Syphilis is a STD caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It has several stages, like primary, secondary, latent and tertiary and is common in homosexual men. It should be remembered that Syphilis is curable. It can be treated, if diagnosed in early stage. It can be cured, if medical help is sought for. Sharing toilets, clothes, or utensils doesn t cause this disease. It will vanish forever, if treated at once. However, it can be reinfected if exposed to the bacteria through new syphilis sore. It can also spread, if transmitted by direct touch or contact with Syphilitic sore via anus, skin surface, vagina, mouth and lips. It is very rare though that syphilis can be spread during a kiss.

Syphilis can live within the body for months, even years or decades. Initially, it remains as a painless sore on the genitals like anus, vagina, mouth or skin surface. If present for many years, there is an increased risk of contracting HIV.

Causes
The major causes of syphilis are unsafe sex with homosexual partners and the practice of having unprotected sex like anal, vaginal and oral sex. Individuals who have multiple sexual partners and are specially sexually linked to HIV-infected persons have the highest risk of contracting Syphillis.

It can not only be spread through multiple sexual unsafe intercourses, but also has its high risk in spreading from mother to baby during pregnancy; commonly unknown as congenital syphilis. In such cases, the baby has low birth weight and can develop cataract, deafness or seizures. In some cases, even new born babies die from the disease.

Diagnosis
The doctor will first conduct a physical examination of the patient. Thereafter, blood and urine are collected for bacterial test. If a sore is found on the body, the doctor may collect a sample from the sore to examine the presence of syphilis bacteria. If there are nervous system disorders in the patient, a spinal tap or lumbar puncture is done to collect the spinal fluid. The fluid is then tested for syphilis bacteria.

Treatments for syphilis
Initially, syphilis is treated with penicillin. It has to be kept in mind that long-term exposure to the disease can have life-threatening consequences. Patients suffering from syphilis are either given a single dose or multiple doses of penicillin. The quantum of the dose depends on the nature of symptoms and the infection. Individuals must use condoms to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease while having sexual intercourse. In the case of penicillin allergy, the patient is recommended to have alternative medicines. Infants and newborns born with syphilis undergo antibiotic treatment.

Syphilis - How to Diagnose And Treat It?

Intercourse is meant to be a pleasurable and intimate experience. But it might become an unpleasant act if you are suffering from performance anxiety. When you are mentally occupied by questions such as "Do I look too fat?" or "Did I do that right?", sex stops being a gratifying experience.

Incessant anxiety over your ability or appearance can result in sex becoming nerve-wracking and stressful for you. It might even have you avoiding sex altogether. This psychological condition is termed as sexual performance anxiety.

Sex isn't only a physical reaction, there are emotions tied to it as well. If you are too stressed out and your mind is preoccupied, your body reflects your inner turmoil and you cannot get aroused.

Causes
The causes of sexual performance anxiety include:
1. Fear that you wouldn't be able to satisfy your partner and perform well sexually
2. Body image issues (Such as stressing about your weight)
3. Problems in your relationship
4. Men worry that their penis don't 'measure' up
5. Men might be concerned about taking too much time to orgasm, or about premature ejaculation
6. Women worry about not enjoying the experience or being unable to have an orgasm

Symptoms
Your mental state has a deep impact on your physical state. The effect of stress hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine can hinder your sexual performance. Symptoms of sexual performance anxiety include:

1. In men, blood vessels constrict due to the effect of stress hormones. This leads to reduced blood flow to the penis, thus making it difficult for the man to get an erection.

2. Often though it is less diagnosed in women, sexual performance anxiety leads to trouble in lubrication during sex. Lack of lubrication dims the desire to have sex.

Sexual performance anxiety is a vicious, inescapable cycle. Increased anxiety hampers you from having sex, making you think you won't be able to perform well, which causes even more anxiety.

Treatment
Consult a doctor you will be comfortable with discussing your problems. Sexual performance can be either treated by medication (if you have an underlying medical condition such as erectile dysfunction) or through therapy.

Talking to a therapist or counsellor about your problems can help you in several ways. You can learn to become more comfortable with yourself and your body. You can also understand your problems better, which can eliminate your anxiety.

