Doctor visits are important to maintaining good health. Regular physicals and check-ups are a smart choice. It’s not rare that you may have questions related to your sexual health during your doctor visits. Unfortunately, it is also not rare for your doctors to leave out important information in regards to your diagnosis and what that means for your sexual-self. Knowing what to ask and when during your doctor visits is important for your physical and sexual health.
You may feel embarrassed to ask your question, because you haven’t come to the doctor for your sexual needs but for the concussion your got at work or the numbing in your arm. The doctor’s main focus is your physical health and treating you for whatever it is you are seeking their services for. However, your sexual health may be affected and it is important for you to know how your sexual health may change throughout the course of your treatment. Do not be afraid to ask what questions are necessary.
There are different reasons for doctor visits- having a procedure done, annual check-up, major surgery, long-term care, fighting a disease such as cancer, terminal illness, etc. Whatever your reason for seeking services, you will want to start the conversation with your doctor by letting them know that your sexual health is just as important to you as your physical health.
Once you have notified the doctor that you want to know any and all information concerning your sexuality, start with some basic questions to help clarify the information you are looking for. After your procedure, how long will it be before you can have sex? Are you limited to certain positions? Should you only go at a certain pace as to not raise your heart rate? What if something happens during sexual intercourse?
During doctors’ visits, people frequently get sent home with prescription drugs. What are the sexual side effects of those medications? Will you experience dryness? What are some products or techniques you can use to combat the dryness? Will you have a hard time getting or maintaining an erection? Again, what are some things you can do in order to decrease the side effects? Will you experience lower desire than normal? What other sexual side effects could occur?
Sometimes, you may experience body image issues after receiving services from your doctor. You may have to shave your head or lose your hair. You may have to have one, or both, breasts removed. You may get a major scar. Ask your doctor what other people’s experiences have been like after the procedure and what your options are after your treatment/procedure. A lot of times doctors become hyperfocused on fixing the main physical issues that they forget about the quality of your life afterwards. How can you maintain a healthy sexual self and get the best treatment for your issue? Are there support groups for people who have gone through a major body change? Are there resources- Physical Therapists or Occupational Therapists for example- that can help retrain certain muscles to have a satisfactory sex life after your treatment/procedure? Will your doctor make the recommendation to see these specialists?
Another reason for doctor visits is because of a sexual issue. Maybe you’re having trouble maintaining an erection or maybe it is painful for you to have sexual intercourse and you experience a burning sensation. After ruling out possible STIs and other medical issues, what are your options for treating these sexual issues? Can you do something other than take medication?
Maybe you’re only experiencing issues in certain sexual positions or with certain partners. Ask your doctor what this could mean. Do you have a shallow vagina? Are you allergic to something such as latex condoms or a partner’s excretions? These questions may lend themselves to discovering important medical information about you, making it important to keep the lines of communication open about both sexual and physical issues.
Pay attention to your body. Do you notice a different smell than normal? Are you ejaculating less semen than normal? How is the color? All of this information can be pertinent in getting the best data and instructions out of your doctor if you can first start the conversation and then answer the questions they may be asking you in order to move the conversation forward.
No question is too small or too big for the doctor to answer. If your doctor does not know the answer during your doctor visit, or if you do not feel comfortable with the answer they have provided, ask more questions or ask them for a reference to someone that could give you the answers you need. It is important to advocate for yourself in regards to your sexuality. Have a list of questions prepared for your doctor. It may be easiest if you hand it to them in the beginning of the appointment, allowing for them to pace the appointment so they can discuss what they needed to, as well as answer your questions. Write down the answers if you find yourself forgetting specific details your doctor tells you.
You can self schedule an in-person or virtual therapy session at the Center for Growth by calling (215) 922- LOVE (5683) x 100.
Our Guarantee: If after your first session you are not sold that you are working with the right therapist, do not hesitate to call our intake line at 215 922 5683 x 100 or Alex at (267) 324-9564 and ask to be rescheduled with another therapist. The choice of how you want to proceed is yours. Our only goal is to support you in becoming the best you possible.
For your convenience, we have brick and mortar offices and work with clients virtually in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Physical Therapy Office Locations:
Ocean City Therapy Office 360 West Ave, Floor 1, Ocean City, NJ 08226
Mechanicsville Therapy Office 9044 Mann Drive, Mechanicsville Virginia, 23116
Society Hill Therapy Office 233 S. 6th Street, C-33, Philadelphia PA 19106
Art Museum / Fairmount Therapy Office 2401 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 1a2, Philadelphia PA 19130
Providence Therapy Office 173 Waterman St. Providence, RI 02906
Fayetteville Therapy Office 101 Devant Street #606, Fayetteville GA 30214
Santa Fe Therapy Office, 2204 B Brothers Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87505
Telemedicine Therapy Locations: We have therapists who are licensed to work in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Virginia and Pennsylvania
Therapy Services Offered in Fayetteville, Ocean City, Mechanicsville, Philadelphia, Providence, Santa Fe:
Individual Counseling and therapy
Couples Counseling and marriage counseling
Teen Therapy and Adolescent Therapy and tweens and child counseling
Family Therapy and multi-generational counseling
Art Therapy and Counseling no art skills needed
ADHD Therapy and ADD, Dyslexia, Autism, Tourettes counseling
Anxiety, Panic, OCD Therapy and worry and fear support
Breaking the cycle of Codependency and being your own person
Overcoming Chronic Illness and Chronic Pain .
Depression Therapy and sadness, gloom, and upset support
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) Therapy is a particular style of therapy designed for people with problems affecting their nervous system, how the brain and body send and receive signals.
Grief Therapy and loss, End of A Relationship, rejections, pregnancy and loss and therapy
Mindfulness Based Therapy and spirituality based therapy
Narcissistic Abuse Recovery child of, parent of, spouse of, sibling of a narcissist.
Sex Therapy and sexual function & dysfunction, sex addiction, sexual orientation and gender identity support
Trauma Therapy both emotional and sexual abuse, complex trauma, PTSD counseling
Divorce support
Affairs, Infidelity, Unfaithful, Cheating counseling
Parenting therapy
Personality disorder treatments Narcissist, Borderline, Histrionic
Setting Boundaries and identifying ones own Core Beliefs
Just name some of the Mental Health issues that we work with. Our goal is to help you Change and Achieve Your Dreams
