Urologic Conditions That Can Affect Sexual Health and How to Manage Them

It’s often difficult to overcome the embarrassment of problems with sexual health since these involve the most intimate places of your life. Your sexual life, though, may be affected by other aspects of living, from stress and emotional health to heart disease and other chronic illness. 

The condition of your urinary tract can also affect sexual health and performance. That’s why discussing sexual health matters with your urologist makes sense. There’s a close connection, for both women and men, between sexual and urologic dysfunction. 

Look to the team at Gulf Coast Urology, with four locations in Houston and Nassau Bay. We can make those connections for diagnosing and treating the source of your condition as well as for restoring both your urologic and sexual health. 

Urologic conditions that can affect sexual health

Your body is meant to act as a series of interconnected systems. Frequently, a problem with the health of one system creates a negative effect on other, seemingly unrelated systems. The genitalia of both women and men are physically connected, so they interact more naturally than many other body systems. 

We’ve grouped together some of the urologic conditions that could create sexual health issues. Keep in mind that these are just some of the more common connections. Consult with one of our experts anytime you have a sexual or urologic ailment. 

Infections

Inflammatory or infectious urologic conditions can impact your desire or ability to have sex. 

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs): common infection, affecting women more frequently than men
• Bladder pain syndrome: a chronic urinary tract problem that also favors women over men
• Prostatitis: a male pain condition that starts in the prostate and spreads throughout the pelvis
• Epididymitis: an inflammatory condition of the the tube that stores sperm
• Orchitis: swelling or pain of one or both testicles

Usually, treating the infection resolves the sexual health effects. 

Urinary incontinence

Affecting both women and men, urinary incontinence can undermine your confidence in many social situations, not only intimate relations. Incontinence has many underlying causes. 

• Overactive bladder: a condition featuring sudden, uncontrollable urges to urinate
• Pelvic floor dysfunction: when bladder muscles can’t prevent urine leakage
• Stress incontinence: when actions like laughing, sneezing, or coughing cause leakage

Pelvic floor muscle exercises often help bladder control. Other conditions may need further medical intervention. 

Physical issues

Certain physical problems can interfere with your enjoyment of sex. 

• Vaginal atrophy: changes to the vagina after menopause can dry vaginal tissue, making intercourse uncomfortable while also causing urinary tract problems
• Erectile dysfunction: the inability to achieve and/or maintain an erection firm enough for satisfactory sex, the most common male urologic condition 
• Peyronie’s disease: scar tissue in the penis that creates unusual bending of the penis when erect

Topical or systemic hormone therapy often helps to ease vaginal atrophy. Erectile dysfunction may be treated with medication or penile implants. Your treatment for Peyronie’s disease depends on the particulars of your condition. 

Contact our nearest office, by phone or online, to schedule your personal consultation. You can expect privacy and discretion in all aspects of your care and treatment. Book your appointment today.