7 STI symptoms people mistake for something else
The most common signs of a sexually transmitted infection include unusual discharge, burning when you pee, genital itching, sores or bumps, pain during sex, bleeding between periods and symptoms that feel like the flu. The catch is that many STI symptoms are easy to mistake for something minor, and some infections cause no symptoms at […]
How to last longer in bed without pills
You can last longer in bed with methods like pelvic floor exercises, edging, the squeeze technique, more foreplay, desensitizing condoms or creams, and, when needed, prescription medication from a doctor. Premature ejaculation is common. Healthline cites estimates that it affects 30% to 75% of people with penises, depending on how it is defined. Most cases […]
Sexually unfulfilled in your relationship, 7 moves to make
Feeling sexually unfulfilled in a relationship is common, and it does not mean the relationship is failing. Most couples go through stretches where one partner wants more intimacy than the other. Research shows that how couples handle that gap matters far more than the gap itself. With honest talk, patience and some creativity, many couples […]
Why skipping protection is riskier than you think
One skipped moment can carry consequences that quietly follow you long after the night ends In the heat of the moment, protection is the easiest thing to talk yourself out of. It can feel like a mood killer, an interruption, or a needless worry when everything already seems fine. That single choice, though, carries far […]
Why Is Congenital Syphilis Still Rising Every Year?
Syphilis is losing ground almost everywhere in America. Reported cases of the most infectious stages fell 22 percent in 2024, the second straight annual decline. Chlamydia dropped 8 percent, gonorrhea 10 percent. Combined case counts for the three most common infections fell 9 percent, a third consecutive year of decreases. Babies are the exception. Congenital […]
Could your sexual health be suffering in silence?
A dimension of health that deserves honest attention Sexual health is defined broadly as a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing in relation to one’s intimate life. That framing goes well beyond the prevention and treatment of infections. It encompasses the quality of a person’s relationships, their comfort with their own body and […]
The STI facts most sexually active adults still get wrong
A public health story that is not going away STI rates have been climbing steadily across multiple demographics for several years, a trend public health researchers describe with a mixture of urgency and frustration. The tools to prevent, detect, and treat the most common infections are better than they have ever been. Access to testing […]
All women deserve great sex and doctors are finally saying it
Sexual health has long occupied an awkward space in medicine, discussed in hushed tones if at all, treated as secondary to what gets called “real” health concerns. Nicole Cirino, M.D., is a reproductive psychiatrist, certified sex therapist, and co-director of the Menopause and Sexual Medicine Program at OHSU’s Center for Women’s Health, which is recognized […]
Sexual health and STIs — the testing gap putting millions of Americans at preventable risk
Sexual health is one of the most consequential and most consistently neglected dimensions of adult wellness in the United States. The country has seen sustained increases in sexually transmitted infection rates over the past decade, with cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis reaching record highs in recent years. The primary driver of this trend is […]
What your sexual health actually telling you about your overall wellbeing
Sexual wellbeing is defined broadly as a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social health in relation to sexuality, and that framing matters precisely because it refuses to reduce the subject to the absence of disease or dysfunction. A comprehensive view includes the quality of sexual experience, the ability to express and explore sexuality safely […]