All About Sexual Performance Anxiety

One of the most common issues with old age in men is the enlarged prostate. Any difficulty with urination (no constant stream, difficulty initiating, or incomplete emptying of the bladder for instance), and the first suspect is an enlarged prostate. These symptoms are followed by a digital rectal exam to check for an enlarged prostate. Once confirmed, the next step is to check for levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). If both the exam and the PSA are positive, it could mean prostate cancer. As with any cancer, it is believed that sooner it is diagnosed and the treatment is started, the better.

Historically, the best way to rule out the prostate cancer had been to do a prostate biopsy. This is a minor invasive procedure, wherein biopsies are taken from various regions of the prostate which are known to develop cancer (about 12). A disadvantage of this procedure includes missing out on the front part of the prostate which can also develop cancer. Secondly, it is not a very pleasant experience and given a chance, most men would not want to have it done.

There is good news for these men who would like to avoid prostate biopsies. The first is the multiparametric MRI which uses no x-rays and is considered very safe with extremely accurate results. This MRI exam requires about an hour, and once the images are obtained, the doctor will analyse these images and check for several parameters to assess for prostate cancer. The absence of cancer can be confirmed with up to 90% accuracy, which is far greater than with usual biopsies. If there is a possibility of cancer, then a biopsy can be done to confirm it. 

Also, these images indicate the exact region where cancer likely is, and this guides the doctor to biopsy only where absolutely essential. The chances of false positive and false negative results are reduced drastically. The one disadvantage here is that MRI detected biopsies usually tend to be of a higher grade which requires immediate treatment.

Another way to reduce chances of the biopsy by 30% to 50% is by the 4K test. It helps detect a variety of prostate issues including cancer. It can be used once higher levels of PSA is identified and before going for a biopsy. It combined 4 prostate-specific biomarkers with clinical information to accurately provide men with a risk of developing prostate cancer. It can be used even after negative biopsies to confirm the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

These two measures can drastically reduce the incidence of prostate biopsies, which is neither pleasant for the patient nor very effective for the doctor.

Prostate Biopsies - Ways You Can Avoid It!

Gonorrhea : Disease + Symptoms

Gonorrhea is a contagious disease that can affect both men and women. It is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae that can easily grow in the mucus membranes of the human body.

It is mostly transmitted when an uninfected person gets in sexual contact with an infected person. It can also be spread when a mother's infected body fluids come in contact with her newborn during childbirth.

It is a common infection and the symptoms vary for both men and women. The symptoms are:

Symptoms in Women:

- White or greenish-yellow vaginal discharge
- Burning sensation while urinating
- Pain in the lower abdomen and in the pelvic region
- Occurrence of Conjunctivitis
- Spotting or light bleeding after sexual intercourse
- Bleeding between periods
- Vulvitis

Symptoms in Men:

- White or greenish-yellow discharge from the penis
- Swelling and pain in the testicles
- Burning sensation while urinating

The symptoms come to notice usually within 2 to 10 days of the infection in case of women and it takes approximately 14 days for them to be recognized in the case of men. However in a few cases, the symptoms may take as long as 30 days to appear or they may appear so negligibly that they are hardly noticeable if they occur at all.



Gonorrhea is Contagious. But is it Only Sexually Transmitted?

Suffering from impotence can be terrible, but you need not to suffer silently as there is a solution for this problem in Acupressure treatment method. An ancient Chinese-inspired treatment, acupressure is a self-healing method, and many ailments can be treated with this process.

Erectile dysfunction or impotence which is the inability to obtain, in some cases, maintain an erection can occur due to numerous factors. Certain lifestyle habits or stressful conditions can also lead to impotence along with low testosterone level, chronic diseases like diabetes and acupressure, the most effective self-healing method can be of immense help when it comes to treating this problem.

9 Acupressure points to treat impotence

Bladder 23 and 47: They are together known as the sea of vitality points that are located on the lower back between the second and third lumbar vertebrae. The points are important for fertility and are used to boost up the immune system and energy.
K1: K1, also known as Bubbling Springs is located at the center of the sole. Pressure on that point treats not only erectile dysfunction but also menopause-related issues like hot flashes, dizziness, etc. in women indicating K1 to be effective for reproductive health.
Bladder 27 and 34: Known as the Sacral Points because the points are on the sacrum that is located at the base of the spine. Acupressure on these points helps relieve from impotence, sacral pain, sexual-reproductive problems and so on.
CV4: Conception Vessel 4 is an important point located four finger widths below the belly button. The point is known as the Gate Origin and is one of the most useful points to treat erectile dysfunction, urinary inconsistency, etc.
CV6: Conception Vessel 6 is another important point of acupressure for impotence and is located three finger widths below the belly button. It is useful for treating seminal emission, impotence, night-time urination.
K3: Kidney 3 is a vital acupressure point. It is known as Bigger Stream and is situated midway between the Achilles  tendon and the inside of the anklebone. It relieves sexual tension, loss of libido and fatigue.
Sp12: Spleen 12, known as the Rushing Door is located in the pelvic area in the middle of the crease where the leg joins the trunk of the body. It is a significant pressure point for treating male infertile issues.
Sp13: Spleen 13, like Spleen 12 is also located in the pelvic region in the middle of the crease where the leg joins the trunk of the body. Stimulating this particular point helps in curing impotence and abdominal discomfort.
St36: Stomach 36 is a vital acupressure point for treating several health problems. Situated four finger widths from the kneecap and one finger width outside the shin bone, the point is known as the Three Mile Point. It helps in improving the functions of the reproductive system.
Impotence is one such condition which can be completely cured with holistic healing and acupressure is a time-tested treatment for impotence. If you are facing the problem of impotence, you can schedule an appointment with an acupressure expert and seek treatment that will lead to a definitive cure.

Erectile Dysfunction - 9 Acupressure Points Can Help Treat It?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH is a condition where the prostate gland gets enlarged. This is mostly common in men who are ageing. When the prostate gland gets enlarged, the flow of urine through the urethra gets blocked, and hence, several problems related to urination may occur. BPH occurs as a result of hormonal imbalance. If untreated, BPH can lead to severe bladder and urinary health conditions.
There are several symptoms and signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Here are 7 common symptoms:

1. A frequent need for urination: Men affected by BPH feel an increased need to urinate frequently. This gets enhanced during the night and is called nocturia. The patient may even need to urinate more than eight times a day. Due to the enlarged prostate gland, more pressure is put on the urethra, which leads to uncontrollable urination.
2. Urinating difficulties: The act of urination becomes difficult. Because of enhanced pressure on the urethra, the flow of urine to the penis from the bladder gets blocked. This makes a urine stream hard to start. The urine stream gets weak and interrupted, and more difficulty may be experienced during the end of urination.
3. Pain during urination and ejaculation: Due to pressure on the urinary tract and reproductive system, pain can accompany urination and ejaculation. Some patients tend to push urine out, which results in pain. The pain may also occur because of infection during BPH.
4. Blood in urine and an unusual color/smell: Urine may take a dark color and have an unusual smell due to urinary retention. Unpleasant urine smell signifies urinary tract infection. Blood in the urine may also result because of dilated veins present on the surface of the enlarged prostate.
5. Urinary retention: When a patient is unable to pass any urine, it is called urinary retention. Such a condition requires immediate treatment, and you need to consult a doctor immediately.
6. Urinary tract infections: Bacteria may start growing in the bladder when the bladder is not fully emptied of urine. This bacterial infection causes darkening of the urine, and emission of a foul odor.
7. Bladder stones: Bladder stones may develop because of the inability of the bladder to empty itself completely. This is a major symptom of BPH. Hard lumps of minerals or bladder stones are formed when the urine present in the bladder gets highly concentrated, which causes the crystallization of minerals. Bladder stones may cause infections, result in blood in urine, cause bladder irritation and may also block urine flow.

So you see that benign prostatic hyperplasia involves the enlargement of the prostate gland, and results in several problems related to urination and different symptoms. Hence, immediate treatment is advisable.

7 Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

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