Men with low and inhibited desire, erectile dysfunction (E.D.), premature ejaculation (P.E.), delayed ejaculation (D.E.) and other sexual problems should first consult a board certified (preferably AASECT certified) sex therapist. When there are physical/medical issues, a qualified sex therapist refers to appropriate doctors, but the first step is to see a sex therapist.
As I suggested in an earlier blog, the team approach is the most efficient way to solve sexual problems. When there are medical issues such as low testosterone, poor blood flow and medications that compromise sexual desire, arousal and orgasm, a man is affected mentally, and his relationships are impacted.
Many men look for a quick fix such as a pill, a shot or anything else that seems quick and easy. This meager approach is doomed to fail. Quick fixes are not comprehensive or complete fixes. Piecing together a puzzle requires the coordination and cooperation of appropriate professionals.
Several men’s clinics are scam businesses which prey on the emotional fragility of men who can’t get or keep an erection, or who have low desire. Since men measure their masculinity by their erections, they anxiously seek a pill such as Viagra or Cialis to give them what they want. Sexual problems are not so simple! An anxious guy on a pill may still not get or keep a solid erection. Unless his thoughts and health habits are fully addressed, the quick fix is not a fix at all.
Worse yet, many men hear a radio ad or read an ad in the sports pages of a newspaper about medical clinics that supposedly specialize in treating E.D. and P.E. They wrongly conclude that these clinics will quickly and cheaply solve their problem. Unless the clinic is part of a legitimate urology practice, the odds are that the clinic is a scam.
Radio stations and newspapers are remiss to take these ads. The claims are mostly false. Typically, the ads offer testosterone testing and initial medications for $99. I know from many men that what they get is overcharging and overtreatment. The hormone tests are not always accurate. The men are told they have low testosterone, and they need shots or gels to fix their problem.
I have had many men come in after going to one of the scam clinics. I worked with the mental and relationship issues, and I referred them to legitimate urologists or endocrinologists, and often their hormones were just fine. One man was ushered out of a scam clinic when he smelled a rat about their medical honesty and skill. He was ushered out in a quick fashion. He happened to himself be an M.D.!
What the men don’t know is that the treatments are often not needed, they are extremely expensive, and the exogenous administration of testosterone can shut down their own production of testosterone.
When a man is low in testosterone, he may need to be treated, but there are endogenous approaches that can be taken to jump start their own production of testosterone. Some endocrinologists and urologists use the endogenous approach with medications instead of or along with the exogenous use of testosterone.
Low testosterone can impact sexual desire and fantasies, and in some cases, erections. Low testosterone is not healthy for the heart, bones, memory, ratio of fat to muscle and other medical concerns. But these scam clinics are not the answer!
Similarly, these clinics use penile injections to treat E.D. and P.E., which is usually not appropriate. Penile injections are legitimately used by urologists after Viagra or similar pills fail, but to use them cavalierly is not medically sound. Injections may give a man a raging erection in some cases, but they are not the first line of treatment for E.D. They are used by the scam clinics when a man says the pills do not work, but the pills may not have worked because of performance anxiety, medications or another reason.
The clinics use penile injections for P.E. to keep an erection even if the man ejaculates too soon. This is not a proper treatment for P.E. A man with P.E. should see a board certified sex therapist. He needs to deal with his thoughts, learn physical exercises, and in some cases use a medication to put off his ejaculation. He doesn’t need a penile injection!
The doctors in these clinics are not sexual medicine specialists. They are usually general practitioners who are taught to treat sexual problems in one robotic manner. Many of these clinics change their name to stay out of legal and image troubles. Urologists know about these clinics. Every urologist I know is deeply concerned about overtreatment and overcharging.
The cavalier use of penile injections can make it less likely that Viagra will work again. This was a conclusion in a study in a urological journal. I am not aware of any malpractice lawsuits against these clinics yet, but such lawsuits are inevitable.
These male clinics totally ignore the mental/relationship aspects of E.D., P.E. and other sexual problems. They offer bad medicine, and the poor guy is out of pocket for $1000 to $1600.
There are legitimate clinics associated with urological practices which include sex therapists and doctors who specialize in sexual medicine, but the clinic ads on the radio and in newspapers are usually not legitimate.
Buyer Beware!