Functional anorectal pain (FARP) is a condition in which people feel pain in their anus or lower rectum. An estimated 2-5% of people have chronic anal pain, and 8% experience sudden rectal pain. However, many people with FARP don’t tell doctors about it, so the actual number might be higher.

Capacity to love refers to a person’s ability to form strong emotional connections and care deeply for others. It involves empathy, understanding, and a willingness to invest time and effort into nurturing relationships. This capacity varies among individuals and can be influenced by upbringing, experiences, and personal traits.

For more than 30 years, the medical procedure LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure), including LLETZ (large loop excision of the transformation zone), has been used to treat cervical problems that might lead to cancer.

Having a slight curve in one’s penis is normal, and it is not necessarily cause for alarm. However, if the curve is so severe that it prevents the individual from having penetrative sex, it may be a sign of a medical condition. One medical condition that causes penile curvature is Peyronie’s disease (PD). PD can develop when scar tissue forms below the skin of the penis, making it bend during erections.

Sexual script theory suggests that sexual behavior follows a script on a cultural, interpersonal, and individual level. In partnered sexual activities, a sexual script outlines which sexual behaviors are appropriate and/or expected in each situation, including the types of sexual activity, the person who performs them, and the order in which activities are performed.

It is natural for a person’s sexual desire to fluctuate over the course of their lifetime and/or in response to certain life events (e.g., pregnancy, changes in a romantic relationship, big life transitions, etc.) Nevertheless, having consistently low or absent sexual desire with no identifiable cause can be a frustrating problem for individuals that may be consistent with a diagnosis of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).

Delayed ejaculation (DE) is a condition in which it takes an individual an unusually long period of time to ejaculate during partnered sexual activity. Some people with DE may find that they are unable to ejaculate at all during partnered sexual activity.

Vulvodynia is a distressing medical condition that is defined as vulvar pain that lasts for at least three months without an identifiable cause. People with vulvodynia often describe their symptoms as burning, itching, cutting, stinging, and lacerating. They may experience difficulty or pain with sexual activity, tampon insertion, gynecological examinations, and urination.

Gender minority individuals, including transgender people, experience higher rates of mental health problems than the general public. Discrimination, violence, and the enduring stigma around gender diversity can all contribute to the increased rate of mental health problems in the gender diverse community. This phenomenon is known in some circles as gender minority stress.

A good night’s sleep has many health benefits, and supporting a person’s sexual functioning may be one of them.

Several studies have documented differences in sexual desire between cisgender men and cisgender women, but few have differentiated between different types of desire or the sexual orientation of these individuals.

The informed consent model is the practice of health care providers sharing enough information about treatment options and/or procedures with patients for patients to make an informed decision about their health.