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Abstract

d over the phone like I was?</p><p id="da3a" type="7">How about this: Try to picture Ivanka, the object of her creepy father’s even creepier lust, punching a time clock! That will happen around the same time I start flying jets.</p><p id="709d">Maybe I’m being overly sensitive. I mean, if I could make my own sea salt while basking under the Mediterranean sun, wouldn’t I bleat about it later? Shit, no. I would not.</p><p id="1c29">So you know, the column’s focus was on scent and how it evokes particular memories. Here is the passage that set me off:</p><p id="d741"><i>When I was in Spain this summer, we sun-dried our own sea salt in Majorca, then went to a little shop near where we ate dinner to buy flor de sal harvested from the same Ses Salines salt flats. When I popped open the can — later back at home, my kids shouted, “it smells like Majorca!”</i></p><p id="c3f4">“Gee, kids! How cool is that? Know what? Get outta here”</p><p id="d35c">For those of us who don’t vacation in Majora, <i>flor de sal</i> means Salt Flower. Now, is it me, or is this type of self-important strutting gag-worthy?</p><p id="0c73">I’m not so offended by the message as much as I am by the way it was conveyed. As if the messenger had no clue of the disparity around her and the reality that people are struggling to make ends meet, for God’s sake. Struggling to feed themselves and their families. Working for minimum wage.</p><p id="051d">I get that this magazine is about beauty, not our country’s economy but all I can say is, the salaries must be pretty damned good.</p><p id="22b4">We, as writers, understand that words are powerful and the <i>way</i> in which we say things is as important, or maybe more so, as <i>what</i> we’re putting out into the world. I’ve learned this particular lesson the hard way. More than once.</p><p id="d5bd">Admittedly, I’m particularly sensitive in that I haven’t received an actual paycheck in almost two years. And I’m better than that. Much better, yet I can’t seem to catch a break. So, where someone else might read the editorial and think of it as “aspirational,” I think, “WTF?” Just as I do when I see TV commercials touting luxury automobiles as holiday gifts. What world are we living in?</p><p id="8d58">This is what doesn’t compute: While the editor raves about her kids raving about Majorca, there are other, less privileged children starving in this country. Their parents would love to afford a bus ticket, let alone a first-class airline ticket to Spain.</p><p id="f2ee">A little empathy for others, folks. That’s all I’m asking.</p><p id="184a">According to <i>nokidhungry.org</i>, in the United States, one in seven children lives with hungry. The bigger picture: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than eleven hundred children in our country live in “food insecure homes,” which means the family members don’t get enough to eat in order to live in a manner that’s deemed “healthy.”</p><p id="7845">Maybe the editor should set her cannister of DIY sea salt aside and chew on these stats:</p><p id="1300"><b>Over 4.5 million U.S. kids live in food deserts and lack access to grocery stores with fresh fruits and vegetables.</b></p><p id="742e"><b>On average, children in rural areas are more likely to experience food insecurity and lack access to quality health services.</b></p><p id="7f6a"><b>Close to 1 in 3 American children are overweight or obese, and obesity in children has more than tripled over the past 35 years, putting children at higher risk for serious, even life-threatening health problems.</b></p><p id="a02e"><b>In communities where Save the Children works, an average of 59 percent of children do not have access to fresh, healthy foods; in some areas, it’s as much as 98 percent.</b></p><p id="bc2d">Here’s more self-satisfied bunk from the editorial:</p><p id="c1b6"><i>In (country), last summer, my daughter and I treated ourselves one afternoon to tea at the (uber-luxe) hotel. Now, the scent of not only jasmine tea but also jasmine fragrances brings me half a world away to that fancy dining room, nibbling on tiny sandwiches

