Physical State
“If I had know I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself” – George Burns
Where the cause and effect of physical and mental issues in men is not always evident, it becomes more prevalent in men over 50. In many cases mental or emotional issues are created by a physical issues. Conversely there are a number of physical issues caused by mental issues.
The most common physical concerns for the mature body are:
- High Blood pressure – Blood vessel damage from HBP or hypertension reduces blood flow throughout your body. Lower blood flow to the pelvis can affect the sex lives of both men and women. There are about 8 different treatments for blood pressure and some of them can cause Erectile Dysfunction. Work with your Doctor to find the right medications that treat the condition and does not impact your sex life.
- Heart Disease – Serious heart disease can make having sex dangerous, however many types are perfectly safe. Talk to your Doctor regularly about your condition and its impact on your sex life.
- Low Testosterone – Your car runs just as well on half a tank of gas as it does on a full one. Your body runs just fine on lower levels of testosterone, but only to a point. Further, that point is different for each of us. Your Doctor can run tests to see if your testosterone levels are high enough and can proscribe medications if not.
- Cancer – Some forms of Cancer can have a direct impact on your sex life, but with many types you can continue have a reasonable sex life. In many cases, the treatments like Chemotherapy and Radiation may have more of an impact on the sex life than the actual cancer does. Being diagnosed with cancer can cause fear, anxiety and anger and these emotions can affect your libido too. But the effects are temporary and your libido will come back.
- Testicular Cancer occurs in the testicles (testes), which are located inside the scrotum, a loose bag of skin underneath the penis. The testicles produce male sex hormones and sperm for reproduction. Compared with other types of cancer, testicular cancer is rare. Treatment for testicular cancer can affect your sex life but this is usually just for a short while.
- Prostrate Cancer – About 1 out of every 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, making it the most common cancer in men. Prostate cancer affects the walnut-shaped gland that wraps around a man’s urethra. Treatments like surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy remove or destroy the cancer. However, all of these treatments can have sexual side effects. This can include trouble getting an erection, having an orgasm, and fathering children.
- Erectile Dysfunction – Where so many things can impact your ability to achieve erection, there are drugs that will help in most cases. Talk to your doctor about this. Even if you cannot get an erection, you can still have a very enjoyable sex life. The erect phallus is really only needed for one form of sexual activity, there are so many other things that can bring sexual pleasure.
There are a few pages on this site that are highly recommended for those who want to work on their physical state of being, those are: