Dr. Radhakrishnan Nair

It is the act of intimately pleasuring oneself by touching, feeling and caressing the organs. It is a safe and very common way of satisfying ones sexual needs. It can be beneficial to one’s health.

The common reasons why people masturbate are

1. Relieving sexual tension
2. To relax
3. Achieve sexual pleasure
4. To satiate oneself when partners are unavailable

What are the benefits of masturbation?

Although, there is a lot of stigma around masturbating; it is something very common and can have great beneficial effects on your health and mental well-being. According to research, 50 per cent of men and 50 per cent of the women feel guilt or shame about masturbating. It is the best way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and also avoid unwanted pregnancies. It truly helps to explore our sexuality and it gives you an idea about what you like and what you do not and the spots that really work for you and the ones that do not. This can act as a pleasure guide even when you are engaging with your partner.

Masturbation is good because:

1. It is a stress buster
2. It helps you out when you feel too frisky
3. A sense of well-being is created
4. It releases sexual tension
5. Helps increase self-image
6. Helps you sleep
7. It is the release you need when you abstain from sex with other individuals
8. It can help release period cramps and muscle tension
9. The ability to climax increases
10. It is a treatment for certain sexual dysfunctions
11. It helps when you are feeling exceptionally frisky
12. The uncomfortable morning wood can be eased

What are the risks of masturbation?
There are not many risks associated with masturbation, although irritation of the skin is possible. This minor problem can be overcome by the use of lubrication or simply slap on some moisturiser and you are good to go.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

All About Penile Implants

Penile implants are devices placed inside the penis to help men with erectile dysfunction get an erection. Penile implants are usually advised whenever other treatments for Erectile Dysfunction (ED) fail. The two main types of penile implants are semi-rigid and inflatable. They have their own ways of working and their own pros and cons.

Why penile implants?

In most cases, ED can be treated with the help of medications and a penis pump. Doctors may advise penile implants only if you do not get satisfactory results using other methods and medications. Although penile implants help you to get an erection, they don't increase your sexual desire, neither will your penis size increase from what it used to be.

What are the risks involved?

1. Infection: You might be at the risks of severe infection if you have spinal cord injury or diabetes. Men who need revision surgery of their implants are at a higher risk than their first surgery.
2. Implant problems: In rare cases, implants may not work properly. In some semirigid devices, the internal parts might break over time; in inflatable devices, the pump might fail and fluid might leak.
3. Internal erosion: In few cases, the implant might stick to the skin of your penis, or can wear away the skin from inside the penis.

Types of Penile Implants:

1. Inflatable implants - These are the most common types of implants used, which can be inflated for erection, and deflated at other times. Inflatable implants are usually of two types- 'three-piece inflatable implants' and 'two-piece inflatable implants'.

The pros of 'three-piece inflatable implants' are-

a) Provides flaccidity when deflated
b) Gives the most natural, firm erections

The pros of 'two-piece inflatable implants' are-

a) Requires less complicated surgery than the 'three-piece'.
b) Provides flaccidity when deflated

2. Semi-rigid implants

These devices are always firm, resulting in the penis being bent away from the body for sexual activity and towards the body for concealment.

The pros of 'semi-rigid implants' are-

a) Is easy to surgically implant
b) Has a low chance of malfunctioning

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Diseases related to physical intimate contact can be the biggest let down when it comes to one of the most elemental pleasures of life, that is, sex. Now, while it is true that these diseases pose a greater risk to women than they do to men, what can be done to avoid sexual diseases from infecting men and killing the joy of sex for them?

One of the most basic things which are to be done in order to cut the risk is for the man to make use of a condom when having any sort of intercourse. This means that a condom is to be used when having oral, anal or vaginal intercourse. The male condom has been proven to be very good, though not perfect at blocking the transfer of STDs from one partner to another. What is also to be kept in mind is that the condom is to be changed between one form of sex and another.

Choosing one partner to have sex with is also very important in the effort to avoid any sexual diseases. This drastically cuts the risk as compared to having multiple partners as the risks are just exponentially multiplied then!

In addition to having a single partner, an important thing to be done is to get tested prior to sexual relations starting. This will provide clarity regarding the status of both partners. As a matter of fact, it is quite a good habit to get tested often. This is because if a sexual disease has been contracted, it is of the highest importance to know as soon as possible so that sufficient treatment can be started as soon as is possible.

While the term STD clearly explains that it is transmitted only through penetrative intimacy, is it always the case? Quite often, there is paranoia about using a public rest room, which brings up an image of a place highly populated with germs. Is it possible to get an STD from there?

These places are, of course, full of germs, and there are multiple instances of developing a urinary tract infection from these areas. However, the chances of developing an STD from these areas are quite low. Read on to get a little more clarity on the same.

