Even with all of the progress made with de-shaming sexuality, most people still feel uncomfortable bringing up their sexual health concerns on a visit with a health professional.
We must collectively fix this!
Sex has biological, emotional and social implications that affect how happy and connected we feel. Making love (with or without a partner) also has its own health benefits like better sleep, stress reduction, hormone regulation, blood circulation and general immunity. So when sex is avoided due to low libido, painful sex, erectile dysfunction, or difficulty with orgasm, a bunch of other health benefits are left untapped as well.
Perhaps more importantly, changes in sexual health can be one of the first signs of larger health issues, so when we don’t bring up sexual health issues, other problems can remain unexplored and potentially worsen over time. Our modesty can work against us.
But, what any healthcare professional will tell you, is that there isn’t much that shocks us. In talking to people everyday about just about everything, any inclinations toward propriety that we may have arrived at graduate school with, are vetted out fairly early on in the process of seeing patients. Trust me when I say that there is nothing that you could say that would shock me----really.
So, if you’ve been struggling with an aspect of your sexual health and have been too embarrassed or reluctant to see someone about it, now is the time. And, once you do that, the only other decision to make is, what type of practitioner should you see? Well, that depends. Certain sexual health problems can have a structural, complex physiological or genetic component at the root, and those are two situations that are best addressed by conventional medicine, and will require a visit to your GP, OBGYN or a urologist. Furthermore, visiting your GP to rule out something along these lines is a great first step. But there are many sexual health conditions that are more related to general health, lifestyle or other factors that are effectively treated naturally with acupuncture and herbs. One other important point to look at before you spend money visiting someone is the possibility that your sexual health concern is a pharmaceutical side effect, which is something that natural medicine cannot address. Specifically, many antidepressants have low libido and anorgasmia as a common side effect, so if you are on one of these medications, it may be better to work with your doctor to see if there are alternatives to these drugs if you are really interested in regaining full sexual function.
How acupuncture and herbal medicine help with sexual function
Acupuncture and herbal medicine work together to help enhance the body’s natural vitality and decrease stress, which greatly affects libido and feelings of pleasure. Both are also excellent at promoting the circulation of blood and energy throughout the body, which allows for greater physical sensation. Lack of circulation is one of the main factors that can contribute to erectile dysfunction or difficulty with orgasm. Inflammation or other overall systemic health problems are also culprits that are seen commonly in clinical practice that affect sexual health. From experience with treating patients, what often happens is a patient comes in for one thing, like a seemingly unrelated health issue like digestion, and then a few weeks or months down the line, they report that their libido came back online after being dormant for years, or that they are feeling more balanced and happier, so their relationships are better overall. And the improved moods and reduced stress-related tension translate into greater intimacy or desire for sex. All wonderful things!
In addition to acupuncture and herbs, I also frequently use nutrition and lifestyle advice to really help promote the lasting changes that allow for people to keep feeling frisky, even after their time with me has ended. And, that is truly my goal with all of my patients… at some point, I want for us to break up. My goal is for them to be able to refocus their time and energy on the things that make them want to be healthy in the first place. And if they're just as committed as I am, lookout world!
So, if you’re looking for the kind of practitioner that you feel like you can talk about anything with, look no further. Set up an appointment for a consult if you’re interested in resolving the issues that have been hiding under the sheets for too long.
Until then, be awesome,
Ev
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