We’ve heard stories about our country’s leaders, both real and false. In our times, it’s hard to consume news without running into some scandal or another. Like them or hate them, information about political leaders is always useful in getting a picture of that person in that place and time. With this in mind, the Medical History of American Presidents is being compiled. Here’s a whirlwind tour of their reproductive and urological conditions.
A couple of years ago, researchers exploring the effectiveness of emergency contraception uncovered an interesting thing: that levonorgestrel, which is used in a number of over-the-counter morning-after pills, becomes less effective in women over 165 pounds (75 kilograms) and is almost completely ineffective for women weighing over 177 pounds (80 kilograms). In 2011, they published their results, drawing the attention of a number of pharmaceutical companies worldwide, but why haven’t any of us heard anything about it until now?
Hypersexuality, what we commonly refer to as “sex addiction,” remains a hotly debated topic in the medical community; however, therapists continue to work with people whose relationship choices are cause of problems in their lives, and who seem to exhibit a “compulsion to use romance, people and sexuality to feel alive.” These people, some counselors suggest, depend as much on the sexual act itself as they do on the negative consequences that result from it — such as shame, guilt and the reconciliation process with betrayed partners.
In a post for Ladybits on Medium, Meghan Rowland recounts how painful sex was for her, even long after losing her virginity. She went to doctor after doctor to no avail, often leaving their offices feeling ashamed and broken. “After spending a small fortune and seeing four top-rated doctors, that was how I learned about vulvodynia: from a trashy, sensationalized MTV reality show,” she recounts. Vulvodynia, for those unfamiliar, is chronic pain affecting the vulva and vaginal area that seems to occur with no identifiable cause.
Hypersexuality, known in popular culture as “sex addiction,” is defined as frequent or increased sexual urges or sexual activity. We’ve seen the phrase thrown around to explain all manner of indiscretions, but is “sex addiction” actually a thing? We asked this question in 2009 and while we still have no answer, we may be getting closer to the truth. Here’s a study from UCLA to get you thinking.
According to Jeffrey Goldberg at the Atlantic, former employees of Komen told him that the rule was, in fact, designed to single out Planned Parenthood and that Karen Handel was behind the new rule, who saw the Planned Parenthood Congressional investigation as an opportunity to finally end Komen’s relationship with the family planning organization.
Bacteria that cause Legionnaires’ disease were found in water samples taken earlier this month at the Luxor after a former guest died of the form of pneumonia, officials with the Southern Nevada Health District said Monday. Guests staying there during the AVN Adult Exntertainment Expo may have been exposed and may be thinking they’re getting the traditional post-show January cold.
The International AIDS Conference — a gathering of all those involved in working for the eradication and treatment of HIV, as well as policymakers and activists — is returning to the United States after 22 years this July to assess the scientific progress that has been made and lobby for improvements in policy regarding the populations most affected by HIV and AIDS.
We have heard many rumors about the AIDS Healthcare Foundation since we started reporting on their war on pornography, chief among them that they opposed research into an HIV/AIDs vaccine. Not content to become part of the gossip mill, we decided to dive into the allegations. What we found was disheartening.
If you’ve never heard of vaginismus at first skim it might appear as little more than a social media hashtag connoting witty female sayings. In reality, vaginismus is the inability or difficulty in penetrating the vagina. The symptoms vary from discomfort to burning or stinging, with tightness during sex, all the way to impossible penetration.
