Why is sex pleasurable?
Sex feels pleasurable largely because of what happens in the brain, not just the body. Hormones released during arousal shape how sensation gets interpreted, turning physical touch into something the brain registers as enjoyable. Some researchers argue the brain may be the most influential organ involved in sexual response, describing orgasm as a heightened sensory […]
HIV vs. AIDS: What is the difference?
HIV and AIDS get used interchangeably in everyday conversation, but they describe two very different things. HIV is a virus that attacks a specific type of white blood cell responsible for helping the body fight infection. Once present, it cannot be fully cleared, though modern treatment can suppress it so thoroughly that it becomes undetectable […]
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 […]
Are these the intimacy gaps behind most relationship problems?
Intimacy is one of the most misunderstood forces in a long-term relationship. The initial phase of romance is a well-studied neurological event. The brain floods with dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, producing the exhilarating, obsessive focus of early love that pop culture has catalogued endlessly. That chemistry is real, but it is also temporary. What couples […]
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 […]
Nipple orgasm — the expert backed guide to unlocking a whole new kind of pleasure
Nipple orgasm experiences are more scientifically grounded than most people realize, and understanding how they work opens up a genuinely underexplored dimension of physical pleasure. While breasts and chests often play a supporting role during intimacy, research confirms that nipple stimulation alone is capable of producing a full orgasmic response in many people. A nipple […]
GVHD symptoms and their effects on sexual function
GVHD, or graft-versus-host disease, is a condition that occurs when the immune cells from a donor bone marrow transplant begin attacking the recipient’s own body. It produces wide-ranging effects across multiple organ systems, and among the most personally significant yet least openly addressed of those effects is its impact on sexual health and intimate relationships. […]
5 expert tips for better sex after menopause
Sex after menopause is one of the most universally experienced yet least openly discussed transitions in women’s health. The hormonal shifts that accompany menopause produce real and often significant changes in how sex feels, how much it is desired, and how comfortable it is physically. For many women those changes arrive without adequate preparation or […]