Health Conditions That Can Harm Your Sex Life

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Being intimate with your partner is one of life’s greatest pleasures. But a long-term health problem can take the joy out of sex. You may not want to have it, can’t get aroused enough, or have trouble reaching orgasm. Knowing what the problem is could be the first step to finding solutions.

Diabetes

Diabetes 

High blood sugar damages blood vessels and nerves over time. This can hinder blood flow to your sex organs. Men can have erection and ejaculation problems. Women may have loss of desire, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and orgasm troubles. If you control your diabetes, stay active, and eat right, it can help keep sexual and other problems at bay. If they keep happening, tell your doctor about it.

Heart Disease

 Heart Disease 

As with diabetes, the problem is blood vessel damage that can lead to sexual problems. And some meds, such as those for high blood pressure, can cause issues as well. Lifestyle changes -- your diet and fitness, especially -- can make a big difference. If you’ve had a heart attack and worry that sex could trigger another one, ask your doctor about when you can be sexually active again.

Depression

Depression 

Your mind and body go hand in hand. One of the symptoms of depression can be a drop in your sex drive. Tell your doctor or a therapist if you’ve been feeling down for a while. Treatment -- which may include talking with a counselor, making lifestyle changes, and medicine -- can help. Some antidepressants can dim desire and lead to erection problems in men. Lowering the dose or switching meds may help.

Cancer

Cancer 

Sex may be the last thing on your mind when you have cancer. But when you are ready to be intimate, the disease and some of the treatments can make that harder to do. Chemo may make you too tired or sick for sex. You might have pain from the cancer. Hormone therapies may affect your sex drive. And some surgeries may affect your body image. Connect in other ways until you’re ready for sex.

Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain
It’s hard to think about sex, let alone do it, if you have pain that won’t quit. If your medications don’t control your pain well, your doctor may need to change the dose or switch meds. Or the medicine may be the problem. Some pain meds have sexual side effects because they affect your nervous system. Either way, talk to your doctor.

Arthritis

Arthritis

Sore joints and other arthritis symptoms can cramp your sex life. But you can still be intimate and comfortable if you think ahead:

Plan sex for the time of the day when you normally feel your best.

Take your pain medicine at least 30 minutes beforehand.

Support your joints with pillows or rolled sheets.

Use massage to soothe sore muscles and joints and as foreplay.

Nap before sex if tiredness is a problem.

Low Testosterone (Low T)

Low Testosterone (Low T)
Men who don’t make enough of the male hormone testosterone may find that their sex drive is stuck in neutral. Sometimes, it’s due to a problem in brain areas that tell the testes to make testosterone. Type 2 diabetes and liver or kidney disease also make it more likely. Your doctor may give you a blood test to check for these. Lifestyle changes and taking care of any other conditions you have can help. Some men may need testosterone replacement.

Menopause

Menopause
Natural menopause, the time in a woman’s life is when estrogen levels drop and periods have stopped, isn't a medical condition. But falling estrogen can cause vaginal drying and thinning. That can make sex hurt. Vaginal moisturizers and lubricants can help. Low-dose estrogen you put inside your vagina reverses dryness and thinning. If you have bad hot flashes too, hormone replacement therapy may be an option. Talk with your doctor about the pros and cons.

HIV and AIDS

HIV and AIDS
HIV affects your body’s ability to make hormones. This includes testosterone and estrogen, which can lead to problems with sex and desire.  Medications that keep the virus in check can hamper your sex life, too. Protease inhibitors are linked to erectile dysfunction in men. Your doctor may suggest counseling or other treatments.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
MS affects your nervous system. Sexual desire begins in the brain.  It sends messages to the rest of your body via nerves that run down the spinal cord. If MS damages these paths, it can affect movement, arousal, and orgasm. It also can make you tired and give you muscle spasms. But there may be treatments that can help, so tell your doctor what’s going on.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease
Because it affects movement, Parkinson’s can make sex tough. It can also bring lack of desire, pain, and orgasm problems. Some of the treatments can cause the opposite problem. Meds that raise levels of a brain chemical called dopamine can make it harder to control your impulses, which for some people can cause problems including sex addiction. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose.

