A few physical conditions can render intense mental distress as well, and one such condition is Erectile Dysfunction in men. A majority of the men facing the problem feel uncomfortable disclosing the problem of erectile dysfunction. Affecting more than 30 million men worldwide, ED or erectile dysfunction continues to damage their sexual life. However, this condition is very much treatable and nothing at all to hide or embarrassed about.

How can you know that you have erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction refers to a man's failure of having a firm erection for having sexual intercourse. Problems with having an erection are nothing uncommon and are experienced by men half of the time. But when this male sexual problem becomes extremely frequent, then it is termed as erectile dysfunction.

The symptoms caused by erectile dysfunction can vary from one person to another. However, some of the common symptoms that can make one certain that he may be suffering from ED are reduced interest in intercourse or sex, facing difficulty in getting a firm erection and trouble in maintaining the erection for long during different sexual activities. Apart from these, some sexual disorders like delayed ejaculation or premature ejaculation and inability to achieve an orgasm, even after enough stimulation are some its symptoms too.

What causes Erectile Dysfunction?
When it comes to the causes of erectile dysfunction, there is a variety of them. For every different individual, the factors making him suffer from erectile dysfunction can be different. Some of the very common causes of erectile dysfunction are, suffering from hypertension, anxiety due to relationship problems, alcohol or drug use, excessive stress, cardiovascular disease, being overweight, any injury or damage due to cancer or any kind of surgery etc. It is not necessary that any one cause to be responsible behind ED, several factors can also cause erectile dysfunction.

Treatment options-
Depending on the underlying cause of erectile dysfunction, there are various treatment options available. From different oral medications to implants or surgeries, psychological counseling, various treatments are now available for treating erectile dysfunction. There are even different erection creating device and exercises that can put an end to erection dysfunction. There are also penile implants and alternative medications available. However, one must look for the guidance of a medical professional before opting for any of the treatment options. Because it is only a medical professional who can analyze the condition of ED, find out the exact cause behind it and suggest the best treatment that can help one in dealing with this condition.

Experiencing trouble in erection from time to time is nothing to be concerned about. However, when this condition turns into an ongoing one that happens every time one feels interested in intercourse or is sexually aroused, then the person should not hesitate anymore in seeking a consultation with a doctor.

Erectile Dysfunction- Causes, Symptoms and Treatment!

Female genital sores are painful eruptions that bear a red appearance which may cause severe itching and pain. These lumps and sores may be caused due to sexually transmitted diseases and other ailments like allergic reactions, dermatitis, and other irritants. These lesions are usually found in the vaginal area and may also be caused to a number of skin disorders which all affect this region. Let us find out how to treat this painful condition.

Recognising the sores and lumps: 

Many of these cases go unreported because the patient may feel embarrassed or ashamed to come up with the problem. But one must recognise the symptoms and the appearance of such sores so that the doctor may take a look at the earliest signs of eruption, so as to avoid a flare up and increase in the severity of the condition. The symptoms include pain and itchiness in the area as well as burning and bleeding along with pain in the pelvic area and discomfort during sexual intercourse and urination.

Causes: 

There are many reasons for these eruptions. Sexually transmitted diseases or stds remain the top causes. Genital warts, genital herpes and chancroid which is a bacterial disease, can also cause this condition. Further, syphilis and molluscum contagiosum is a viral infection with pearl shaped nodules, which can also cause such eruptions and lumps in the genital area. Apart from stds, other chronic conditions like inflammation of the vulva known as vulvovaginitis, and contact dermatitis as well as atopic dermatitis, can cause this condition.

Diagnosis: 

The diagnosis will usually be done with a pelvic examination as well as urine culture to show the presence of bacteria. Also, other blood tests may be done to detect the presence of cysts. The patient's medical history will also be taken into account, for such cases.

Treatment: 

The doctor will prescribe a host of medicines including antibiotics and anti-viral medicines along with corticosteroids and pain relievers to help in treating these sores. Also, anti-itching ointments and medicines will be prescribed to make the condition less painful. These sores may also have to be removed with a minor surgical procedure at the doctor's clinic, in case they are too bothersome or painful.

Home remedies: 

The best way to take care of these sores is by taking a sitz bath with warm water and wearing clothes that will not brush against the area, which can cause further abrasions and discomfort.

One can prevent this condition by practicing safe sex with one partner at a time. Using condoms is strongly recommended along with routine testing and check-ups. All sexual contact should be avoided until the condition is cured completely.

Ways to Treat Sores and Lumps on Genitals

A gland that produces a liquid which mixes with sperm and is ejaculated as semen during sexual activity, is the prostate gland and is located under the bladder of a man. Cancer in the prostate is one of the most common cancers that occur among men.

The risk of developing prostate cancer increases progressively with age. Although there is no absolute prevention of prostate cancer, evidence and doctors suggest that a healthy diet can play a key role. Here are a few tips that can go a long way in prevention of prostate cancer:

Red Foods: Tomatoes, carrot, watermelon, and other red foods get their bright color from a powerful antioxidant called lycopene. Studies have proved that by having fruits that contain lycopene, you can reduce your risk of prostate cancer. Some findings suggest that cooking tomatoes make it easier for your body to absorb this antioxidant.
Fruits and Vegetables: Green vegetables contain compounds called carcinogens, which help your body in breaking down cancer-causing substances. Spreading of cancer can be slowed down through a nutrient-rich diet. Avoiding processed junk food and eating fruits and vegetables containing nutrients and vitamins may lower the risk of getting prostate cancer.
Feast on Fish: Fatty acid, also known as omega-3, is found in certain fish including sardines, tuna, mackerel, trout, and salmon. This may help in reducing the risk of developing prostate cancer.
Soy and Tea: Some studies suggest that men who drink green tea or take green tea extract supplements have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Many soy products and other foods contain a nutrient called isoflavones, which has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
Coffee: Studies show that drinking three cups of coffee a day can reduce the chances of prostate cancer by 11 percent. There is a dose-response relationship between coffee and prostate cancer. The effects of prostate cancer go up or down with the amount of coffee you take. Someone who grabs an occasional cup only, may not have these effects. However, high doses of caffeine can result in major health issues.
Fat: Studies indicate that animal fats and an increased risk of prostate cancer are linked. It is advised to replace animal-based fats with any kind of plant-based fat. In addition to this, overcooking the meat produces carcinogens, therefore it is suggested to be strictly avoided.
Quit Smoking: Smokers are more likely to have an aggressive form of prostate cancer. The chances of a recurrence of the disease are more for people who smoke. It is never too late to quit smoking.
Exercise: Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy body can help you to increase your muscle mass and metabolism. Too much fat in the middle of your body is linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer. You can try walking, running, bicycling or swimming to reduce the weight to lead a healthy life.
It is important to look after yourself and start taking essential steps to prevent prostate cancer rather than trying to manage it once you get it.

8 Easy Ways By Which You Can Prevent Prostate Cancer!

Anal herpes and anal warts are sexually transmitted diseases. These both diseases affect the genitals. As these are sexually transmitted diseases, these are transmitted through sexual contact.

Anal Herpes:

It is an infection caused by herpes virus, which is caused by the sore or blisters formed around the anus. This infection is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 or 2 viruses.
The symptoms of anal herpes include red bumps or white blisters, itching and pain around the anal area, development of ulcer at the site of blisters, a coating that covers the ulcers ruptures or is bleeding, any change in the bowel habit.
Treatment

Antiviral therapy is one of the primary treatment for anal herpes. The virus responsible mainly for herpes is herpes simplex virus type II. Antiviral medications are given to patients, these medicines fight the virus. The symptoms of herpes are reduced with this therapy.
Regular use of antiviral medication is referred to as suppressive therapy. As the name suggests, people on suppressive therapy, reduce the risk of passing the infection to their sexual partner.
In severe anal herpes, the doctor might give intravenous antiviral therapy to control the infection.However, the herpes virus cannot be cured as it is considered a lifelong infection. The virus stays in the nerve cells for lifelong and is inactive for long periods of time. It only outbreaks when it is triggered by an externalfactor such as illness, stress, or sun exposure.
Prevention
As anal herpes is transmitted through sexual contact, one can lower the risk of this disease. Safety measures can be used are:

Wear a condom or use barrier protection during every sexual intercourse, including anal or oral sex.
Reduce the number of sexual partners.
If one maintains monogamy, the risk is minimal for transmitting anal herpes.
One should abstain from sex altogether, if possible.
Anal Warts:
Anal warts are small warts that occur around the anus. Another name for anal wart is condyloma acuminate. In many cases, anal warts don t cause any pain or discomfort. But, they cause irritation when they grow in size and might be itchy and/or bleed. However, if there are no symptoms seen, people suffering from anal wart might not even know that they have warts. Anal warts might occur only at a spot or even spread to different parts of the genitals such as buttocks, anus, and inner thighs over a period of time.

Symptoms
The anal warts are small bumps initially, a size of the head of a pin, which is not even noticed. However, as they grow, they can develop to a size of a cauliflower-likean appearance, when several warts are clustered together to form a huge lump. These warts are peach colored and the color may vary from yellow, light brown, or pink and it might even blend with the skin color. Usually the anal warts are without any pain or discomfort, however, other rare occurring symptoms are itching, discharge from the anus, or bleeding. Anal warts in women might appear on vagina, vulva, or at the cervix, whereas in men it can develop on penis, scrotum, groin area, or thighs.

