right one for you. According to Dr. Omisanjo, “There are other treatments besides medication, which may just be to change your lifestyle, change a medication, or tackle psychological stress. It may be to lose weight, reduce alcohol intake or do more exercise. All these can only be detected if you seek medical help instead of depending on performance enhancing drugs.” He added: “the primary use of Viagra is to correct a deficit, to restore a normal erectile function. The patient requires a stimulus to have an erection and it eases off after sex so that he has something close to a normal experience. An abnormally pro-
is responsible. It could also be psychological, and a number of techniques may be used to effect a cure. 2. It could be caused by a deep-seated neurosis, and therefore would need some psychoanalysis.
from the roots and herbs but the alcohol that it is mixed with or the dosage, which is not standardised, among other things. Generally, we discourage self- medication and the consumption of these concoctions,” he concluded. According to Paula Hall, a psychotherapist , the long-term side effect of Viagra is still unknown. “I worry about so many people becoming habitual users of Viagra. We simply don’t know what the long-term effects might be. The producers deny the possibility of dependency, but admits it is not possible to predict the long-term impact,” she noted. Though sexual problems may seem awkward to discuss even with a doctor, it is very important to forget ones ego, summon courage and talk about it because it may be a warning sign of a heart disease, diabetes or other ailments that require urgent attention. Treating the underlying problem may just be enough to reverse your ED and save your sex life. prevalent enough for it to be considered one of the major causes of sexual dysfunction. Instead of reaching orgasm and ejaculation too soon, as in premature ejaculation, this person will take much longer than usual to reach this phase of sexual excitement, and in some cases may not reach it at all.
penis less sensitive to sexual excitement, and thereby delay orgasm. Thought this method is not conclusive, there is no harm in trying it. Drugs and other physical issues may contribute to it, but in most 4. There is the squeeze method. Where cases, however, the man’s inhibithe man squeezes the penies when tions against ejaculation during stimulated and about to ‘come’ just sexual intercourse has a psychologibelow the rim of the glans. It will make cal reason. Sometimes it is anxiety the erection subside. This can be or fear of ejaculating, especially repeated several times. He can also when the man sees his partner as a stimulate his penis manually until he ‘mother figure’ and may not want feels he is about to experience orgasm. to ejaculate in her vagina because At this point, he stops until the sensa- he will ‘soil’ her. Or by holding back, tion is gone. After three or four he may be expressing anger, hostilistroking sessions, the man will ejacuty, or guilt complex, caused by late. If he does this, after several weeks, some difficulties in their relationhe will be able to tolerate the experiships. A man is usually encouraged ence indefinitely. It does help. in counseling, to be relaxed during sex, or even to have erotic fantasies Counseling is absolutely necessary in during intercourse which help him solving sexual problems. Open comto let go and reach orgasm and ejacmunication and proper ulation. Many times the man’s partunderstanding and acceptance is nec- ner will be asked to assist in the essary. Love and intimate trust in each treatment. Here oral, or manual other is a huge help. Couple’s should stimulation (masturbation) is highlearn to put their fantasies aside and ly recommended. Gradually the Sometimes it may mean that the man enjoy what each partner has and is expressing an intense and uncon- understand what turns one each part- man will overcome the inhibition. scious hostility toward women. There ner be very patient, loving and under- Have a better sex is need for counseling and in most standing. E. C. Samuel cases prayers. 08027173447 SMS ONLY Though not as common as premature Intimatefaithministry@yahoo.com 3. Use of condoms can help make the ejaculation, retarded ejaculation is