Latest Questions and Comments

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for getting in contact. Genital warts are one of the most common STI (sexualy transmitted infections) due to it be easily spread via skin to skin contact, so please try not to feel too embarassed. Many people use the internet now to self diagnoise, we hear this often at Men's Sexual Health, and it can be a very dangerous thing to do, because if you miss diagnoise, you could either think you have something that isnt serious and decide not to seek treatment, or believe you have something so serious and incurable you drive yourself crazy with panic and stress. So we advice not to self diagnoise, but to go to your local GUM clinic (if you prefer to not see your own gp) you will recieve completly confidiential advice and treatment, Genital warts is not something you can treat at home or go to boots to get a cream, you must go to a clinic. And don't feel embarrased as the nurse and doctors their have seen such STI's millions of times and are professionals who will treat you with respect and understanding on how difficult it can be to seek help. Gential warts can sometimes reduce or go after time, but do not think this is a good thing, the virus that causes warts HPV can be serious if passed on, especially to a female partner, HPV in a woman can lead to civical cancer, so if you have any concerns about who you have caught these warts from or if you may have already passed them on before you realised you had them, you must as tough as it may be, inform and encourage any partners to also seek medical advice and treatment. Informing partners is the biggest reason why STI's continue to spread, along with not seeking treatment. You have done the right thing in getting in contact with us, but yes we would advice you to go to your local clinic and get treatment next. If you need help finding your local clinic or if you would like to make the appoinment for you or attend with you if you need the support please do get back in touch.

Answered by Matt Othold on 11th May 2012 at 11:46

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hi, thank you for getting in touch. It is difficult to diagnose what you and your partner have, and it may be that you don't both have the same infection. There are a few Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's) that can cause pain when urinating (such as chlamydia) , and there are also some that can cause spots/rash/blisters (such as herpes), however it is possible it is not an STI and its some other form of urinary infection. I would suggest both you and your partner either visit your GP or local sexual health clinic and get a proper diagnosis and seek treatment. Leaving things like this alone is not advised, even if the symptoms go away, we advice you to make an appoinment as soon as you are free to do so. If you are local to Swindon and would like more support, an appoinment to be made for you, or someone to accompany you to the health clinic then please get back in touch.

Answered by Matt Othold on 25th April 2012 at 11:23

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Viagra is intended to be taken orally with a drink whole, but some people do split or crush the pill, and some people find when doing this that it is absorbed quicker and thus the effects occur quicker too, but also depends how big a meal you had and how long was that meal since taking the pill. Some people also find they have less side effects from taking it like this rather than taking it whole, but this will vary with each individual. If you do suffer from a gag reflex and unable to take a whole pill, then I don't think there is any problem with crushing the pill. It may be best to discuss this with your GP for further confirmation.

Answered by Matt Othold on 11th April 2012 at 17:06

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting in touch with us about your concern. It sounds like you are experiencing premature ejaculation, which can affect as much as 40 to 50% of the male population at some point in their life. The causes can range from psychological to physical to environmental. As this problem has started later in life and now been with you for a few months, there is no doubt that there is a psychological element to it, which is creating a vicious cycle, and, without help, it may have a knock on effect in other areas of your life, as you may already be experiencing by feelin this is now out of your control. There are several treatments to help with this issue, dependant on what the cause is, from exercises to medication. It would be best to book an appointment with your GP to discuss your condition, as they will be able to take a full history and advise the most appropriate treatment dependant on the origin of your condition. We fully appreciate that it can be difficult to seek advice face to face, but please be assured that this problem affects many men, and your GP will be very sensitive to your concerns. In the meantime, some things you can try to help yourself are: Masturbate a few hours before you have sex, in an attempt to be less likely to orgasm too quickly. Try to have sex with your girlfriend on top, so she is more in control of the movements and this may help to slow things down. Our final recommendation, whilst you are waiting to seek further advice, is to try using condoms and/or lubricants that have a small amount of numbing agent in them, to help dull sensitivity and delay orgasm, such as Delay by Pasante and Performa by Durex. Even though you are in a committed relationship, we advocate safe sex at Men's Sexual Health, so advise condom use as a matter of course. These condoms can have quite successful results, and, though the numbing sensation may be unusual, rest assured, they are safe to use and feeling will return. We hope this helps you. Please feel free to get in touch with any further concerns.

Answered by Mara Ranieri Davey on 6th April 2012 at 16:11 Edited by MSH

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hi, thank you for posting your question. The role's of Top (active) and Bottom (passive) in a relationship are differnt for each couple and for each person, there is no correct role to play, other than the role you are comfortable with yourself, you should never feel pressured to fit into a role you do not feel 100% comfortable with. Some men are 100% top and will never want to bottom and this can be for many reasons, each man with have his own answer, the same goes for some men who are 100% bottom. However some men are also versitile and will do either, you may also find men who will put it into a percentage when asked about their role saying "I'm 70% top, and 30% bottom" so guy who generally prefers to top than bottom, but is willing to bottom when he wants to. Also however, some, not all, will change roles as they get older, this could be because they acquire a new partner who is a differnt role, or because they want to experiment. For those that do try a different role, some will enjoy it and become versitile, and some will not enjoy and stick to the role than had before. Ultimately everyone is an individual and will chose their own role, and this could change over the course of the years, but not always. From what you have said, it sounds like you are finding it difficult to top, this could be for many reasons, but it sounds mainly psychological, you for whatever reason do not feel comfortable taking on that role. You should find a time, not during sex, to sit down with your partner and discus this issue, he should understand your concerns and uncertainty and acknowledge the role you are most comfortable with, you should never feel pressure to peform a role you are not happy to do, explain this to him and hopefully he will understand. Over time, you may feel for willing and wanting to try and top, but you may not as this is not a negative thing. If you partner is wanting to bottom and you are not keen to top then maybe suggest introducing some sex toys into the relationship, purchasing a dildo could fufil that desire your partner has. I hope he understands, and you can go on to have a healthy safe sex life. Feel free to get back in touch if you have any further comments or questions.

Answered by Matt Othold on 15th March 2012 at 10:34

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hi, thanks for getting in touch. Many men at some stage in their life will encounter erection problems for one reason or another, and its either a psychological problem, or a physiological problem that is causing this. You say this is the first time its happened to him, but start by saying you are having problems and process of over coming them, if he is feeling at all pressured/stressed/inadequate this could be having a knock on effect and be causing his erectile dysfunction. Regarding his dbol usage, it is not stated as a side effect, however other users have suffered a loss of libido (sex drive) and erections when taking this, as it can result in lowered levels of testosterone, however you say he's been taking it a while and this is the firs time its happened, does he find he has strong erections when he masterbates? Does he feel is sex drive has decresed?. A few ideas, maybe get him to refrain from taking dbol for a while if this is possible to see if he's levels pick back up. Going back to your opening line, have you thought about counselling to help work past whatever issues there as, as like I said if this is playing on his mind, it could be what is causing his loss of erections. Feel free to get back in touch if you have any more info or questions about this. I hope things improve for you both in the near future.

Answered by Matt Othold on 5th March 2012 at 13:35

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting in touch. There could be a couple of reasons behind this, and the most common is what you have suggested yourself, diet. Depending on the type of food we put in our bodys, it can affect the colour, size, shape, of our stool (poo), try eating a more varied diet for a couple of weeks, with a variety of protein, fibre and carbs, eating fresh fruit and veg, try to avoid processed foods. And ensure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, at least 6-8 glasses is recommended. Some men who have anal sex also like to ensure there anal passage is clear by using a male douche, you can find a variety of differnt ones online and this might help prepare you for sex if that is what you are concerned about, but please ensure you use them correctly and do not damage yourself in the process and if embarking on anal sex ensure you use lubricant and condoms, anal sex is very risky and many STI's including HIV can be passed on through having unprotected anal sex. However if you are finding a change in diet is not improving the situation, you may want to consider going to your GP, you do not need to mention you intention for anal sex to them, just that you are suffering from a dirty anal passage even after showering and cleaning, as you may be suffering from some kind of anal weakening or other anal concern that he will be able to discuss with you. Please get in touch if you have any further questions or concerns.

