Defined as ejaculating before either partner achieves satisfaction, premature ejaculation is one of the most common complaints affecting most men from time to time. It often occurs early in relationships when sexual excitement, some anxiety and over stimulation are common features. It is also more common in younger men who are finding out about sexual activity and sexual relationships and men of all ages after a long period without sex. Premature ejaculation is rarely caused by any underlying disease, structural or physical problems.

Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety may be the major cause and talking to your sexual partner about your feelings may well help. Remember it is a common experience for men and women. Relax more and the problem often goes away.

Techniques to Prevent Premature Ejaculation

Self Distraction to prevent premature ejaculation

If your arousal levels are getting too high and a climax is beginning, take a deep breath and think about something else, something very boring if possible. When you are less aroused but maintaining an erection you can then continue.

Stop and Start Method for premature ejaculation

If you find yourself nearing climax withdraw your penis from your partner and allow yourself to relax enough to prevent ejaculation. By starting and stopping sexual stimulation you can learn to prolong the sex act.

Squeeze Methods can help prevent premature ejaculation

This method involves either the man or his partner squeezing (fairly firmly) the end or the tip of the penis for 10 to 20 seconds when ejaculation is imminent, withholding stimulation for about 30 seconds, then continuing stimulation. This can be repeated until ejaculation is desired. The stop and start method can be used with the squeeze method as well.

Desensitizing Creams for premature ejaculation

Creams can be used to desensitize the end of the penis. They act like a local or tropical anesthetic. Thicker condoms (or two condoms) can also desensitize by decreasing sensitivity and therefore stimulation, thus prolonging the sexual act.

More Foreplay prevents premature ejaculation

Stimulate your partner to a state of high arousal before you have your genitals touched, that way ejaculation and orgasm can be achieved about the same time.

Masturbation to prevent premature ejaculation

Practice different methods by yourself. Getting to know your feelings and sensations gives you the chance to gain confidence.

Remember getting good at sex and overcoming premature ejaculation can take a bit of time. Practice makes perfect. If you find that things are not improving then help is available from sex therapists who are experts in this field.

Source: About.com

If you are planning a family it is worth spending a few moments to read this article. It could help you maximize your fertility

How men make babies!

50 million sperm are discharged during just one ejaculation in a normal healthy male. It can take that many to begin the journey to the vagina, the cervix and on to the fallopian tubes. From all those millions of sperm only one or two will make it to a mature egg that is ready to be fertilized.

The state of sperm health research

Until recently the health of sperm was identified by microscopic observation of their speed and shape. Advances in genetics looking at the composition of sperm are leading to more accurate identification of healthy sperm.

Current research indicates that male sperm counts are declining in many parts of the world, including America and Europe. In one Danish study a 1 per cent decline per year in the sperm count has been recorded over the last 50 years. Such findings have their critics particularly in the face of more recent studies that suggest no such decline. On balance however the current wisdom suggests there is some decline in sperm counts and there seems to be consensus on at least most of the causes; the most important of which are listed below:

What can I do to make my sperm fit, healthy and potent?

It is important to remember that there is still a lot to be learnt about male fertility. We do know that a lot of the things that make sperm healthy are the things that are healthy for men anyway. So even if it takes a while for your partner to get pregnant you are not wasting your time!

Tight trousers and underwear, synthetic material and heat.

It has been suggested that all these affect fertility so get out those baggy cotton boxers! Keep the family jewels cool. It is known that the scrotum area needs to be 4 degrees lower than body temperature.

Climate.

Some experts suggest that climate and seasons, countries, regions and different years may all have an influence on sperm counts and fertility. One piece of research showed the sperm count in New York was much higher than Los Angeles, that Finland's was higher than Britain.

Hot tubs.

Frequent hot tubs have been shown to lower sperm counts. Have a shower instead.

Alcohol.

Alcohol can damage sperm. Limit your alcohol intake when you are trying to improve your fertility.

Drugs.

