Through our years of
treating diabetic patients we have come across with many myths, two of them are
most common: Men with diabetes are bound to develop erectile dysfunction and
women with diabetes suffer few or no sexual side effects. Truth is both men and
women suffering from diabetes are equally affected by sexual issues. The most
common sexuality issue in patient of type 2 diabetes is decrease in libido, or
loss of sex drive and which physiologically includes:
·
Lack of energy
·
Tiredness
·
Stress and Anxiety
·
Depression
·
Sexual side effects of medicines
·
Hormonal changes due to varying blood sugar
level
Now, many of you may think that
for any chronic ailment patient, sex will be at least of their concern.
However, I’m sure you all will agree that if improving quality of life is
anyone’s concern, sex will definitely be one of the priorities.
Sexual issues for Men suffering from diabetes
For men suffering from diabetes,
Erectile Dysfunction is the most commonly reported problem. Though, Diabetes
& Erectile dysfunction (ED) are two separate medical situations, they do
incline with each other. There are many researches to establish the fact that
men with diabetes are two to three times more likely to develop erectile
dysfunction. Many a times, it has been observed that erectile dysfunction can
be an early clue that you may get affected by diabetes.
ED can be caused from nerve or
muscular damage, changes in testosterone level, emotional issues like
depression, too little exercise and the resulting obesity, high blood pressure,
and even the anxiety plays its part in contributing to erectile dysfunction.
Smoking cigarettes is a common
concern affecting diabetes as well as your sexual lifestyle. Another sexual
issue concerning men suffering from type 2 diabetes is retrograde ejaculation.
It is a medical condition where all or part of the semen is ejaculated back
into the bladder instead of coming out of the penis. The high glucose levels
results in nerve damage to sphincter muscles - a muscle which has ability to
contract or close a bodily passage or opening, and thus resulting in retrograde
ejaculation.
Sexual issues
concerning a Women suffering from diabetes
The most commonly reported
sexual problem amongst women suffering with type 2 diabetes is vaginal dryness.
It can be caused by hormonal changes or from blood flow problems. A diabetic woman
has increased occurrences of vaginal infections and inflammation;
there are situations where a woman can suffer from frequent urinary tract
infections, which all can make sex painful.
Way forward...
Maintaining proper blood sugar levels is a part
of sustaining a healthier sex life. Sex is just like exercise: it uses
energy, so you will have to be aware of your glucose levels. Your blood
sugar can drop low during sex, as it may happen during exercise; hence
always keep a check on your blood sugar levels before engaging in sexual
activity. It is also advised to discuss the sexual issue with your doctor if
you are suffering from diabetes. The continued sexual dysfunctions are signs of
the development of a disease or a sign that the disease is not under control. Discussing
sexual side effects of medication with your doctor is also encouraged. Asking
for different medication to help overcome the side effects of a particular
medicine is the least you can do to start taking care of your diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes may make sexual activity more
challenging but it does not mean you skip the sexual side of life completely.
Many times if the disease is brought under control, sexual dysfunctions resolve
themselves. The most important thing is not to give up on what is an important
quality of life issue. Eating a healthier diet and following a routine exercise
helps in achieving the basics of living healthier.
Over two decades of our services to diabetic
patients through Singhal Diabetic Clinic
located at Haridwar, has made us thinking of the health status of current
generation. Be it the fast paced lifestyle lived by our younger friends or the
life lived by middle aged generation under tremendous physiological career
pressure, all this takes its toll on their health. If this lifestyle is clubbed
with your genetic composition i.e. your family’s history of diabetes, the
threat of diabetes will be one of the major concerns. As the old saying goes,
prevention is better than cure, your knowledge towards your own body and the
lifestyle you chose determines your future. You are welcome to explore and know
more about your risk of diabetes at www.Grass-Diabetes.com
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Of course you know that
stress is bad for your health. But, have you ever thought how stress affects
your diabetes? Stress not, we have got it covered in our next issue, “Stress Not, it helps in diabetes”.
Lately, a lot of queries
we have received about what to eat and what not to eat. Don’t stress our
forthcoming article will cover the simpler
way to identify the good food & bad food for your diabetes. Stay Health
and do your best to avoid diabetes. If you too have any queries, feel free to
contact us:
Dr. M Singhal
Grass-Diabetes.com
Email:
doctor@grass-diabetes.com
Reach us at Singhal Diabetic Clinic, Haridwar | Call us at +91 - 1334- 224625
