There are many reasons that men experience sexual dysfunction or low libido, including aging, chronic illness, and depression.
Although sexual dysfunction may feel like a taboo topic to broach with a professional, rest assured that it’s more commonplace than you might think. In fact, 43% of women and 31% of men are affected by it.
You should discuss your low libido with an expert because your overall sense of well-being depends on it.
At our comfortable, discreet practice in Norman, Oklahoma, Gordon Hart, PA-C, and Lisa Hargis, NP, can help put your sex life back on track. At Balance Hormone Center, we offer a variety of options to treat low libido.
Low sexual desire may be something you’ve dealt with your entire life, or it may be a new experience. With a sudden onset of low libido, you may experience new mental and emotional challenges.
A dwindling sex life takes a negative toll on a relationship. Low libido causes a lack of desire for an active sex life, which can adversely affect even the strongest bond. This lack of desire may make your partner feel like they’re not attractive enough, even though this isn’t the case.
Diminished self-esteem is a common symptom of low libido. For many men, their sexual performance is tied closely to how masculine they feel. Dealing with low libido can have a devastating emotional impact.
Low libido causes excess anxiety that can spiral out of control, especially if you begin questioning your masculinity and virility. Anxiety is a symptom but can also be a cause of low libido, which is why heightened anxiety can lead to an unending anxiety loop.
In order to effectively treat your low libido, we first uncover any underlying causes. A number of things may cause a lack of sexual desire.
The most common cause of low libido is aging. As you get older, your testosterone levels decrease, naturally stunting your sexual desire. A simple solution to this problem is increasing your testosterone levels.
When you’re dealing with chronic pain or a chronic illness, most of your mental and physical energy is consumed by things other than sex. With chronic pain and illness, you may not have enough energy for a healthy libido. Sexual desire wanes with constant pain and illness.
Depression is another common cause of low libido. You lose interest in many of the things you enjoy the most, including sex. Depression robs you of your desire for sexual intimacy.
Depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental illnesses, strain those affected and limit their everyday lives. Sex quickly becomes unimportant when getting out of bed in the morning or leaving the house during the day is a challenge.
If you’re under 50, this can be one sign of a more serious underlying issue, like a pituitary tumor or HIV infection. If you’ve recently undergone radiation or chemotherapy treatment for cancer, you may have lowered testosterone as well.
Certain medications can cause a loss of libido. These include anti-seizure drugs, anti-anxiety drugs, opioids, medical marijuana, beta blockers, and antidepressants, just to name a few.
You may be overworked or overscheduled at home. Maybe you’re coping with too many social obligations or work projects. Modern everyday life can quickly tire you out and cause stress. It's no wonder that the desire for sex and intimacy sometimes falls by the wayside.
Fortunately, with our help at Balance Hormone Center, there’s hope. If you’re dealing with low libido, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) might be the ideal treatment. Through TRT, we increase your testosterone levels, which improves your sex drive.
TRT comes in several forms, including:
We work with you to determine the best customized treatment plan for you. If you want to learn more, contact us today to request an appointment.
