Middle-aged: Shortened Sexual Intercourse Time, Viagra Risks, and the Importance of Drinking Water
**106. What causes the duration of sexual intercourse to decrease over time for couples?**
To achieve a harmonious and satisfying marital life, both partners often want to prolong the duration of their sexual intercourse. However, in our clinic, we frequently encounter men who complain that their sexual intercourse time is getting shorter and shorter. What are the reasons for this?
There are many reasons why the duration of sexual intercourse may decrease, including physiological factors such as decreased androgen levels with age, leading to reduced sexual function. Psychological factors, such as high work stress and excessive fatigue causing mental tension, can also contribute to shorter intercourse duration. However, many people are unaware that sometimes, shortened sexual intercourse duration can be caused by conditions such as prostatitis.
Prostatitis not only affects men's urination, but the resulting urinary tract blockage also creates a breeding ground for various urinary stones and inflammations. Some patients experience blood in their urine, and some even develop various sexual dysfunctions. Prostatitis has become a major threat to men's health. If you experience frequent urination, urinary hesitancy, urinary incontinence, painful urination, urinary urgency, or sexual dysfunction, you should be alert to the possibility of prostatitis.
If you suspect you may have prostatitis, do not rush into seeking treatment from unqualified sources. You should consult a reputable hospital for examination. If diagnosed with prostatitis, you should undergo systematic treatment under the guidance of a doctor. Treatment for prostatitis mainly consists of three parts, generally focusing on health education, psychological and behavioral counseling, etc. Patients should abstain from alcohol and spicy or stimulating foods; avoid holding urine and prolonged sitting; keep warm and strengthen physical exercise; medication should be taken under the guidance of a doctor, and you should not blindly use "aphrodisiacs" such as Viagra. In addition, combining this with physical therapy such as prostate massage and warm water sitz baths will yield good results.
**107. Why shouldn't you take Viagra blindly?**
Viagra, marketed as Sildenafil, is a popular drug for treating erectile dysfunction.
Viagra works by effectively increasing blood flow to the penile arteries. It's indeed a great invention, and for older men with erectile dysfunction, it can extend their sexual lifespan. However, every medicine has its side effects. Because Viagra is a vasodilator, long-term use can dilate blood vessels in other tissues as well as the penis, leading to various health risks over time.
(1) Dizziness may cause a sudden drop in blood pressure. If nitroglycerin or other medications are taken at the same time, dizziness or even fainting may occur immediately.
(2) Abnormal erection will damage the genital muscle tissue and may even worsen impotence.
(3) Masking cardiovascular disease: Erectile dysfunction may be a precursor to heart disease, diabetes or cancer, and taking this drug may mask the true condition.
(4) Headache: Clinical trials have found that about 13% of people experienced headaches after taking the medication, and the more the dosage was increased, the more severe the headache became.
(5) Blurred vision: About 3% of the patients may experience temporary blurred vision, and some may even experience the hallucination of seeing blue light.
(6) Permanent impotence: Long-term use of Viagra can lead to drug dependence and even permanent impotence.
(7) Infertility Some experts in the United States believe that young people using Viagra may affect their reproductive ability.
(8) Glaucoma ophthalmologists warn that taking Viagra can lower blood pressure, but glaucoma patients have high intraocular pressure. 3% to 5% of them may develop acute glaucoma, which can cause blindness overnight. Even if they are cured, their original vision cannot be restored.
(9) Lowering blood pressure: Viagra can lower blood pressure, and drugs for treating cardiovascular diseases such as nitroglycerin or nitrates can also lower blood pressure. Therefore, when Viagra is used in combination with these drugs, blood pressure will drop significantly, which may sometimes be life-threatening.
Perhaps it is because of its side effects that it is classified as a prescription drug and must be used under the guidance of a doctor.
**108. Why do urologists always advise people to drink more water?**
Urologists' favorite advice is "drink more water." They're practically the go-to person for all urological ailments. Water is essential for the human body; it participates in vital functions, eliminates harmful toxins, aids metabolism, and maintains aerobic respiration.
