Reviewed by Bruce Hamby, PA-C of Forum Health West Bloomfield
Sexual health is one of the most important aspects of any person’s life. Unfortunately, our bodies aren’t always up to the task. Sexual wellness issues affect millions of men across the United States, causing us to feel frustrated or even embarrassed about ourselves. If you’re experiencing these issues, Forum Health can help.
Whether you’re having performance issues, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation or Peyronie’s Disease, it’s important to know that you aren’t alone! We know how discouraging sexual health issues can be. We’ve helped hundreds of guys overcome their sexual wellness issues with proven, personalized treatments.
In this blog, we’ll go over some of the most common treatments our Forum Health providers offer, availability varies by clinic. Each sexual health treatment plan is specialized based on your unique needs to receive the treatment and support you need to look, feel, and perform your best.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
When it comes to sexual health issues in men, low testosterone is a common issue millions of guys across the country suffer from. This issue is especially prevalent in men as they age, affecting nearly 40 percent of men over age 45. Though men of any age can suffer from testosterone deficiency, the reason older men are more at risk is due to the natural decline of testosterone after age 30.
How Low T Impacts Your Life
When it comes to sexual wellness specifically, low testosterone has been linked to issues with both libido and erectile dysfunction. With that being said, low testosterone isn’t just a sexual health issue, either.
Many different aspects of your life, including your sleep, mood, appetite, muscle mass, recovery, energy levels, and more, are impacted by Low T. Problems in these areas can contribute to the sexual health and performance issues you’re experiencing.
One of our most effective treatments is testosterone replacement therapy. For this treatment, we’ll first meet with you to discuss your issues and goals for care. Once we’ve determined your specific needs, our team will develop a treatment plan that’s personalized for you with a focus on optimization.
How Testosterone Replacement Therapy Can Help
For testosterone replacement therapy specifically, we can utilize one of two different treatment methods. The first is a topical cream that’s applied to your scrotum twice per day. Also available is a subcutaneous or intramuscular injection twice per week.
The goal of the treatment isn’t just to increase your testosterone levels, but also to help relieve your symptoms. This will ultimately guide the treatments you receive from your provider. Some of the benefits you can expect from treatment include:
- Improved libido
- Improved erectile function and sexual performance
- Improved focus, drive, and motivation
- Increased metabolism
- Improved cognition and memory
- And more
Erectile Dysfunction
Much like low testosterone, erectile dysfunction (ED) can impact men of all ages, but is most prevalent after age 40. In total, roughly 30 million men in the United States alone suffer from this particular sexual health issue.
We understand the frustrations that this issue can cause. Fortunately, we have a variety of different treatments at our disposal to combat ED.
- Injections: We offers several different injectable medications as an alternative treatment option. Though it’s understandable to be intimidated by the thought of a penile injection, there’s actually very little discomfort involved. In fact, many patients consider injections easier and more effective than other treatment methods.
In terms of the medications used in your injections, we frequently utilize a combination of Papaverine, Phentolamine, and Alprostadil (Prostaglandin E1). This is known as our Tri-Mix, and it’s regarded as the most powerful class of anti-erectile dysfunction agents. Atropine, Chlorpromazine, and Forskolin are also available as injections either individually or as part of a combination. - Penile Enhancement Shot: The Penile Enhancement Shot uses the growth factors within your own blood to treat erectile dysfunction. The treatment works by taking a blood sample from your arm and placing it into a 2-step centrifuge process that uses a “soft spin” to separate blood components into different parts according to their density. By spinning the blood, the equipment concentrates the platelets up to 7 times and produces what is called platelet-rich plasma. The growth factors released by the high concentration of platelets in turn activate stem cells and stimulate cellular repair and regeneration wherever they are applied in the body. In this case, the solution of healing factors are then injected back into the penis.
The best part is that these injections can last up to 1 to 3 years! To help ease any discomfort, we apply a numbing cream before the injection. - GAINSWave™: Last but not least, our GAINSWave™ treatments are a pain-free way to increase blood flow in your penis. This highly advanced treatment utilizes pulsed acoustic waves to optimize sexual performance and improve your erections. GAINSWave™ helps to give you harder, firmer, stronger erections and also helps to increase sensitivity by forming new nerve tissue. And not only is GAINSWave™ treatment safe and effective, it’s also non-invasive and completely free of chemicals.
The number of treatments you’ll need will vary depending on the person. However, most men can expect to see the full benefits after a series of 6 to 12 treatments. Each of these treatments takes about 15-20 minutes in total, and the full results can last up to 2 years.
Premature Ejaculation
Much like ED, there’s no dancing around the fact that premature ejaculation is a frustrating, embarrassing issue to deal with. The fact that so many men are embarrassed to admit that they have this issue means it often goes untreated.
The truth of the matter is that premature ejaculation is the most common sexual health issue facing men in the U.S. As many as 1 in 3 men in this country alone have or will deal with it at some point in their lives.
Oftentimes, the primary issue may not even be a physical one. Physiological and mental health issues can play a major role in causing premature ejaculation. All of the following can lead to problems with sexual satisfaction:
- Stress
- Guilt
- Low serotonin levels
- Lack of sleep
- Depression
- Relationship issues
- Lack of confidence
- And more
In addition to physical treatments like GAINSWave™ and Penile Enhancement Shot, Forum Health also offers treatments to enhance mental health. Testosterone replacement therapy, bio-identical hormone therapy, and ketamine treatments are all available at Forum Health*. Each has shown incredibly promising results when it comes to boosting your mood, energy levels, and sex drive.
Peyronie’s Disease
Peyronie’s Disease (PD) is a painful, yet relatively common condition that affects roughly 1 in 100 men in the U.S. It occurs when fibrous scar tissue builds up under the skin of the penis, causing the penis to bend and curve during erections. There are numerous factors that can cause scar tissue to build up. These include genetics, trauma, pre-existing conditions (such as diabetes), improperly performed penile injections, and more.
Some of the common symptoms associated with Peyronie’s Disease include:
- Bent or curved penis
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Pain with or without an erection
- Painful intercourse
- Hard lumps under the skin
- Change in penis shape (such as shortening or narrowing)
Generally speaking, the treatment options for PD are somewhat limited. With PD specifically, GAINSWave™ effectively breaks up the scar tissue within your penis to provide symptom relief.
This works thanks to the aforementioned pulsed acoustic waves generated by the device. Additionally, this method can also simultaneously treat the symptoms of ED, leading to comprehensive improvements to your overall sexual health. For even faster results and added benefits, your provider may also add the Penile Enhancement Shot to your treatment plan.
*Treatment options, services and therapies vary by clinic, check with your Forum Health clinic for availability.
With Forum Health, it is possible to regain confidence, vitality, and satisfaction in your intimate life with expert guidance and care.
Ready to take charge of your sexual health?
Contact your Forum Health provider today to book a consultation and explore the personalized options for you.
