What Doctors Don't Tell You About Sex

These three health conditions could hamper your sexuality-here's what you need to know.

- LAUREN STREICHER, M.D.

There's a good chance that your otherwise fabulous doctor who's helping to keep you healthy has never addressed your ability to have satisfying sex. In defense of your doctor, this topic is barely mentioned in medical school, completely passed over during residency, and never part of specialty training. I can help: One of my areas of expertise is the impact of medical conditions on the ability to have pain-free and pleasurable sexual activity.

Virtually every medical condition can be accompanied by fatigue, anxiety, pain, or insomnia-all of which have an impact on libido. But some conditions are associated with specific challenges. Anything that alters hormones-such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, and of course menopause-can be problematic. A medical condition that compromises blood flow can have an impact on vaginal health, arousal, and orgasm. And during sex your nerves need to fire and your muscles need to contract (and relax!), which is why neuromuscular problems such as spinal cord injury, herniated discs, and multiple sclerosis can sabotage sexuality. The drugs used to treat many disorders often create big problems too.

Here are three common, but commonly ignored, sexual issues that are directly related to medical conditions.

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