Loss of Bladder Control

Loss of Bladder Control

This is more common in seniors, especially women. Extra pressure on your belly during sex may make you leak urine. You may avoid intimacy. Try changing positions and going to the bathroom before sex.  Talk to your doctor, as treatment usually can help.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
If you have Crohn’s disease or colitis, the digestive symptoms (such as needing to go to the bathroom a lot), pain, and fatigue can all get in the way of sex. It’s important to take your medicines as directed, even when your symptoms aren’t bad, so that you can continue to feel your best. Some people need intestinal surgery to make a way for their stool to collect in a bag worn outside of the body. Support groups or therapy can help you adjust to these changes.

PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder)

PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder)

PTSD can happen if you’ve had or seen a scary event like an assault, a bad car wreck, or combat. Symptoms include flashbacks, which feel like you’re reliving the trauma. If you have PTSD, you may feel fear instead of pleasure. A mental health expert with experience in PTSD can help. Talk therapy and medications may treat it successfully.

                                          BESYT REGARD BY DR.H₂O

Habits That Can Hurt Your Sex Life...

         Habits That Can Hurt Your Sex Life       

You Binge on Bad Foods

You Binge on Bad Foods

If you’re a junk-food junkie, you’re filling your body with lots of refined carbs, simple sugars, and saturated and trans fat. This can slow your blood flow and affect how well you can perform during sex. Cut out the junk and go for plenty of fruits, veggies, and plant-based protein (nuts, beans, and tofu). Bonus: A healthy eating plan will give you more energy for sex.

You Eat Too Much Salt 

You Eat Too Much Salt 

When salty foods are a regular part of your diet, you’re more likely to have high blood pressure, which can lower your libido. Steer clear of prepackaged foods, which often have lots of sodium, and watch how much you add at the table. Instead, add flavor with herbs and spi ces.

You Stay Stressed

You Stay Stressed

Constant strain and worry wears you out -- everywhere. When you flood your body with stress hormones for a long periods of time, it hijacks your health and also tanks your desire to ha ve sex. Try to figure out what’s stressing you so you can think about the best ways to handle it. It’s also a good idea to make time for regular stress-relief -- a walk in a park, a yoga class, or laughing at your favorite comedy.

You Skip Foreplay

You Skip Foreplay

Science backs it up: Building up to sex can make it better. In one survey of almost 8,700 people, both men and women said sex lasted longer when they included more types of stimulation beforehand. The real engine revers? Oral sex and masturbation.

You’re Too Busy

You’re Too Busy

When life gets hectic, sex can sometimes be the first thing kicked off your “to-do” list. But intimacy in your relationship should be a priority. Scheduling sex may sound like a buzzkill, but it can help you make sure you don’t keep putting it off. So mark time on your calendars, and stick to it. You’ll feel more connected, which will lead to better bouts in bed.

You Stick to the Same Old, Same Old

You Stick to the Same Old, Same Old

Sometimes a stale sex spell is just a matter of being stuck in a rut. You might have a routine and not even realize it. Mix it up: try new positions or have sex in a place or at a time you don’t usually do it. Or try adding new alternatives like massage or sex toys to your routine.

You Don’t Speak Up

You Don’t Speak Up

If there’s something about your sex life that’s bothering you, or you have ideas about new things you’d like to try, talk about it. Worried about how your partner might handle the conversation? Try to frame it around your feelings and reactions, not your partner’s. It helps to start your sentences with “I” instead of “you.”

You Diss Your Body

You Diss Your Body

The messages you tell yourself -- or hear from others -- about your body make a big difference in how confident you feel. When those messages are negative, your self-image takes a hit, and so does your sex drive. If your default mode is to put yourself down, break the habit and try to focus on what you like about yourself. Take care of yourself, and spend time with people who make you feel good.

You Drink Too Much

You Drink Too Much

One glass of wine or a beer might help you relax, but a booze binge can make you crash and burn in the bedroom. Men in particular can struggle with performance issues when they have too much alcohol in their system. Keep your drinking in moderation -- no more than one drink a day for women and two for men.

You Skimp on Shut-Eye

You Skimp on Shut-Eye

If you don’t snooze, you could lose your libido. One study found that women who got more sleep tended to have more (and better) sex.

You Don’t Watch Your Waistline

You Don’t Watch Your Waistline

Is your scale showing a higher number than usual these days? Shedding a few pounds could boost your performance in the bedroom -- especially if you’re a guy. One study found that men with a waist over 40 inches were more likely to have erectile dysfunction than those with slimmer stomachs.

You Light Up

You Light Up

There’s a long list of ways smoking harms your health, and slashing sexual desire is on it.  Chemicals in tobacco can mess with blood flow, which can cause sexual problems, especially for men. Talk to your doctor about how you can kick the habit.