Sexual dysfunction workshop ‘enlightening’
As part of its commitment to staff wellness and personal development, Sandals Dunns River hosted a most enlightened workshop on erectile and sexual dysfunction, presented by Urologist, professor Lawson Douglas of the University of the West Indies, at its Mammee Bay Clubhouse, last Tuesday.
In a three-hour presentation which was very well-received, professor Lawson presented facts on both male and female sexual problems, highlighting the common causes and treatment options available for persons diagnosed with sexual dysfunction (SD).
“Broadly speaking, sexual dysfunction is an impairment during any stage of the sexual response cycle, from desire, arousal, orgasm, through to resolution, that prevents the individual or couple from experiencing satisfaction as a result of sexual activity,” professor Lawson shared with an audience of predominantly young men.
Continuing, he said that sexual dysfunction is not age-specific and can be present throughout life or may develop after an individual has previously experienced normal sexual responses.
Sexual arousal disorders in women, the professor said, is surprisingly more common than male sexual dysfunction, but that with men it is more obvious.
“Women with these disorders are sometimes referred to as frigid as they tend to have an aversion to, and avoidance of, sexual contact with a partner,” he explained.
According to professor Lawson, the most common symptoms are: Sexual pain, which affects women almost exclusively and are known as dyspareunia (painful intercourse) and vaginismus (an involuntary spasm of the musculature of the vagina that interferes with intercourse). Dyspareunia may be caused by insufficient lubrication in the female. This may result from breastfeeding, irritation from contraceptive creams and foams, aging, or by fear and anxiety. Vaginismus may be caused by a sexual trauma such as rape or incest. Orgasm disorder, another condition, is a persistent delay or absence of orgasm following a normal sexual excitement phase which can occur in both women and men.
“In men, there may be partial or complete failure to attain or maintain an erection, or a lack of sexual excitement and pleasure in sexual activity. Nothing generates as much concern, anxiety, shame, and even terror in men as an inability to get or maintain erections,” said Lawson, outlining the five main types of male sexual dysfunction: Decreased libido, premature ejaculation, retarded ejaculation, retrograde ejaculation and erectile dysfunction, or “impotence”.
Some of these, he said may be heredity, but most are lifestyle-related. “The main contributors to erectile dysfunction are cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and other social causes, psychogenic factors resulting from stress, fear of performance (almost all men have this) and increased pressure and neurogenic conditions which may develop after surgery or an accident.”
Outlining the major medical options for impotency, Professor Lawson assured the group that there is no condition that is untreatable.
“The types of treatment include the use of testosterone which is a hormone, herbs such as ginseng, yohimbine, viagra and some physical devices. Included in this group is the PIPE, Pharmacologically — Induced Penile Erection. It is really a pen injector which introduces hormones into the penis via the urethra. This works everytime. Then there is the penile implant — a rod inserted in the penis to keep it stiff. Next is the inflatable implant which is attached to each side of the penis, one side inflates and the other deflates the penis. In extreme cases, a vascular operation is done to increase blood supply to the penis,” the urologist outlined.
While these treatment options are readily available, professor Lawson told the participants that nothing replaces a good diet (rich in vitamin E which is ideal for maintaining a healthy libido), rest and exercise.