Contraception is not only restricted to married couples in today's world. Most of the young couples refrain from seeking medical advice for contraception may be because of social concerns or simply because they feel hesitant and shy.

There are many contraceptive pills available over the counter which youngsters are tempted to buy and use as it seems to be the easy way out. Frequent and improper use of such emergency pills can lead to a lot of hormonal disturbances and the menstrual cycle goes topsy turvy. Then the dilemma starts. As it becomes difficult to interpret the cycle dates and erratic bleeding which happens is disturbing.

In my practice I have seen many young girls popping in pills randomly every now and then. Sometimes at weekly intervals as they are unable to manage the stress of their relationship getting disturbed. What youngsters should try and understand is there is nothing wrong in having pills for contraception but it should be done with proper guidance and the selection of the right pill for that particular individual is important which can be done easily by getting into consultation with a doctor. Need not necessarily be a gynecologist always.

Emergency pills are ok for once in a blue moon kind of use. But it should not become a habit.


Misuse Of Emergency Contraceptive Pills

Vaginismus is a condition where vaginal contractions and squeezes may be caused due to pain during intercourse or due to the insertion of objects like tampons. This mildly uncomfortable condition is also characterised by spams and other symptoms like the feeling of coming up against a thick wall which can cause pain. This may be due to a variety of reasons starting from infections to anxiety. To a large extent, the treatment of this condition depends on the cause. Following are the various ways in which this condition can be treated.

    Sex Therapy: A sexologist or an expert who specialises in psychosexual medicine can help in treating this condition by conducting a series of counselling sessions where psychoanalysis will help in understanding and unravelling the cause of the condition. This may be followed by CBT or cognitive behavioural therapy. This kind of therapy usually helps in reprogramming the brain after the root cause for the condition is known. 
    Exercises: During sex therapy, the doctor may also teach you various kinds of exercises and vaginal trainers that can help you in strengthening the pelvic floor and relaxing the muscles as well. These vaginal trainers are especially helpful in equipping you suitably so that you can relax your vagina and let the insertion happen. Vaginal trainers consist of four smooth balls of plastic which can be inserted with the help of lubricants to help in stretching the vagina. 
    Relaxation: Getting yourself to relax is also a matter of exploration and touching, which can help you understand the kind of touch and the exact areas that make you tense. During sex therapy, you may be taught a technique known as progressive relaxation. This mode includes tensing and relaxing your muscles as you explore by inserting a finger. 
    Sensate Focus: This is a part of sex therapy and involves your partner. In this method, you will be asked to abstain from sex and touch each other without going to the genitals and other private parts. This will help in better arousal and sexual stimulation.
    Surgery: The last option for treating a very severe form of this condition is to put the patient through surgery which will seek to remove endometriosis, as these growths in the womb's lining can cause a lot of pain during intercourse. Also, vaginal enlargement surgery can be carried out with the help of episiotomy. 

This kind of procedure usually helps in fixing the scar tissue that may have been left from a previous procedure, which can restrict or block the vaginal path. Getting help at the right time for this condition is of great importance so as to have a normal sex life.

How to Treat Vaginismus

Gonorrhoea is transmitted infection caused when people come in a physically intimate contact. It can affect both male and female. The most vulnerable organs that are susceptible to gonorrhoea infection include rectum, urethra, and throat. In females, gonorrhoea might affect the cervix as well. Since the infection spreads from having sex, there are wide chances that the baby gets affected too. Although there could be no visible symptoms of gonorrhoea, early detection and treatment increase the chances of a permanent cure.

How does gonorrhoea affect the sexual life?
Once a person gets affected, gonorrhoea may wreak havoc on the sex life of both a male and female. In males, there could be swelling and pain in one testicle leading to difficulty in having sex. Additionally, urination after sex becomes painful. There could be a pus-like discharge from the penis thereby completely obstructing the chances of sex.

In females, there could be abdominal pain during the intercourse. Intercourse itself could be extremely painful. Apart from this, the urination after sex could be very painful. Additionally, there are chances of vaginal discharge after sex. There are high chances of vaginal bleeding after sex followed by itching of the anus. If the bacteria are very active, lymph nodes of the throat getting swollen after oral sex.

The treatment plan for gonorrhoea in adults

Adults infected with the gonorrhoea bacteria are treated with antibiotics. Since gonorrhoea bacteria are increasingly becoming drug-resistant, doctors treat the patient with an antibiotic known as Ceftriaxone in the form of injection.
In addition to this, two antibiotics that are prescribed to be taken in the oral form include Doxycycline and Azithromycin. There are some studies which revealed that injectable Gentamicin along with oral Azithromycin is a successful combination that can treat gonorrhoea. Furthermore, this combination proves to be highly successful in treating patients who are allergic to cephalosporin-based antibiotics.
In addition to the treatment of the infected patient, the partner should also be thoroughly checked for symptoms of gonorrhoea treatment even if there exist no symptoms of the disease as such. There is a high likelihood of one partner getting infected in case the other one is infected.
If a baby gets infected with gonorrhea in the womb, he/she should get immediate eye medication to ensure that there no loss of vision when he/she is born. Babies should also get a dosage of antibiotics.
Some basic hygiene such as not having sex during the course of the treatment, use of protection during sex, avoiding oral sex, avoiding sex with multiple partners etc. should be followed.
Regular consultation with the doctor is necessary till the condition gets cured for good. 

Gonorrhea - How It Is Affecting Your Sexual Life?

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that develop on a woman's ovary. A patient might experience abdominal and pelvic pain, abnormal bleeding, menstrual irregularities, pain during intercourse or irregular bowel movements. These symptoms indicate an ovarian cyst developing inside you. Ovarian cysts are common in women and may develop during menstruation. In many cases, symptoms are not observed, and you may get ovarian cysts without knowing. Usually being harmless, ovarian cysts may sometimes lead to severe health conditions.

Here are 7 important things you should know about ovarian cysts:
1. You should know the reason behind the formation of ovarian cysts. When the follicle does not release the egg, it may grow bigger in size and take the form of a follicular cyst. A corpus luteum cyst may also develop, which is a cavity that gets formed after the egg is ruptured and released from the follicle. The cysts may bleed and cause pelvic pain.

2. It is important for you to know if you have an ovarian cyst. Many ovarian cysts do not show symptoms and go away by themselves. Follicular cysts do not change your menstrual cycle, but corpus luteum cysts may cause bleeding.  

3. You should know how to detect an ovarian cyst. You should visit a gynecologist regularly for diagnosis. Bigger cysts can be diagnosed via a pelvic examination. Ultrasound is also used for detection.  

4. You should have an idea about all the symptoms associated with ovarian cysts. These include fever, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms indicate that you have an infection. Sometimes, a cyst might twist an ovary, which may cut off blood supply to the ovary, causing permanent damage.

5. In case you are at a risk of twisting of the ovaries, you have to undergo a surgery. Surgery is also considered when the cyst lasts longer than three menstrual cycles and it is bigger than four inches in size. The cyst may also pose the risk of being a tumor. The common surgical procedures for ovarian cysts are laparoscopy and laparotomy.  

6. You can prevent ovarian cysts be taking birth control pills, which help in suppressing ovulation and prevent the formation of a cyst. Birth control pills may help only if you are not pregnant.

7. Ovarian cysts are more common in premenopausal women. However, these are possible in postmenopausal women as well, especially in the early postmenopausal stage.  

Sometimes, there might be chances of an ovarian cyst being cancerous in nature, which may lead to ovarian cancer. The risk of cancerous ovarian cysts increases with age. It is recommended to consult a gynecologist for the proper diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cysts in women. Pain medications and heating pads are used as alternative treatment methods for less serious ovarian cysts.

7 Things You Should Know About Ovarian Cysts

Are you experiencing reduced libido along with intense dryness in your genitals? Loss of libido is a tough thing to cope with in women. In spite of having a great sex life, your vaginal area can become nonresponsive because of several reasons. You might not even know what is happening and the reasons which are causing the condition. These conditions are common in the menopause stage in women.

Reasons for decreased libido and vaginal dryness: 

1. Several changes occur in a woman s body during the menopause stage. The sex hormones, which include estrogen and progesterone start decreasing. This may lower your libido, cause vaginal dryness and affect your sex life to a great extent.

2. Testosterone is the sex hormone which turns you on or gets you into the mood for having sex. When the production of this hormone is insufficient, the urge for having sex gets affected and reaching an orgasm gets even harder.

3. The decrease in estrogen production causes several physical changes in a woman. The blood circulation to your sexual organs gets reduced, making you less sensitive to any kind of sexual stimulation. It also leads to vaginal dryness. The walls of the vagina also become thin due to which penetration may get painful.

Remedies for decreased libido

1. You should start practicing breathing exercises and do meditation for at least thirty minutes every day. This will enable you to eliminate stress, which is a primary trigger for decreased libido.

2. For balancing the estrogen levels, you should consume phytoestrogenic tea and supplements. Some important herbs which you should take include black cohosh, red clover and dong quai.

3. You should also consume aphrodisiac food items. Garlic is such a food item, which contains allicin and increases the blood flow to the vagina. Dark chocolate can also be taken.

Remedies for vaginal dryness

Several conventional vaginal lubricants may lead to irritation, infection and dryness of the vagina.

1. You should always use a natural lubricant, which is not associated with side effects and works effectively. Natural lubricants such as tea tree oil, coconut oil and vitamin E based oils provide effective vaginal lubrication. They also moisturize and repair the vagina.

2. You must keep fit and active. Regular cardio or yoga sessions will help with enhanced blood flow to your sexual organs, making you feel wet.

3. You should drink plenty of water and always stay hydrated in order to prevent dryness in the vagina.

Most importantly, it is a good idea to continue having sex. If you shy away and do not make any effort, the problem of decrease in libido will continue. Therefore, sex is the best way of encouraging your body. Proper communication with your partner is also necessary.

Decreased Libido and Vaginal Lubrication. What can you Do?

These 5 surprise foods lower your libido and dampen your sex drive.1. Coffee- Too much caffeine can cause stress and hormonal imbalances.2. Artificial Sweeteners- Artificial sweeteners contain aspartame, an ingredient that causes trouble for your body’s happy hormone (serotonin), without which your mood and libido tends to suffer.3. Dairy products- Overconsumption of dairy products like cheese induces toxins that interfere with the production of the natural, mood uplifting hormones.4. Crispy delights- A pack of chips by your bedside is enough to lower your libido.5. Corn flakes- Did you know that Dr John Harvey Kellogg, made this cereal as a part of a bland diet to lower people’s sex drive? It is best to stay away from corn flakes before going to bed. 
			
				
				
					·

5 Foods To Avoid Before Having Sex

Don't wait any longer, manage your Lady Doctor online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Lady Doctor - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES