Men: Get Sexual Satisfaction at Any Age

While there's no getting away from inevitable changes of getting older and more mature, it's not all bad news.

According to a sex survey by Dr. Miriam Stoppard, erection problems don't mean the end of a man's sex life, especially if he's prepared to trust his two best allies -- his partner and his doctor. "Three quarters of the women in our survey were very sympathetic to their partners and, as sex means so much to them, will help sort out sex difficulties," says Miriam.

There are lots of solutions and he shouldn't be embarrassed to get it checked out. His doctor really will have seen it all before and -- more importantly -- it can be a sign of more serious health problems that need attention.

Why It Happens
The link between sex problems and aging is far greater for men than women. Relate sex therapist Denise Knowles says, "A lot of men suffer from what I call the 'Aging Penis Syndrome, which means their erections aren't as strong as they'd like them to be."

Here Are Some of the Reasons

• Hormone levels: Lower testosterone levels are part of the aging process for men and testosterone has a big impact on a man's sex drive. Levels in the body reach a peak between the ages of 20 and 30, after which they gradually decline. According to Dr. Duncan Gold, a consultant hormone specialist at Gold Cross Medical Services in London, around half all men aged 50 or more have low levels of testosterone, causing tiredness, lack of energy, loss of libido and erection problems.

   

• Underlying problems: Erectile dysfunction can be an early warning sign for diabetes or heart disease. These conditions affect the circulation, reducing blood flow to the penis.

   

• Drugs: Blood pressure drugs and antidepressants can cause erection problems, so a man should ask his doctor for advice if this may be the cause. It could be as simple as switching tablets or changing the dose.

   

• Lifestyle: Smoking can cause erectile dysfunction. According to doctors, it causes a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries, affecting blood flow -- a main requirement for a healthy erection. Drinking too much can also have a detrimental effect as it blocks the nerves necessary for an erection.

   

• Worry: If a man becomes preoccupied with his performance, it may interfere with his ability to get an erection and put him off trying.

Get Him to Talk
According to our survey, the majority of mature women don't feel
embarrassed to talk about sex problems such as erectile dysfunction
with their partners. In fact, 77 percent said they'd help their man
overcome any problems he was having with his sex drive.

"With any sexual difficulty, a couple needs to sit down and talk,"
says Denise. "If they don't, what often happens is the man withdraws
from sex and his partner starts feeling unattractive.

"You could say something like, 'We're not making love as often as we used to and I'm feeling upset about it -- how do you feel?'"

Encourage your man to see his doctor. Even if he doesn't
want medical treatment, it's still important to rule out more serious
conditions.

Christine Webber, psychotherapist and relationships counselor,
says, "Men are often reluctant to go to the doctor so any encouragement
a woman can offer her partner to seek help is worthwhile. After all,
why would you ignore something that might possibly shorten your life if
you don't get it fixed?"

Seek Solutions
These days, at least where older women are
concerned, there's no shame in seeking medical help for sex problems.
More than two-thirds of those who took part in our survey say they'd
want their partner to try a treatment if he had difficulty maintaining
an erection.

Explore Alternatives
Once you talk about it, you can start exploring other ways of making love, which lifts the pressure from your partner.

"It's a myth that you've got to have a strong erection in order to make
love," says Denise. "And while you may have had sex more often years
ago, when you get older, the intimacy becomes more sensual than sexual.

"You just have to recognize that sex changes. Reassure him that
it's a perfectly natural part of the aging progress and you're OK with
it."

And our survey found that older women find other things that
are just as fulfilling as sex, including having a romantic dinner and
holding hands.

Dr. Miriam's View
All men experience erection problems at
some point. But while in young men erectile dysfunction (ED) is usually
transient and erections soon return to normal, the problem can become
ever present in older men.

The good news is, ED needn't mean the end of a man's enjoyment
of sex. And my survey shows that his partner can do a lot to help.
Women are sensitive to their partner losing confidence because of ED.
Two-thirds of mature women aren't embarrassed to talk about their
partner's sexual needs or to discuss ED and its implications.

In fact, they'd encourage their partner to go to the doctor to try a treatment for ED.

In this way, they're doing their partners a real service in
protecting their long-term wellbeing, as ED can be an early warning
sign for serious health problems.

Drugs Do Work
Eight out of 10 of our women are aware that
conditions such as heart disease and diabetes can often go undetected
and feel it's crucial women encourage a partner with ED to see a
doctor. Only one in 10 would be embarrassed if their partner used a
treatment for ED.

There are several successful treatments available, even for men
with diabetes and arterial disease. Powerful drugs such as Levitra and
Viagra help men with ED. But another, called Cialis, can make men feel
normal again and restore their sexual confidence, too. Cialis lasts up
to 36 hours so sex can be relaxed and spontaneous.

So today's mature, sympathetic, sexy woman can save her partner's life and their sex lives, too.

Six Steps to Get Back in the Mood
Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Start with morning hugs and goodnight kisses to get you back into the habit of being affectionate with each other.

    

2. Move on to snuggling on the sofa in the evening to help you feel closer.

    

3. Watch some romantic films, or give each other a sensuous back rub to help you both relax.

    

4. When you decide to try lovemaking, don't go straight for intercourse. Start off with stroking.

    

5. Tell your partner when something feels good and ask them to tell you what works for them.

    

6. Forget about getting it right -- instead relax, experiment, play and enjoy.

Source: Daily Mirror. Powered by Yellowbrix.