There are a number of drugs that affect fertility, amongst them are steroids, cytotoxic drugs used in cancer treatments and opiates. Contact your family doctor if you are on any long term medication that you are worried may affect your fertility. Doctors should always inform you of any side effects but it is always easy to check if you have forgotten.

Environmental toxins.

There is quite a lot of conflicting evidence about the substances that may cause damage to sperm. It is known that radiation causes damage and birth defects. Other substances thought to have a detrimental effect on sperm are some perfumes containing phthalates, some types of pesticides, organic mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, estrogens in water supply. Many of these substances are still the subject of on-going research.

Smoking.

Smokers have been shown to be up to half as fertile as non smokers.

Time of day

Sperm counts are higher in the morning so a.m. intercourse is best for baby making!

Excessive ejaculation and prolonged abstinence.

Both are known to affect the number and quality of sperm. Intercourse every 2 to 3 days helps maintain volume.

Diet.

A healthy balanced diet is important. Healthy body healthy sperm!

Supplements

Folic acid in combination with zinc sulfate has been shown to have often dramatic effects on sperm counts. Some men when taking these supplements increased their sperm count by as much as 74 per cent.

Seek advice

If you are concerned about your potency and think your sperm are not fit and healthy contact your family doctor. Some simple tests on your semen and a look at your general fitness will provide some answers.

Source: About.com

Premature ejaculation, sometimes known as rapid ejaculation, is the occurrence of ejaculation prior to the wishes of both sexual partners. The cause, or causes, are not fully understood. Explanations for premature ejaculation range from the purely biological to the purely psychological, with yet others suggesting a more complex relationship between biology and psychology. Psychological factors, however, are known to worsen or precipitate premature ejaculation which is why treatment may involve psychological therapies.

Psychological Effects of Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation can decrease self-confidence, make men reluctant to start new relationships, or lead to concerns that a partner may seek a relationship with another man. Within a relationship, men may feel misunderstood as to the extent of frustration and humiliation they regularly experience. Partners may suffer in silence for fear of upsetting their man further, or become frustrated at the apparent unwillingness of the man to fix the problem.

Benefits of Psychotherapy for Premature Ejaculation

Stanley E. Althof, Ph.D., from the Center for Marital and Sexual Health of South Florida, has analyzed the strengths and limitations of different psychological interventions for premature ejaculation. He feels that psychotherapy alone is best for men or couples where the problem is clearly psychological, for example, depression or performance anxiety. For single men not in relationships, individual psychotherapy may help to address men's reluctance to enter into relationships. For men in relationships, individual psychotherapy may help when the dysfunction appears to be rooted in childhood issues or excessive fear or hostility to women. For couples, combined psychotherapy may help where both partners are motivated to seek treatment and where the various factors involved in premature ejaculation can be explored.

Individual psychotherapy may be exploratory by examining the developmental underpinnings of reluctance to enter into relationships, and fear or hostility toward women. It can also be behavioral, in which specific techniques around learning control around ejaculation, improved attention to arousal, and anxiety management can be learned.

Couples therapy can have similar emphases, either exploratory, looking into issues in the relationship that contribute to sexual issues and premature ejaculation, or it may be behavioral, examining specific techniques around ejaculatory control and arousal that are worked on directly with the couple together (“sex therapy”).

Combining medications with psychological therapies may, according to Dr. Althof, offer the best of both worlds. The effect of certain medications to delay ejaculation can help to build confidence before psychological therapies are used. In time, the man can be taught not to fear his arousal and to attend to other sensations. Once achieved, many men can be weaned off medication completely.

Current approaches to psychotherapy emphasize control of ejaculation by learning new techniques, gaining confidence, lessening anxiety and learning better communication.

Do Psychological Therapies Work?

