steady

Relationships · Desire

New erection trouble, sudden low desire, or pain? See a doctor

Book a doctor if erections have become a new problem, desire dropped away suddenly, or sex hurts. Say it plainly, the way you'd describe a bad knee.

10 minEvidence: solid

New trouble getting or keeping an erection can be an early sign of heart and blood-vessel disease. Across long-term studies, men with erection problems had more heart and blood-vessel trouble later. Evidence: solid That's reason enough for a check, whatever it's doing to the relationship.

Desire that drops away suddenly is a doctor question before it's a relationship one. Depression, some medications and hormones can all do it. Evidence: decent

Low testosterone is what the ads will suggest. The guideline treats it only when a blood test confirms low levels and there are symptoms. Evidence: solid In the normal range, the link to desire is weak. Evidence: decent

If sex hurts, you or your partner, stop. Pain is always a doctor matter, never something to push through.

Source: Vlachopoulos et al., 2013, Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes; Bhasin et al., 2018, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (link)

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