What About Hygiene?

By editor | March 5, 2008

Daily care is one way to prevent sources of infection that lead to the increase of blood-glucose levels in the body. Daily care involves a number of practices. This topic will focus on the practices of daily hygiene. These practices involve dental care, skin care, foot care, eye care, and care related to sexually related activities.

Sexually Related Hygiene

Human sexuality involves the sensual feelings, the reproductive process, gender identification, general cleanliness, prevention of infections in the genital area, and sexual behavior. The genital area can be a source of infection, which can cause blood-glucose elevation. Also, if a person does not feel that he or she is functioning well enough sexually, blood-glucose elevation can occur. Pregnancy under the heading of “Intermediate Complications”) is also a cause of higher blood-glucose levels. Finally, confusion in gender identification may result in stress, which is associated with elevation of blood-glucose.

A person’s mental health can be affected if he or she becomes worried about diabetes-related problems of decreased sexual functioning. Rest assured that this dysfunction or inability to have an erection or orgasm is probably more mental than physical. If you read some information and suspect you may be having such dysfunction, you are likely to focus on performance rather than enjoyment; this focus will then affect your functioning. If you find that your focus is changed to your performance, get some assistance from a therapist accredited by the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. If you still have some questions, speak with your health professional. There are specific tests that can aid in determining whether your sexually associated problems are psychological or physical in origin. Most of the time, you will find that no physical problem exists.

Where physical problems do exist, much can now be done with prostheses (silastic implants that are permanently rigid, semirigid, or inflatable) or assistive devices (such as a vacuum pump and a Velcro belt to place at the base of the erect penis or the use of injections), or with hormone or chemical therapy. Women who have loss of libido can be treated with low doses of the male hormone testosterone which stimulates libido. Likewise, men with low testosterone levels can also be treated with it. Women with dryness of the vagina can use a variety of lubricants, the best of which is Aboleneoa water soluble, greaseless, non-irritating lubricant. MUSE (medicated urethral system erection) is a chemical, called a prostyglandin, to be placed as a small suppository in the urethra with the use of a plastic applicator. It works by dilating the arteries and the smooth muscle in the penis. Return blood flow is slowed and/or stopped, and an erection occurs. Couples using this therapy have at least a 65 percent response over those receiving a fake (placebo) suppository.

The newest drug therapy development is Viagra TM. This drug is a blood vessel dilator that dilates the blood vessels all over the body, thus producing such side effects as headache and dizziness. Persons prone to heart attacks should not use this drug, or those who are taking other vessel dilators such as Nitroglycerin, as too much dilation can lead to a heart attack. Viagra TM is taken as a pill, by mouth, in doses of 50 to 150 mg about 1 hour before sex to produce an erection that can last as long as 3 to 4 hours. Viagra TM is currently being tested on women as it may cause clitoral erection and thus increase sensitivity and orgasmic potential or ease. Anecdotal experience suggests that it works in women, but scientific data are not yet available although studies are under way.

If a problem is suspected and you feel uncomfortable in bringing up the subject of sexual discomfort (some women may feel discomfort with intercourse from having a dry vaginal area due to hyperglycemia or to aging) or performance, write it down and present the problem in written form. If you discuss such problems, you will find that the information will be handled confidentially, as any other body function would be discussed. If other health professionals or students are in the room, ask to speak to the doctor privately. Describe what you think is happening. Your health professional knows what questions to ask to assist you in finding the best solution to the problem, if one is found to exist.

For any treatment, the health professional will take into account your own beliefs and attitudes, your physical developmental history, and whether you see yourself in the male or female role. He or she can either assist you in making changes or offer an appropriate referral.

Your participation in all hygiene measures and your early reporting of any infection or injury will help the health team to keep you in the best possible physical condition. The result will be that you will feel better about yourself and about your health.


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