Treatment
Topical medication can be used to treat anal warts, such as imiquimod, podofilox, podophyllum, etc. Another treatment of anal wart that depends upon the location and severity of the condition:

Cryotherapy
Electrocautery
Laser treatments
Surgery can be recommended for larger warts that do not respond to medications.

Anal Herpes & Warts - Possible Ways They Can Be Treated!

STDs or STIs are usually transmitted from one person to another through body fluids while being in a physical relationship. Herpes, Chlamydia, HIV and gonorrhea are some of the common STDs you may be susceptible to. These diseases are extremely unpleasant and usually cause long term health issues. Sometimes they might even be fatal. Here are a few ways you could use to prevent yourself from getting affected with STDs:

    Abstinence: The best and most certain way of preventing STDs is practicing abstinence. Although abstinence from any type of sexual activities including oral, vaginal or anal sex is a surefire method of prevention, it is not a very realistic method to do so. If you don't want to practice abstinence, make sure you educate yourself about other prevention methods.
    Single partner: Practicing monogamy in terms of sex is the safest kind of sexual activity. Make sure both you and your partner get tested for any STD. If you and your partner are not suffering from any STD and you both agree to practice monogamy with each other, then you automatically cut down on the risk of suffering from STDs.
    Talk: Talk to your sexual partner about his/her sexual health. Inform him/her about yours as well. Avoid having sex with someone who does not inform you with his or her sexual health information.
    Avoid taking drugs or alcohol: Try not to get drunk or take drugs before having sex. They reduce inhibitions which actually tend to make you reckless. You tend to become more adventurous and do not keep the sexual hygiene in mind at that time. Using a condom in the influence of alcohol and drugs can also result in a condom failure. Be sober enough before you have sex.
    Do not indulge with a person with symptoms: If someone shows symptoms of suffering from any kind of STD, do not indulge in any sexual activity with him or her. Refrain from having sex with him or her until he or she is treated by a doctor.
    Take precaution: Use different forms of protection while having sex to prevent pregnancy as well as STDs. But you have to realize the fact that these forms of protection are not full proof and always have a slight percentage of risk embedded in them.

Be extremely careful before you indulge in any type of sexual activity with anyone. After all, your health is in your hands.

How To Best Prevent Yourself from STDs or STIs

In a conservative society like India, many people thought that the Anti Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) virus would never come to their shores because  Indians don t act in those ways.  However, as moral and sexual attitudes change in the subcontinent, AIDS is fast becoming the new scourge.

When was AIDS first considered as a problem?

AIDS was initially a problem in the early 1980 s with many American scientists noting that many Indian doctors were not aware of the virus s presence because of cultural attitudes that the virus would never come to India. Still, Dr.Gilada, a doctor working with sex workers and their clients did an informal sample survey of government and private doctors in 1985. Her findings revealed that 80% of them were unaware of AIDS presence in India.

Based on this shocking finding, Gilada decided to establish an awareness program on AIDS because she knew that the virus would become a scourge if doctors did not treat it immediately. She wrote an article about the program which was featured in the October 1985 edition of Time magazine. She soon had a meeting with a representative from Abbot Labs who asked him to test sex workers for AIDS. She did so and found that 3 out of 600 tested positive for AIDS.

Shortly afterward, newspapers published that 6 sex workers in Chennai tested positive for AIDS. Notices were sent to representatives of Parliament, and awareness was raised. She examined sex workers in Chennai and found that 1 had AIDS, and 2 had HIV.

AIDS Education in India

Soon afterward, many ignorant doctors were being asked about the subject by the media, so Gilda decided to educate them about it because she already had the ready tests and information about it. Dr. Suniti Solomon was given official credit for detecting the first case because she was a mentor for a PhD student who was writing a dissertation on the subject.

Why AIDS is still a problem in India

The main reason for this is because of the fear of the disease, and the second is because of the social stigma attached to the primary ways in which it is contracted. Gilda believes that many people in India still keep quiet about the disease because of the  carpet culture  which is prevalent in the nation. Gilda realized that controlling AIDS meant working with sex workers because 1 sex worker had the potential to spread the disease to 1,000 people.

How AIDS is currently being dealt with in India

Better education and awareness means that prevalence of the disease has declined by 90% because of people engaging in safer sex. As can be seen, more awareness and better education can make the  king s disease controllable. 

AIDS - How It All Started?

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