It’s not easy to talk to your doctor about your sexual well-being, but it’s absolutely necessary.
We suppose you’ve found yourself at one time or another cold and half-naked on crinkly paper in your family doctor’s office, waiting for the familiar “deep breath, now cough” routine. In that case, you’ve probably wondered how the hell you’re supposed to bring up problems with your sex life before Dr. Longfinger has you bent over the table, giving you the rubber glove treatment. Because if you don’t bring it up, chances are your doctor won’t. Yep, your GP will prod and probe at your prostate and swab your cervix, but when it comes to actually talking about your sexual wellness, they generally don’t broach the topic unprompted. According to a new study, nearly 80% of primary care doctors don’t bring up sexual health during annual exams. So, while they’ll get hands-on with your junk, don’t expect them to ask how it’s actually being used.
“I think doctors don’t get into it unless you ask them first because they don’t want to offend anyone by asking the wrong thing.”
Alexandra
It’s a strange contradiction, isn’t it? Doctors have no problem digging into your most private parts, yet many draw a line at having a conversation about why they’re doing it in the first place. Yet, this is the world we live in. Everyone is out there doing the dirty deed, but nobody wants to acknowledge it. Skipping the sex talk at those annual checkups, however, means that people are potentially running around with untreated STIs, engaging in unsafe sexual behavior or left thinking deficiencies in their sexual function are just normal. So, unless you’re talking to a specialist, don’t expect your doc to ask things like, “How’s your libido?” or “Is your erection strong?”