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and cakes.</i></p><p id="0408">Again, maybe I’m being unfair and bristly. But the manner in which this was written is offensive, in my humble opinion. Plus, the older I get, the less idiocy I can tolerate.</p><p id="712b">Maybe if she’d included some type of giveaway to the first fifty readers who wrote back via email, describing their favorite scents and what they evoked for them. Jasmine fragrance oil could be the giveaway. I don’t know.</p><p id="7d81">Perhaps this editor should stick to writing about lip conditioners and designer perfumes and the wonders of glycolic acid. Meanwhile, if the craving for a “tiny cake” should come upon her, she could always shove a Twinkie up her bum.</p><p id="444c">I’d like to thank <a href="undefined">Helen Cassidy Page</a> for her input here. She gave me the virtual slap upside the head that I needed. But, sweetly.</p><p id="6d7e"><i>Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.</i></p><p id="2284">As always, I appreciate your reading. If you’re up for more:</p><div id="974d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/haiku-how-to-51d0685c1ad6"> <div> <div> <h2>Haiku How-To</h2> <div><h3>A primer for the sexually inquisitive.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*yQwyx3SGkE3-oZlWW1dC9g.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="654f" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/did-i-fail-my-mother-3323d4907780"> <div> <div> <h2>Did I Fail My Mother?</h2> <div><h3>All the things I should have said, and didn’t.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*IBboE8lKu9O0Q4Ga0aEGhQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="9067" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-hot-women-of-medium-c66515ba6bbe"> <div> <div> <h2>The Hot Women of Medium</h2> <div><h3>Smart, funny, gutsy and SMOKIN’!</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*sUDy3LYDjjZKQqXsMfyptQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="1a63" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/ive-never-received-1k-claps-b1dd0d9c56b9"> <div> <div> <h2>I’ve Never Received 1K Claps</h2> <div><h3>Wounded…and wondering.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*zAfXUminR_ELCNKW8Ppsgw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="11fc" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/its-official-i-m-an-a-hole-347624d73cd7"> <div> <div> <h2>It’s Official: I’m an A-Hole</h2> <div><h3>“Medium Madness” has me by the throat.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*r4v7h4lCPyj7liblwp-GNQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

6 Ways to Treat Erection Problems

What is available and how it works

We might think of erectile dysfunction as something only older men experience. While it is true that it is more likely to happen with increasing age, not being able to get or keep an erection can affect men at any age.

Being able to get an erection is often taken for granted and can be closely linked with how a man perceives himself, being part of their identity. When erection issues then arise, it can result in reduced confidence and self-esteem affecting how a man thinks about himself as a father, husband and in some cases, even at work. Issues with sexual performance can cause relationship problems too as men pull away emotionally from a partner, fearing that they cannot live up to expectations.

Causes¹,²

Most men can experience trouble getting an erection when they are stressed, anxious, tired, or if they have drunk too much alcohol. These situations tend to remedy themselves without treatment and are not necessarily causes for concern.

Other causes can be subtle, while some are more serious and will need further medical investigation. Physical causes of erectile issues can include:

High blood pressure
Diabetes
Heart disease
High cholesterol
Neurological conditions such as epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease
Prostate problems, the most common being: enlarged prostate, prostate cancer, prostatitis
Hormone problems, such as low testosterone

The actual medical treatments for these conditions can in some cases affect erectile function too. A conversation about this with a specialist or your doctor might prove very helpful.

There are, of course, certain emotional and lifestyle factors that can affect sexual performance too, some of which include:

Psychological or emotional factors:

Depression or feeling low
Anxieties
Relationship issues
Stress at home or at work
Stress from social, cultural or religious conflicts
Worry about sexual performance

Lifestyle factors:

Smoking
Drinking too much
Some recreational drugs
Being overweight

In this article, we will be looking at the medical treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Treatment

Apart from living a healthy lifestyle and practicing self-care (which will be addressed in another article), there are a number of other treatments available:

Testosterone¹: Some medications can cause a drop in testosterone, the hormone that is thought to regulate a man’s sex drive. Occasionally this drop can have more natural causes; either way, a doctor or specialist can prescribe the hormone in pill format.

Tablets¹,²: You might have heard of Viagra but there are other similar types of drugs available too. These all belong to a group of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors (phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors) and include:

Sildenafil (Viagra)
Tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)
Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)
Avanafil (Stendra)

PDE5 inhibitors will enhance the effect of nitric oxide (Mayo Clinic³). Nitric oxide is a chemical the body produces naturally which relaxes the muscles in the penis making it easier for the blood to flow into this area. Please note that PDE5 inhibitors will not help you get psychologically or emotionally sexually aroused, which is a major factor in physical arousal and sexual satisfaction. In other words, you need to want and enjoy sexual stimulation for this medication to work.

Sildenafil, avanafil, and vardenafil can be taken when needed and will be effective for up to six hours. Tadalafil can work for up to 36 hours, providing the opportunity for intimacy to become more spontaneous. Note that these will only produce an erection with physical stimulation or psychological arousal.

Before taking any medication for erection problems, do talk with your doctor. There are some dangers if these are taken with certain other medications or if some medical conditions are present. Specifically, but not exclusively:

Combined with nitrate drugs — commonly prescribed for chest pain (angina)
Heart disease or heart failure
Very low blood pressure (hypotension)

Injections¹,³: Injections in the side of the penis might seem extreme, perhaps off-putting and even painful, but many men find this method helpful and report that it doesn’t hurt. There are two drugs that can be used in this way:

Alprostadil (Caverject®, Caverject® Dual Chamber, Viridal Duo®)
Aviptadil with phentolamine mesilate (Invicorp®)

These drugs work similarly to the PDE5 inhibitors, by relaxing the muscles and blood vessels, allowing the blood to flow and an erection to occur. If this method is prescribed, the nurse or doctor will demonstrate how to inject the side of the penis using a very thin needle.

Once the penis is filled with blood, which usually happens within 10 minutes, the erection is likely to last up to an hour.

Pellets or cream¹,³: Alprostadil can be acquired in the form of a small pellet, called MUSE®, or as a cream called Vitaros®. Though they are said to not work as well as the injection, it may be an option if for any reason injections are out of the question.

The pellet or cream is inserted with an applicator into the opening of the penis. Inserting the pellets becomes easier when the opening is already moist, so is it worth urinating before attempting insertion. These usually work within 10 minutes and can last for up to an hour.

The cream, itself moisturising, may be a little easier to insert and some can also be used to massage into the penis to help absorb the drug better. Bear in mind that it does take a little longer for this method to work.

Vacuum pump¹,³: The instrument of a vacuum pump could seem a little medieval, but for some men, this works really quite well.

A vacuum pump consists of a manual or battery-operated pump and a plastic cylinder. This is used to create a vacuum around the penis, enabling the blood to be pulled into the penis, resulting in an erection.

Once you have an erection, the constriction ring which sits at the end of the cylinder is slipped around the base of the penis to stop the blood from flowing back into the body. This ring should not be worn for longer than 30 minutes at a time.

Implants¹: This could be the solution if no other treatment has worked. It involves having an operation to insert implants into the penis. The two possible options are:

Semi-rigid rods that keep your penis consistently fairly firm but allow it to be bent down when you don’t want an erection.
An inflatable implant in the penis and a pump in your scrotum (the skin around testicles). When you squeeze the pump the implant fills with fluid (saline) to make the penis hard. Your erection will last for as long as the implant is inflated, and you can deflate it when you want to.

Be warned

If you are experiencing any other health issues, one or more of these issues may be the cause of erectile dysfunction. Some men are reluctant to seek their doctor’s help when something physical isn’t feeling right. The importance, however, of getting the appropriate medical advice cannot be emphasised enough. The earlier that some conditions are detected, the sooner treatment can start and the associated risks minimised.

For example, the symptoms of prostate cancer are⁴:

Needing to pee more frequently, often during the night
Needing to rush to the toilet
Difficulty in starting to pee (hesitancy)
Straining or taking a long time while peeing
Weak flow
Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
Blood in urine or blood in semen

These symptoms need investigating as soon as possible. Prostate cancer kills 12,000 men each year in the UK alone¹; in the US this figure is 34,130⁵. Some of these deaths could be avoided with earlier detection. Don’t become part of this statistic!

If taking medication for erectile dysfunction while also taking medication for another condition, do make sure you seek advice from your doctor first. Some combinations of medication can be dangerous.

Of course, using methods such as those above will only work on a physical level. Emotional and psychological issues can have distressing effects on your sex life too and can influence your ability to have an erection or your enjoyment of physical intimacy. For these issues, it is always best to seek the help of a qualified and licensed (US) or registered (UK) therapist with experience of working with these specific issues.

References

¹ Prostate Cancer UK

² Urology Care Foundation

³ Mayo Clinic

⁴ NHS

⁵ American Cancer Society

You can read more about talking therapy in: