Sue's Sex FAQ

Male Health

Sex FAQs provided by Sue Johanson of the Sunday Night Sex Show.

Q. Lately my 50-year-old husband has been moody and difficult. Could he be going through some type of 'male menopause'? If so, how does it differ from female menopause?

A. I have read one good article about "manopause" or "andropause" or "male climacteric" in a men's health magazine. Other than medical literature...nothing. So I am delighted you asked.

There are many symptoms of andropause including:

  • Hot flushes, insomnia, nervousness and unexplained episodes of sweating.
  • He may have a decreased sense of well-being, acts depressed, periods of difficulty with short term memory, lethargy, irritability, inability to make decisions, wanting to be alone, grumpiness.
  • There may be abdominal obesity, decreased physical activity, decreased muscle mass and strength, loss of sexual body hair.
  • Decreased amount of ejaculate and less powerful ejaculation, decreased interest in sex, decreased pleasure in orgasm, erectile dysfunction, (impotence).
  • Loss of bone mineral deposits which may lead to osteoporosis or the development of a "widow's hump" in the spinal column .

As men age, their testosterone level drops every year, giving rise to many of these symptoms. He should see his family doctor about these symptoms. Ask the doctor about a test for his testosterone level and if that is low, inquire about testosterone replacement therapy.

At the right dose, testosterone therapy can restore a man's ability to meet his obligations and enjoy his life to the fullest. Going through menopause and andropause together could be damaging to your long-term relationship.

Q. After rough sex I end up with clustered pimples on my penis. What are they?

A. Go to your family doctor. It may be an infection called Monolescum contageosum. It's a little grayish pimple or blister and what looks like a black pin prick in the middle with a red ring around the outside. Don't break it. Go to your family doctor and they will treat them right away. Don't have sex till they are gone, they may infect your partner. There are several other infections that look a bit like pimples.

Q. My penis cracks at the core. What is cracking if the penis has no bones in it? Is it dangerous?

A. Don't do it on purpose. It is called popping the penis. As compared to popping the boner but we won't go into that. There is a blood supply coming and there is oxygen going in which may make a popping sound. I worry about it when you are having very vigorous sex and it is called a fractured penis. There is no bone in your penis but it gets bent sharply and there is bleeding into the tissue and it turns black, blue and purple and throbs - huge and swollen. I wouldn't make a habit of doing it just for the fun of it. If it happens, it happens. Not the end of the world. If it hurts take a bag of frozen peas and wrap it around the penis for ten minutes. If there is bruising and severe swelling, go to Emergency at the local hospital.

Q. My husband complains his testicles are always riding up, not only when we are having sex, but anytime during the day.

A. Riding up into his abdomen? Get him to a doctor. It could be serious and it's very uncomfortable. Think about it. Before a baby boy is born, his testicles are up in his abdomen and there are two muscles down in the groin and just before he is born the testicles have to descend and they go through an opening in the muscles and slip down into the testicle. Now, what happens most of the time is that those muscles close down tight and the testicles can't go back up.

But in your partner they can go up and down. Under general anesthetic the doctor will make a little incision into the right and left side of his groin and then stitch up those muscles, closing off the passage, so both testicles have to stay down. Otherwise, when they go up and down the blood supply to the testicles can be cut off, that is dangerous and it is too hot up in his abdomen for the maximum production of sperm. Also, there is a possibility that a loop of bowel could come down and go through the opening in the muscles, then the muscles cramp down and now he has a hernia. Problems arise when the muscles are clamped down so tight that blood supply is cut off, and old feces are trapped in that loop of bowel, that's a strangulated hernia, very dangerous.

That is probably more than you wanted to know, but get him to a doctor soon.

Q. Why does my husband have a hook in his penis?

A. It's called Peyronie's Disease and it is probably from a childhood injury. When he was a little kid some other kid probably kicked him in the penis and since he is male, the male can't cry or tell mom, so he didn't get an ice bag wrapped around his penis and a lollypop. The injury healed and scar tissue formed. As we get older scar tissue dries up and pulls. The scar tissue has tightened up and is pulling one side over. He should go to his family doctor and ask for an appointment with an urologist if the curvature is severe and if sex is painful for either of you. The specialist might consider doing surgery, but in all probability they will want to try a new treatment with ultrasonic sound waves so don't give up, get him to see a doctor.

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