Sexual Health Checklist

By Nora Heston Tarte

Sexual health is important at every age. Throughout our lives it’s important to get regular check-ups, screenings and vaccines in order to stay healthy. Learn when it’s time to get each of these appointments for yourself and your children-and then schedule any you may have missed! Sexual health can be a sensitive topic for many, but it’s not a good reason to fall behind and make yourself susceptible to related medical problems. This is especially important for men’s health because as they get older, they will develop problems that will need the aid of their doctor. An example of this is erectile dysfunction. Seeing a doctor would help them improve, and they can prescribe medication such as sildenafil online and other treatments.

So, don’t miss one of these milestones.

Age: 11-12

To Do: Get an HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine. These are typically given six to 12 months apart.

Why: HPV can cause cancer in girls and boys. An HPV vaccine can save their life.

Age: 21

To Do: Get a pap smear. Most gynecologists recommend getting a pap smear every 3-5 years, starting at age 21. After a few normal ones, you may be able to go less often. However, certain risk factors mean you should get them more often. Ask you gynecologist for specifics and be open and honest about your sexual habits.

Age: When you become sexually active

To Do: Routine HIV and STD testing. It is smart for all adolescents and adults who are sexually active to get tested often. How often you get tested depends a lot on your sexual activity, but annual tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis is a good rule of thumb, plus at least once for HIV. Tests provided by companies such as PrioritySTD cost around $49. This is pretty affordable. Getting tested for any disease/infection will hopefully put people’s mind at ease when it comes to finding out whether they are clear or not. New partners or practicing unsafe sex are good reasons to get tested more often.

Age: 30+

To Do: Get screened for HPV with a DNA test. This is especially important if you didn’t receive the vaccines as a child.

Age: After children

To Do: Learn about tube tying procedures and hysterectomies. Whether you’re done having children or do not wish to have any, discuss the possibility of having your tubes removed with an OB/GYN. This procedure not only prevents accidental pregnancy, it can reduce the risk of certain cancers. Hysterectomies are another option.

Age: During or after menopause

To Do: Visit your doctor to discuss changes in sexual health. Common issues at this age include low libido and vaginal dryness

Age: 50+ (or anytime you are experiencing erectile dysfunction)

To Do: Talk to a doctor about performance difficulties. Lifestyle changes may help, or you can get on medication if necessary, like viagra. In many circumstances, erectile dysfunction occurs due to advanced age, or an underlying health condition, like heart disease or diabetes. But in others, the main reason could be psychological issues, especially if you are suffering from the likes of depression, stress and anxiety. You may not have known this before, but this could be the reason behind your ED. As a result, you will need to get your psychological symptoms under control. Did you know that cbd may be able to help with erectile dysfunction? We all know that it can be used for symptoms like stress and anxiety, and it could be effective in what you want them to achieve. Alongside Viagra, of course, CBD oil may be another route you want to try to prevent any erectile dysfunction.