(1) Water helps digest the food we eat. After being chewed by our teeth and moistened by saliva, the food enters the esophagus and then the stomach and intestines to complete the digestion and absorption process. Water is involved in all these steps to accelerate the dissolution of nutrients by body fluids.
(2) Excretion of waste: The residue and waste remaining after the nutrients in food are digested and absorbed must be excreted through sweating, breathing and excretion. All of these different excretion methods require the help of water.
(3) Lubricating joints: Human joints need lubricating fluid to avoid damaging friction between bones, and water is the main source of joint lubricating fluid.
(4) Maintaining body temperature: When the ambient temperature is lower than the body temperature, in order to maintain body temperature and ensure normal physiological activities, the body retains water by reducing evaporation through constricted pores; when the ambient temperature is higher than the body temperature, water is expelled from the body through dilated capillaries and respiratory pores, thus lowering body temperature. The body maintains its survival function through the dissipation of water.
(5) Maintaining cell hydration can promote cell metabolism, maintain normal cell morphology, and keep the skin moist and elastic.
(6) Balancing blood water can improve the circulation of blood and tissue fluid, and help balance the viscosity and pH of blood.
For the urinary system, drinking more water can produce urine, flush the urethra, reduce bacterial growth, and prevent and promote the expulsion of stones. This is why urologists recommend drinking more water.
**109. How should we understand that drinking water is a science?**
Since drinking more water is good for your health, then just drink it. However, how to drink water is also an art.
(1) How much water should you drink every day? The human body excretes about 1500 ml of urine per day. In addition, the water lost through feces, respiration, or evaporation from the skin is about 2500 ml. The human body can only replenish about 1000 ml of water per day from food and metabolism. Therefore, a normal person should drink at least 1500 ml of water per day, about 8 cups. This amount of water is only enough to meet daily needs. You should drink more water, especially mineral-rich water, after strenuous activity or heavy sweating. You should also drink more water when you are sick, especially when you have a fever, because for every 1°C increase in body temperature, metabolism speeds up by about 7%, which means that you need 7% more water than usual.
(2) How to choose drinking water: First, it is recommended to drink boiled water, which contains no calories and can be directly absorbed and utilized by the body without digestion. It is generally recommended to drink warm water below 30℃, as this will not overly stimulate gastrointestinal motility and is less likely to cause vasoconstriction. Sugary drinks will slow down the rate at which the gastrointestinal tract absorbs water. Long-term consumption of large amounts of sugary drinks will have a certain adverse effect on the body's metabolism. Although sugary drinks such as orange juice and cola taste good, they should not be consumed in large quantities. The daily intake should be controlled to about one cup, and no more than 200 ml. For diabetics and obese people, it is best not to drink sugary drinks at all. Tea and coffee have a stimulating effect. It is advisable to drink weak tea and avoid excessive coffee consumption. Caffeine will affect calcium absorption and excite the nervous system, causing insomnia or nervous tension. Drinking mineral water can supplement the body with some minerals, such as lithium, selenium, and metasilicic acid.
(3) Suggestions for the timing of drinking water: Drinking water after waking up can compensate for the water loss during the night and also plays a certain role in preventing the formation of hypertension, cerebral hemorrhage, and cerebral thrombosis. Drinking water on an empty stomach about 1 hour before meals ensures the secretion of necessary and sufficient digestive juices to promote appetite and aid digestion and absorption. Drinking water during breaks in the morning and afternoon can replenish the water lost through sweating and urination, and also helps to smoothly eliminate accumulated waste from the body. Drinking a glass of water before leaving the office at the end of the workday can increase the feeling of fullness. Drinking water 2-3 hours before bedtime can dilute the blood and accelerate blood circulation, but may increase nighttime urination.
In conclusion, we would like to remind all readers to drink water in a healthy and scientific manner.