Will being diagnosed cause a "complete loss of sexual desire"? Research confirms: "Three major symptoms" of COVID-19 may lead to sexual frigidity
After being diagnosed, I was fully looking forward to getting together with my significant other and wanted to enjoy the “fun and joy” moment, but found that I suddenly “didn’t want it”. Is this really possible? “Nature Medicine”, a sub-publication of the authoritative journal “Nature”, pointed out that in addition to common sequelae such as fatigue, brain fog, insomnia, changes in smell and taste, “COVID-19” may also cause problems such as low libido and sexual dysfunction.
Analysis of 400,000 confirmed cases in the UK shows hair loss and impotence are common symptoms of COVID-19
A team from the University of Birmingham in the UK analyzed 486,149 people diagnosed with COVID-19 from the UK from January 2020 to April 2021 and determined that 62 symptoms were relatively common, such as fatigue, loss of smell, shortness of breath, and brain fog; in addition, hair loss, Sexual dysfunction, chest pain, fever, irregular bowel movements and swelling of limbs are among the new symptoms discovered by the researchers.
Anuradhaa Subramanian, the author of the study and a researcher at the Institute of Applied Health Research at the University of Birmingham in the UK, pointed out that in this analysis, the symptoms of COVID-19 patients are mainly divided into three clusters. The first is widespread symptoms (fatigue, headache, limb pain, etc.) , the second is mental health and thinking ability (depression, anxiety, brain fog, insomnia, etc.), and the last is respiratory symptoms (shortness of breath, wheezing, etc.).
Could the epidemic cause a person to lose all sexual desire? Experts explain potential “4 major reasons”
As for how COVID-19 affects sexual function? Subramanian believes that the underlying cause may be affected by other diseases, or sexual dysfunction caused by the virus invading the genitals. For example, for mental health problems in the above three clusters, patients may be excessively depressed, anxious or afraid of being diagnosed again, and shift their attention to survival and epidemic prevention, without having time to take care of themselves or their partners’ sexual behavior.
Furthermore, previous research from the University of Miami in the United States has confirmed that subjects suffering from COVID-19 have a 20% higher risk of erectile dysfunction than healthy normal people. The potential reason is that the new coronavirus damages the “endothelial cells” of blood vessels, causing capillary dilation, obstruction, and even inflammation. “The World Journal of Men’s Health” also claimed that “endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)” in penile tissue may be damaged after infection, which is a potential cause of severe erectile dysfunction in infected people.
“Patients with COVID-19 may also be more likely to be out of breath and lose physical energy because the lung tissue in the body has been damaged. If they do not have enough physical strength or are weak, their need for sex may not be as strong.” Subramanian said that in this study Among them, not only the known smokers, obese people, patients with chronic diseases, etc., but also women are more likely to be affected by severe COVID-19 symptoms because they are prone to autoimmune diseases.
“Even though women are more likely to be seriously affected by COVID-19, regardless of whether they are men or women, if they find that they lack sexual interest when having sex with their partners and experience more pain than before during sex, it is recommended to consult a professional doctor immediately, otherwise they may It will cause discord or negative psychological state in your partner.”
How to “rekindle love” when sexual desire disappears? 5 key points to help improve the problem of sexual frigidity
Regardless of whether it is caused by a diagnosis or not, how should you improve your “sexual frigidity” so that you can regain your “past passion”? Guidelines published by the Cleveland Clinic, an authoritative medical institution in the United States, indicate that sexual frigidity is a type of “sexual dysfunction” that may involve both physical and psychological aspects:
Physical aspects include insufficient blood flow to the genitals due to damaged capillaries, taking specific drugs (such as antidepressants), gynecological or urological diseases, hormonal changes, chronic diseases, joint problems, smoking and alcoholism, etc.; psychological aspects may be affected by depression, Work stress, past trauma (such as sexual abuse or domestic violence), and relationship issues with your partner.
“Cleveland Clinic” points out that if you feel you have experienced sexual frigidity recently, you may wish to try the following measures to help improve it:
Improve living habits. Try to quit smoking and drinking, and maintain a regular exercise routine to help improve your physical fitness. In addition, sleep disorders are also potential causes of coldness. People who work shifts or have reversed day and night must pay special attention to the importance of sleep.
Reduce stress appropriately. If the work pressure is too high or the lifestyle is too tight, the need for sex may decrease. Therefore, you can try to go outdoors and get close to nature during the holidays; or arrange a trip to “recharge” your body, mind and soul. You may be able to cultivate your sexual desire with your partner during the trip.
Improve partnership. There is a strong correlation between relationship tension and an unfulfilling sex life. When an individual’s sexual desire is low, his or her partner is often unforgiving, anxious and even angry. At this time, you should fully communicate with each other about their views on sexual life and find out the problem, such as thinking about which positions make the partner uncomfortable, whether the sexual space can arouse the sexual desire of both parties, etc.
Make good use of tools. Not only the sexual organs can awaken sexual desire, moderate use of sex toys such as massage sticks as an aid, or choosing different types of condoms, may help both parties achieve orgasm.
Consult a specialist. If there are physical problems, men and women can consult urologists and obstetricians and gynecologists respectively to find out the crux of the problem through individual diagnosis. If it is a psychological problem, it is recommended to take couple counseling, psychological counseling or seek help from a psychiatrist.
In addition, if you develop sequelae of COVID-19 after being diagnosed, many hospitals in Taiwan have opened specialized COVID-19 outpatient clinics. People may wish to take advantage of them to improve various symptoms of COVID-19 in advance, which may also help improve sexual desire and make sex more satisfying.
Source:
Symptoms and risk factors for long COVID in non-hospitalized adults
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