Keeping the Passion Alive

Just because your body is aging, doesn’t mean that your sexual health should be ignored. Your body changes as you age, but what shouldn’t change is that people deserve to be sexually healthy and enjoy their sex life as much as they can. In fact, issues with your sexual health can be a sign or symptom of a greater problem that should be addressed with a physician.

Memorial Medical Group Family Medicine Specialists Ben Groves, DO, and Kira Groves, DO, have provided a few areas to keep in mind if you are experiencing a decrease in sexual desire or function as you get older:

Post-menopausal women:

The natural cycle for women eventually leads to menopause. This means a woman’s body decreases in estrogen and progesterone production. Fertility ceases, and this may or may not lead to a decrease in sex drive. It does, however, over time lead to thinning and dryness in the vaginal tissues. This can cause pain or difficulty enjoying sex. This is treatable with lubricants and pelvic physical therapy.

Chronic pain:

Chronic pain of any kind can decrease energy and sex drive. Side effects from medications for chronic pain may be impacting your sex drive, as well. Other medications can be added to deal with those side effects, but the goal is not to decrease the quality of life. A doctor can put together a good holistic plan to treat your pain and improve your sexual health.

After cancer or cancer treatment:

The overall cancer journey can impact your sex life and intimacy with your partner. The mental load and symptoms from cancer and treatment can temporarily decrease your desire for sex. In some cases you may regain your desire for sex after the treatment is over.

In other situations, medications or additional treatments may be needed to return to normal. For men and women, treatments such as radiation can greatly impact nerve endings. Scar tissue can form in the vagina for women.

Therapy is available to regain nerve function and improve sexual function. For women there are tools available to help dilate the vaginal region and regain sexual function, especially after radiation treatments to the pelvic or abdomen regions. All cancer patients may benefit from medical or psychological therapy to help with any personal issues with body image and confidence.

Heart disease:

Disease in your heart means that you probably have disease in other parts of your vascular system. A major component of sexual function is blood flow, and if the blood flow is poor in the genital areas sexual function and enjoyment may be difficult. Treating cardiovascular health and preventing heart disease can help with sexual function as you age.

Diabetes:

Neuropathy causes nerve damage in all areas of the body, not just in your feet. By the time this begins nerve functions are not usually able to come back after being lost. Treating your diabetes properly can prevent this affecting your sexual function as you age.

Depression:

In the older population, depression seems to go unnoticed and untreated. Lack of sexual function may be one of the signs of depression. Lack of desire in regular daily activities, fatigue, and inability to sleep is not necessarily normal. When depression is treated, desire for sex may come back.

As you age, your sexual function may not look like it did in your 20s, but it can still be fulfilling. Begin talking to your doctor about how you can improve your sexual wellness and continue to live your life to the fullest.

Drs. Ben and Kira Groves are accepting new patients, and same day appointments at 2750 Aster Street in Lake Charles. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 337.480.8900.