Sex therapy studies tend to be small and uncontrolled. This sits somewhat uncomfortably when compared with evidence-based medical research involving large, randomized controlled studies. The high success rates of bigger sex studies conducted by Masters and Johnson (1970) have never been replicated in subsequent studies. All studies with long-term follow up report a tendency for men to suffer some degree of relapse by as much as 75 percent, although sexual satisfaction overall appears relatively good.

On balance, Dr. Althof believes that psychological treatments have relevance for both men and couples, whether or not traditional psychotherapy is used alongside medicines. The results, he believes, point to an overall improvement in sexual and relationship satisfaction.

Source: About.com

Loss of interest in sex, or sexual problems such as under-arousal or premature ejaculation, can occur at any age and for any number of reasons. A general state of under arousal is often accompanied by other issues in life such as overwork, stress and/or relationship problems. Men are often fairly poor at recognizing or acknowledging psychological issues or they see it as a sign of weakness. Stress is often viewed as something that affects other people but many men simply aren't tuned in to reading the signs in themselves.

A lack of libido can sometimes be accompanied by erection problems. Rejecting lovemaking, or finding reasons to avoid sexual contact such as picking a fight or staying up to watch the late movie, can easily be interpreted by a partner as rejection. So, if your issue isn't with your partner it's important to open up to them and confront the possible reasons for the problem.

Checklist of Possible Reasons - in isolation or combination

Fatigue

Stress at work

Hormonal problems

Relationship Issues

Low mood or depression

Physical illnesses or disease

Anxiety over money

Low activity levels

Lovemaking is too routine or boring

Too much to do

If you think you fall into one or more of these areas then start talking the issues through with your partner and/or professional help. A loss of interest in sex is very often psychological but it can be physical or a combination of the two. If you think the issue is psychological then mood states can often be elevated by quite simple changes such as finding time to relax if you are doing too much, or, increasing your physical activity levels if your lifestyle is sedentary.

Source: About.com

Impotence is a very common problem. Remember one in ten men have a problem achieving and or sustaining an erection at some point in their lives. The important thing is if you have a problem that does not seem to be improving, you get help. You have read what impotence is, you have looked at the possible causes of it. Now lets look at the many treatments available for impotence.

There have been big advances in the treatments for impotence.

Psychosexual Therapy for Impotence

It is estimated that up to 90% of the cause of erectile problems have a psychological cause. This can range from relationships difficulties, performance anxiety or deeper more complex causes. An experienced counselor or therapist can help. They look at and work through these difficulties with you offering possible solutions.

Vacuum Pump Treatments for Impotence

A vacuum pump is a plastic cylinder. Vacuum pumps work by placing the device over the penis. Sucking out the air from the tube creates pressure and blood is forced rapidly into the penis (simulating what happens in an erection). A ring is then applied temporarily to the base of the penis to stop the blood draining away too quickly. This sustains the erection.

Medication Treatments for Impotence

Viagra is one of the best known medications for erectile dysfunction. You need to be sexually stimulated for viagra to be effective. Viagra works within an hour and usually lasts for three to four hours.

Transurethral therapy (Muse). A small pellet of a medication is put directly into the urethra. The urethra is the tube that runs through the penis and carries urine from the bladder and out through the tips of the penis. The drug is absorbed into the erectile tissue of the penis. It gives an erection within five to ten minutes.

Cialis. Cialis is taken 30 minutes before sexual activity. Cialis is effective only with sexual stimulation. Cialis is not an aphrodisiac and does not increase sexual desire.

Levitra. Taken 10 minutes to one hour prior to sexual activity, Levitra can be effective for up to 12 hours. Levitra is not an aphrodisiac. It does not increase sexual desire.

Uprima. This medication is a pill taken under the tongue. Uprima dissolves within about 15 minutes and is effective for up to two hours. Uprima will not work without sexual stimulation.

Injection Treatments for Impotence

A drug is injected directly into the shaft of the penis when you want to have sex. Although it sounds a bit worrying it is easy to learn. The medication usually works within about 15 minutes.

Hormone Treatments for Impotence

Hormonal problems are rarely the cause of impotence. The most common hormone abnormality is reduced levels of the male sex hormone testosterone. Testosterone can be restored to a therapeutic level with hormone replacement therapy. Testosterone replacement therapy should only be taken if you are tested and these tests confirm a deficiency.

Penile Prosthesis Treatments for Impotence

You should not consider a penile prosthesis (implant) until other forms of treatment have been tried. There are two types of penile implant,
The semi-rigid type penis implant: This penis implant keeps the penis rigid all the time. The penis can be bend it downwards when you're not having sex.
The hydraulic type penis implant: The penis to stiffens when a pump that is implanted in the scrotum is activated.

Surgical Treatments for Impotence

There are a number of surgical procedures that can be carried out if there is a treatable cause of your impotence such as abnormalities in the blood flow in and out of the penis.

Remember the causes of erectile dysfunction may be organic or psychological cause or a combination of the two. A specialist in the field of impotence are the best people to investigate and treat the cause. A starting point should be your family doctor or genitourinary specialist.

Source: About.com

Eating disorders have mostly been investigated within the female population. To a large extent this is because of the apparent prevalence of eating disorders in women. On closer inspection however gender distributions of eating disorders show about 10 per cent of people with anorexia are men.

Doctors fail to recognize male eating disorders

To date the evidence suggests that the gender bias of clinicians mean that diagnosing either bulimia or anorexia in men is less likely despite identical behavior. Men are more likely to be diagnosed as suffering depression with associated appetite changes than receive a primary diagnosis of an eating disorder.

Eating disorders and occupation

There are a few occupations in which the demand for low body weights can lead to anorexia or bulimia; among them are horse racing, modelling, dancing, distance running and driving.

Cultural, social issues and eating disorder

In part, the hidden problem of eating disorders in men is cultural. Women tend to discuss emotions and psychological problems more than men. Anorexia and bulimia are perceived as a woman's problems. Discussion of weight issues, weight control, linking thinness with beauty are common features in women's magazines and so are eating disorders. Young women can therefore adopt the same behavior without it being seen as too socially unacceptable.

Little recognition male eating disorders

The lack of visibility of anorexia or bulimia in the male world means a number of things. Men do not discuss eating disorders. Men tend not to share the information with other men because the subject is a female issue. Men's beauty has to do with body mass, muscle bulge and definition, not weight loss. This male world, socially defined as powerful and masculine results in men not seeking help because of their reluctance to admit to the problem.

Research into male eating disorders

A large US study of adolescents reported in 1995 does show that significant numbers of young males experiencing problem weight control behavior.
2%-3% of males diet all the time or more than ten times a year

5%-14% of males deliberately vomit after eating

12%-21% had a history of binge eating

A study published in the April 2001 American Journal of Psychiatry found many psychological similarities between men and women with eating disorders, with both groups experiencing similar symptoms.

Getting Help for male eating problems

If you are experiencing problems with weight control you are not alone. Get help by contacting your family doctor, a psychologist, mental health center or a doctor specializing in eating disorders.

When spots, lumps or rashes appear on the penis one of the first concerns many men have is whether they have a sexually transmitted disease. In most cases most spots are both common and harmless. It is the size, shape and color of the spot that helps to determine whether there is something to be concerned about.

Tiny nodules beneath the skin which appear over the scrotum and the base of the shaft of the penis are normal hair follicles.

Small pearly spots around the crown of the glans affect about 10% of all men around the ages of 20-40. These 'pearly penile papules' if diagnosed, are not infectious and require no treatment.

Small red or purple spots on the penis can appear on the glans, shaft or scrotum and usually affect younger men. Known as Fordyce spots they may appear in one's or two's but they frequently occur in patches of up to 100. These spots come about as a result of dilated blood vessels. They can look a little unsightly but they are completely harmless. No easy way is known of removing this type of spot.

A small-medium sized raised spot on the scrotum, sometimes filled with pus, is most likely just a spot or a boil.

Thick red patches with a well defined edge could spell psoriasis. Psoriasis can be inherited but is rarely serious. Typically, psoriasis of the penis will be treated by a steroid cream.

Pink-brown or skin-colored lumps with a moist surface could suggest genital warts.

A single, round and painless ulcer of the penis or scrotum could be primary syphilis.

A painless irregular genital ulcer could be penile cancer.

A single, painless but foul-smelling ulcer could be the result of a tropical disease and may be a sexually transmitted disease if sexual contact has occurred in the tropics.

Small blisters forming painful ulcers sounds like herpes simplex. This is the commonest form of genital ulceration. This is highly infectious and usually transmitted sexually. The first episode is often associated with a feverish illness.

Small gray ulcers with a red halo could be apthous ulcers. These occur in crops and can get better by themselves. However, because they are easily confused with herpes simplex a lab test is needed to determine a proper diagnosis.

Small raised papules often with a central depression could be molloscum contagiosum. This is a harmless and common viral disease in children most commonly spread through sexual contact in adults.

Irritating and burning red rash could be a condition know as balanitis.

The list above is not exhaustive. Self diagnosis of spots, lumps or rashes is not a good idea and sometimes a proper diagnosis can only be made with clinical tests. As with all genital signs and symptoms seek medical advice and practice safe sex.

Source: About.com

Besides sperm, semen is made up of 65 per cent of fluid from the seminal vesicles, 30 to 35 per cent from the prostate and 5 per cent from the vasa. Semen contains citric acid, free amino acids, fructose, enzymes, phosphorylcholine, prostaglandin, potassium, and zinc. The amount of semen produced varies from a few drops to about 6 ml.

One amount of ejaculate may contain between 40 million to 600 million sperm depending on the volume and the length of time stored before ejaculating. Yet, the quantity of sperm produced will only cover the head of a pin. Samples used for medical study are obtained by requiring the donor to masturbate, or if a sample cannot managed without intercourse, then non-reactive condoms can be used.

Normal Semen
The Look: Semen is usually a cloudy white fluid that within 30 minutes becomes runny and clear.

The Smell: Chlorine type smell in semen is normal.

The Taste: Slightly sweet due to fructose. The taste of semen tends to change slightly from person to person.

What is Considered Abnormal Semen?
Low Volume of Ejaculate

A decrease in semen, or an absence of semen from the seminal vesicle, can sometimes be due to a blockage.

Watery Semen

Watery semen is usually a sign of retrograde ejaculationin which the ejaculate goes backwards into the bladder. This is not dangerous, but abnormal liquefaction of semen may also be caused by prostate abnormalities, such as prostatitis.

Thick or Lumpy Semen

The viscosity of semen can vary for a number of different reasons. Consistently thick semen does restrict the ability of the sperm to move about, so this can be important if you and your partner are trying for a baby. Volume may also be low due to low hydration, fluids used up during sex may result in a small amount of ejaculate, or if you repeat the sex act and/or ejaculate in a short period of time this will also effect the amount produced. Volume and sperm production can decline with age, but potency is not necessarily affected. If you are concerned do consult your doctor especially in the case of:

Red or Brown Colored Semen

If your semen is stained with a red or brown colored fluid it may be caused by blood. Sometimes a small blood vessel may burst when you ejaculate. Within a day or two the semen should return to its normal state, so there should be no need to worry. If it continues then you should see your doctor. Blood in semen may be present for many different reasons, such as infection, trauma and sometimes, but rarely, cancer.

Yellowish or Green Colored Semen

Normal semen may have an off-white or yellow hint to the color. Where semen is uncharacteristically yellow or greenish in color it is a sign of infection, often due to a sexually transmitted disease called gonorrhea. Go to your local STD clinic. If it is gohorrhea, treatment is simple with the use of antibiotics.

Foul Smelling Semen

Foul smelling semen is nearly always a sign of infection. Go and see your doctor.

Source: About.com