Answered by Matt Othold on 23rd January 2012 at 15:53

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting in touch. If you are getting a burning sensation in the penis, then it is probably because you have a bacterial infection of some kind, and this could be an STI (sexual transmitted infection) Not all STI's have symptoms, but suffering from a burning sensation is commonly associated with Chlamydia, some of symptoms of chlamydia can include: * A clear or milky discharge from the penis * A burning feeling when urinating * The need to urinate more than usual * Swollen or painful testicles * Pain, itching, bleeding, and/or mucus discharge of the rectum (for chlamydia in the anus) * Redness, itching, and/or discharges of the eyes (for chlamydia in the eyes) And as you state you have a burning eye, you could also have chlamdyia in the eye. We would recommend you book yourself into a Sexual Health clinic, known as GUM clinic, or see you GP as soon as possible to be tested and they will be able to tell you if it is a STI or some other kind of infection, in the mean time we would recommend that you abstain from having any form of sexual activity untill you see a doctor. And to prevent any possible future STIs occuring we would suggest using condoms as contraception but also barrier method from catching or passing on STI's. If you are Swindon based we can provide you with confidential information on your local GUM clinic, book you an appointment and even provide a GUM buddy to accompany you if you would like this service. Feel free to get back in touch if you would like any more information or advice.

Answered by Matt Othold on 23rd January 2012 at 15:39

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting in touch. Because you have given us very little information, it is difficult to provide you with more detailed assessment of your condition. Mens Penis come in all different shapes and sizes, most curve up when erect, some to the side and some not at all. However if you are noticing more of a bend, a distinct curvature when erect, that is either painful, making sex difficult, urination tricky, and wasn't previously like this, then it could be a sign of Peyronies Disease. It is more common than most think, one in a hundred men suffer from it, but because men don't typiclally discuss concerns it doesnt get discovered. It usually occurs in middle age, although younger and older men can develop it too. It is a connective tissue disorder involving the growth of fibrous plaques in the soft tissue of the penis, usually on the upper or lower side. Treatment is usually surgery based, but not the only option. However like said at the begining, due to the lack of detail you provide, it doesnt mean this is what you have, but its an option. Consider the questions asked, does it hurt, is urination difficult, is sex painful? Regardless of the answers you should see you GP/Doctor soon to discuss the concerns where he will be able to give a proper diagnosis. Feel free to get back in touch and provide more details or ask further questions.

Answered by Matt Othold on 7th November 2011 at 09:19

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting in touch, during anal sex, the anus, sphincter, and rectum are stretched, and air may be introduced from the movements. After a penis, dildo, or something else has been removed, the air inside has to go somewhere, for your body to return to its unexpanded state. The air that no longer fits needs to be expelled hence the wind. Your post-anal sex flatulence could also be related to your sphincter, the muscles that control the anus's opening. During anal sex, the sphincter muscles loosen, allowing for penetration. Any gas you have afterwards flows more freely as your sphincter may not be tight enough at that moment to control the farts. Doing Kegel exercises strengthens your pelvic muscle tone, including your anal sphincter. Kegeling can also help your pelvic muscles relax before anal sex, as well as maintain your anal sphincter muscles' elasticity. Kegel exercises were developed by Dr. Arnold Kegel, mainly to help women, especially after childbirth, regain bladder control by strengthening their pelvic muscles. Dr. Kegel later discovered that his exercises also increased orgasm intensity. There are many variations, but the exercises are similar. For women and men: Locate your pelvic muscles by stopping the flow of urine midstream. Contract the pelvic muscles hard for one second and then release them, ten times in a row, three times a day. Gradually increase the number of contractions so that by the end of one month, you are doing ten contractions, twenty times a day. Vary the exercise by holding the contraction for a count of three and then releasing it. You can mix the exercises up, some short and some long. Do the Kegels for a minimum of six weeks. Results will not be immediate, but eventually, you will be able to notice a difference. I hope the above information helps, try not to be embarassed, many men find this an issue, and your partner should understand. Please get back in touch if we can help further.

Answered by Matt Othold on 24th October 2011 at 11:15