Sexual Health

When to See a Doctor

It is normal to have sexual issues from time to time. When your concerns occur frequently, however, you should see a doctor. Not only can a poor sex life affect your quality of life, but it can also be a warning sign of other medical issues, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or loss of bone and muscle mass.

You can consult one of our men's health specialists, who have the expertise and technology to treat a wide range of sexual health conditions.

Sexual Health Treatments

Receive a treatment plan that is tailored to you, based on your quality of life preferences, symptoms, diagnosis, age and overall health. Your plan emphasizes wellness and may include:

• Metabolic syndrome management
• Weight management
• Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise
• Testosterone therapy / hormone management
• Medications
• Surgery, including microsurgery, robotically assisted surgery and traditional open surgery

You may also be referred to other specialists, such as a cardiologist or endocrinologist, to comprehensively treat underlying health conditions affecting your sexual health. Men with psychological or relationship issues affecting sexual health may be referred to a mental health care provider for counseling or sex therapy.

Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Whether your ED is related to normal aging or an existing health condition, your UC San Diego Health urologist can help you find a treatment that works for you. At UC San Diego Health, you have a broad range of treatment options.

Prescription Medications

In most cases, your ED can be successfully treated with prescription medications that you take by mouth, such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra. These medications relax muscle cells in the penis, allowing blood to flow in. They are highly effective and safe.

Injections

Medications can also be injected directly into the penis. As with oral medications, injectable medications help restore blood flow to the penis, which is essential for erections.

Vacuum Erection Device

When medications don't work, your doctor may recommend trying a vacuum erection device that you use on your own to pump blood into the penis.

Low-Intensity Shockwave Therapy

For some patients, this is a noninvasive restorative option using painless ultrasound sonic waves, which can stimulate blood flow to treat ED.

Penile Prosthesis

In some cases, the most effective ED treatment is a penile implant. During this procedure, your surgeon places devices on both sides of your penis that are entirely contained within your body. To achieve an erection, you squeeze and release a pump in your scrotum, which allows you to control when and how long your erection lasts. The procedure is performed at our La Jolla clinic. You will return home the same day as your surgery. The Men's Health Center team specializes in penile prosthesis surgery and because of our expertise performs more of these procedures in San Diego County than any other provider.

Treatment for Peyronie's Disease

Your men's sexual health specialist conducts a full evaluation, including cancer screening, when you come to the office with concerns about Peyronie's disease.

During your evaluation, your doctor will review your symptoms and past history and perform a physical exam. Diagnostic tests, including a dynamic ultrasound, may be used to determine the severity of curvature and/or the exact location of scar tissue and calcium buildup.

You then receive a treatment plan personalized to your symptoms and disease status:

• If your symptoms are mild you may not need treatment
• If you are experiencing significant discomfort, treatment is usually focused on medical therapy, either medications you take by mouth or injections of medication into the affected areas
• If you have severe deformities, your best option may be surgery. UC San Diego Health offers a broad range of surgical approaches, including minimally invasive procedures, robotically assisted surgery and traditional open surgery to straighten the penis and enable pain-free sexual intercourse.

Learn More About Peyronie's Disease