Heather Little-White, Ph.D., Freelance Writer
AS WE celebrate Father's Day, it is the wish of most children that their fathers maintain good health and sexual vibrancy well into old age. We know that prescriptions for men's health and longevity are a healthy low-fat diet with lavish amounts of fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, including aerobic, muscular and flexibility exercises, as well as enough rest and relaxation to reduce the stress in their lives.
How can we ensure the continued vibrancy of our father's sexual health? For men to fathom the depth of their own sexuality is challenging enough, so children have to try to put it in perspective as they age.
Male menopause
It is well established that as a man ages, he will experience male menopause. You can know if your father is experiencing the change of life by observing some of the symptoms. Common physical changes include reduced endurance for physical activity, difficulty reading small print, gaining weight especially around the mid section, thinning of hair and sleep disturbances. His testicles may shrink and the scrotal sack droop. Psychological changes include irritability, anxiety, depression, loss of self-esteem and forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating.
No interest in sex
Sexually, your father may have lost interest in sex. He may experience anxiety and fear about losing sexual potency, become impotent, lose erection during sex and harbour fantasies about having sex with younger partners and will even seek relationships with such persons, not caring too much about the impact on his long marriage. He will also have more relationship problems and fights over sex, love and intimacy. The physical, psychological and sexual changes are interrelated. Most of the symptoms of male menopause can be prevented and treated by concentrating on the whole man.
Regular physical exam
A regular complete physical examination is the key to ensure your father's good health, a prerequisite for vibrant sexuality. If there have been recent complaints about aches and pains and general changes to health, it is even more imperative to encourage father to visit the doctor for a check-up. It is advisable to develop a relationship with one doctor so medical records will be readily available in case of emergencies or life-threatening diseases. As the physical examination may require the collection of samples for testing, be sure to ask about the purpose of the tests, the accuracy, the costs, should any discomfort be expected.
Prostate problems
A physical examination will point out any problems with the male genitals. The prostate gland represents everything that men cherish and everything they fear in relation to sexual health. Prostatitis is worrisome and is a common problem of the prostate gland. The symptoms include chronic lower abdominal pain, difficult and painful urination and a brownish penis discharge.
In men over 40, another common problem with the prostate gland is non-cancerous enlargement of the gland that squeezes the urethral tubes so tight that urination is difficult and at times impossible. This is called benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Prostate cancer is rapidly increasing and already the incidence is very high in Jamaica. Fathers should have the prostate checked annually by a doctor by manual examination and a prostate-specific antigen test for cancer.
Impotence
If impotence is a problem, your father should see a doctor to establish the cause and develop a treatment programme. It may mean simply changing prescription medication or using vacuum devices or injections to create blood flow to the penis.
Testicular cancer
Though the exact cause of testicular cancer is not yet known, there are known risk factors. Examination of the testicles is also important to check for testicular cancer. It is the only way to be sure that lumps that may be found within the testicles are not cancerous.
Premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is the lack of control over ejaculation which occurs before the man or his partner wish it, often creating tension among couples.
If your father suffers from this problem then he may be really distressed. He should be encouraged to see a sex therapist or his doctor for guidance in this delicate matter and to learn several remedies that can help premature ejaculation.
Retrograde
ejaculation
Another ejaculation problem that may be affecting your father is retrograde ejaculation which occurs when semen travels to the bladder instead of the urethra. There will be no ejaculate although the man will still have an erection and orgasm. For normal ejaculation to occur, the opening of the bladder into the urethra should close to prevent semen from entering. When the opening of the bladder fails to close properly, retrograde ejaculation takes place.
Damage to the nerves to the bladder will affect the control the opening resulting in retrograde ejaculation. The nerves can be damaged by spinal cord injury, diabetes, fractures to the pelvis that damage the nerves of the bladder, surgical removal of the colon and some prescription drugs like tranquillisers and blood pressure medication.
There is the desire for fathers to be happy in their golden years and when there is sexual vibrancy, self-esteem and total well-being is almost sure to follow. Often, it takes a child to lead them to sexual vibrancy.