1. The organisms causing STD are like any other germs, except that they grow and flourish in the mucosa (oral/genital/rectal), which is conducive for their growth. These germs cannot flourish under any other circumstances. So even if an infected person uses the toilet seat before you, the chances that those germs remain active enough to cause an infection are quite low. These germs cannot survive in the outside environment and die very quickly. Also note that the public restrooms are drier and hotter compared to the mucous membranes that these germs thrive on.
2. The mucous membranes (genital/oral/anal) can get infected only, if they come in contact with someone’s infected fluids (vaginal secretions or ejaculate).
3. Moreover, STDs spread through contact from one point to another. Given this fact, the chances that the sexual organs come into contact with the public restroom are very low. The body parts are vulnerable to sexual contact and therefore infection do not come in direct contact with the toilet seat. If there was a cut or a bruise that could get exposed to the fluid, there is a slim chance of catching an STI, but this situation is extremely rare.
4. Our body has a natural immune system which fights most germs and infections effectively. So in people with good immunity, the chances of developing an infection are highly unlikely.

Preventative measures 

While the chances of actually getting an infection are quite low, there are still some precautions that can be taken to improve the safety levels. Always think of hygiene while in a public bathroom.

1. After using the bathroom, wash and dry your hands, which helps in preventing the spread of different viruses.
2. Do not touch your face until after the hands are washed, especially after a visit to the bathroom.
3. Wash hands with soap and dry them thoroughly. Touching surfaces like doorknobs without drying your hands helps create a moist environment in which these germs can thrive.

If you follow these precautionary measures, rest assured, you are not going to catch an STI by using any public toilet or shower. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.

As the saying goes, it is all in the mind. This is very true especially when it comes to physical intimacy, where though the body plays a major role, the mind is what drives it completely. In surveys, it has been found that people enjoy sex the most when they are in a happy mood. It is very common to find people not even think about sex when they are upset and depressed.

In both male and female sexual dysfunctions, stress is the most common cause. Stress, for whatever reasons, affects sexual life and relationships in the long run. There are some strong connections between how stress affects sexual performance. Read on to know how the human body reacts to stress, which also explains the strong connection between sex and stress.

1. Body image: When a person is stressed, there are effects like overeating, which lead to poor body image. These reduce the tendency to have sex, as the person’s self-image does not remain very positive.
2. Hormone changes: Stress also affects the pituitary gland, which is the master gland controlling all other hormones. The thyroid, adrenals, and other male/female hormone producing organs are affected, thereby, affecting the entire cycle of menstruation, ovulation, and fertility.
3. Stress hormone: The hormone cortisol (known as the stress hormone) is produced by the body when a person is in stress. When these are constantly produced as in the case with people who are constantly stressed, the production of sex hormones is reduced, thereby reducing libido.
4. Blood circulation: Stress causes vasoconstriction or narrowing of blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to the target organs. Reduced blood flow to the sexual organs translates to lesser amount of sex.
5. Lifestyle changes: Some of the ways a person tries to manage stress is through excessive smoking, eating, drinking, and drug abuse. All these spell doom for a sex life, and may even cause irreparable damage to relationships. Smoking has been shown to be a major cause of impotence. Drinking leads to dehydration, which affects lubrication and therefore leads to painful sex, which may not be continued. Binge eating not only tires a person, but also leads to obesity, which again is not inviting for sex.
6. Unhealthy relationships: When the person around is not nice to be with, it becomes a deterrent. Imagine someone who is stressed constantly, throws tantrums, has temper outbursts, and is generally cribbing and unpleasant. There is no doubt that the partner is not going to be happy with someone like that.

So, while sex is mostly thought of as an act of pleasure, it may not be the case always. There is a vicious cycle between stress and sex, which definitely can be managed. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.

Herpes is one of the most common STD of present times. Sometimes, there are people who are infected, but do not have any symptoms and can spread the infection to their partners. Genital herpes infection can be caused by two strains of virus, HSV1 or HSV2 (HSV for herpes simplex virus). It is spread by direct contact, from the site of infection to the site of contact. The infection usually presents as a sore (vaginal, anal or oral areas) and the fluid in these lesions contains the virus. When another person comes in contact with these sores (any region), then the infection spreads. This spread could be from any one contact area to another contact area.

When herpes is transmitted from people who are infected with the virus, but have no obvious symptoms, these are usually called prodromal symptoms, which include itching or tingling in the area of contact. The virus can spread from this area to the other person, and this form of transmission is known as “virus shedding.”

The infection can spread even during these initial stages until the sores are formed, to the time when they are completely healed and the skin looks normal again. Any sexual contact (vaginal, oral, or anal) can be risky and lead to the partner getting affected (75% chances of infection).

Asymptomatic transmission is also possible wherein the infection spreads when there are no symptoms in the infected person. In some people, the virus remains dormant for years together, but these people continue to shed the virus and are capable of infecting. This is more common with HSV2 strains than HSV1.

Pregnancy is another tricky situation where the infant can get infected through the mother. If there are traces of the virus in the vaginal tract, then it is safer to not have a vaginal delivery, else there are higher chances of the infant getting infected.

Newborns and/or babies can also get infected when someone who is infected kisses the baby. Given that their immunity is low, the chances of developing an infection are quite high. It has also been suggested that having cold sores puts a person at higher risk of developing HIV, though this remains to be proven.

Prevention:
Listed below are some ways to prevent or lower the chances of getting infected with the herpes virus.

1. The most effective way to avoid STDs is to not have vaginal, anal or oral sex with a person who is likely to be infected.
2. Get involved in long-term, monogamous relationship with a person who has been tested negative.
3. With every sexual interaction, use latex condoms in the right manner. However, please note that condoms may not offer full protection from getting infected. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.