Embarrassing Problem? Back to Medical Specialists®…

The Channel 4 program Embarrassing Bodies has highlighted many obvious health problems that bring a great deal of distress to those suffering with them, but in the present day and age there are still thousands of people that are reluctant to go and speak to their doctor regarding genuine health issues that could be considered to be ‘embarrassing’.

A recent survey looked at around 61 million Google UK searches related to ‘embarrassing’ conditions, and discovered that the most embarrassing problems include anxiety, chlamydia and thrush.

However, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy helps thousands of patients around the world with countless other health concerns, problems that people are simply too reluctant to see their doctor about for treatment. With all prescription medications obtained from Medical Specialists®, the patient has to answer a series of medical questions (a consultation), and one of the GMC-registered doctors will assess and determine if that patient is suitable for the particular treatment. Basically, the patient doesn’t have to deal with any potential ‘embarrassing’ face-to-face contact.

Here, we run through the most common ‘embarrassing’ problems that Medical Specialists® patients have come to them seeking treatment for:

Acne

Acne usually starts in puberty, but it affects adults too. Around 80% of teenagers get some form of acne, and there are many myths about what causes it. Here are facts and details of acne treatments and products.

Acne consists of spots and painful bumps on the skin. It’s most noticeable on the face, but can also appear on the back, shoulders and buttocks. Severe acne can cause scarring.

The most common cause is when the skin reacts to hormonal changes. Skin contains sebaceous glands that naturally release sebum, an oily substance that helps protect it.

Adult acne is caused by raised levels of the hormone testosterone, which can cause too much sebum to be produced. It’s the sebum that can block hair follicles.

When dead skin cells mix with the blockage, it can lead to the formation of spots. Bacteria in the skin multiply, which can cause pain and swelling (inflammation) beneath the blockages.

There are different kinds of spots:

. Blackheads – small, blocked pores.
. Whiteheads – small, hard bumps with a white centre.
. Pustules – spots with a lot of pus visible.
. Nodules – hard, painful lumps under the skin.

Inflammatory acne is when the skin is also red and swollen. This needs to be treated early to prevent scarring.

Try not to pick or squeeze spots as this can cause inflammation and lead to scarring. Spots will eventually go away on their own, but they might leave redness in the skin for some weeks or months afterwards.

Medical Specialists® provide an extensive range of acne treatments, which include Aknemycin, Differin Cream, Differin Gel, Duac, Epiduo Gel, Minocin, and many more.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the UK. It’s a bacterial infection, which is found in semen and vaginal fluids. Chlamydia is usually passed from one person to another during vaginal, oral or anal sex, or by sharing sex toys.

Half of men and the majority of women do not notice any symptoms. However, symptoms and complications may develop if it is left untreated. Usually symptoms appear between one and three weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. In some cases, the symptoms occur many months later, or not until the infection has spread. In women, Chlamydial infection usually affects the cervix and uterus (the womb). In men, it usually affects the urethra in the penis. Chlamydia sometimes causes infection of the eye, throat, and lungs. If not treated, Chlamydia can cause pelvic pain, infertility and blocked fallopian tubes in females. In males, testicular problems and reduced fertility can occur.

Sexually active people should test every year and when they have a new partner. If you think you might have Chlamydia, it’s important to get tested quickly. You can get tested whether or not you have symptoms. The Clamelle Chlamydia Test Kit from Medical Specialists® is everything you need for a confidential test at home, avoiding embarrassing visits to your doctor or GP. Just place your order and we will post the test kit to you, which you can use to check yourself. Take a quick urine sample and post the sample to the laboratory in the envelope provided, and the result is posted or emailed back to you by the laboratory a few days later.

For those diagnosed with chlamydia, Azithromycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, used to treat a number of infections caused by bacteria, including the sexually transmitted infections Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea. Moreover, Doxycycline is an alternative antibiotic treatment for treating Chlamydia. Doxycycline is equally as effective as Azithromycin, but the treatment needs to be taken twice daily for 7 days.

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile Dysfunction (ED), also known as male impotence is a very common condition affecting about 4 in 10 men over 40. Erection problems may have considerable effects on a man’s self-esteem and may create stress that can damage his health and relationship with his partner. Erectile Dysfunction therapy is very effective and the three initial prescribed medications were Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.

Since July 2013 Sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra) is now available in a generic form. We also now stock the 2nd generation erectile dysfunction medication Spedra.
For men who find it difficult to swallow tablets Levitra Orodispersible is a new dissolvable version of the oral impotence treatment Levitra. They dissolve on your tongue within seconds, allowing you to take it discreetly whenever you need to.

Hair Loss

Almost a third of UK women (30%) and around two-thirds of men (66%) suffer thinning hair or baldness, according to the research.

Despite the fact hair loss is very common – approximately 80% of men experience some sort of hair loss at some time in their life – it seems two in five men would prefer to suffer alone in silence than seek help and one in ten women are doing the same.

There is no reason to suffer alone though, millions of people in Britain alone are battling hair loss and Medical Specialists® Pharmacy are here to help. With our extensive range of hair loss treatments for men and women, you can act now to halt the progression of hair loss, and even possibly see regrowth of hair.

Medical Specialists® can provide the prescription-only medication Propecia (finasteride), which is used to treat male pattern baldness and works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT, which thought to cause hair loss.  It is obtainable following a quick and easy 4-step process, which includes an online consultation with one of the Medical Specialists’® in-house doctors.

Other options that can be used in conjunction to Propecia include Regaine Foam or Regaine Lotion, as featured in numerous television adverts. Obtainable from Medical Specialists Pharmacy, Regaine products contain the active ingredient Minoxidil; clinically proven to help prevent further hereditary hair loss. Minoxidil works by increasing the blood supply to the hair follicles, helping to strengthen existing hair and stimulate secondary hair growth.

Women can also take minoxidil, contained within Regaine for Women, and have the option of the over-the-counter treatment Florisene® – strongly recommended as an addition to any female hair loss treatment. Florisene® is especially recommended for women who have reduced hair volume (compared with several years ago) or who have recently noticed hair shedding as seen by more hairs in the brush, comb or when shampooing.

Obesity

In the USA and the UK, people with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 30 are categorised as overweight, and those with an index above 30 are categorised as obese. Obesity is a chronic condition characterised by an excess of body fat. It is a risk factor for several chronic diseases, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease; sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis, and some cancers. About 280,000 deaths a year are attributable to obesity.

Obesity treatments include Xenical, Orlistat and Alli. All work within the digestive system in the small intestine as a fat absorber. Orlistat (the active ingredient in all 3 treatments) works to blocks out some of the fat in food eaten in the patient’s diet. If the fat is not digested, it cannot be stored, and passes naturally out of your body through your stool.

Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is one of the most common and frustrating sexual problems that a man can suffer from, and is something they find difficult to discuss with their own doctor. Men with this problem climax (come) before penetration or in less than two minutes after penetration.

Ejaculating too soon is embarrassing and unsatisfying for both partners. It is particularly common in younger men however many middle-aged men also have this problem. It often occurs early in relationships when excitement, some anxiety and over stimulation are common features.

It is also more common in younger men who are finding out about sexual activity and sexual relationships, and men of all ages after a long period without sex. Premature ejaculation is rarely caused by any underlying disease, structural or physical problems.

There are different proven techniques to prevent premature ejaculation such as self-distraction (taking a deep breath and thinking about something boring), stop and start method (stopping and starting sexual stimulation and changing intercourse positions), and squeeze method (squeezing below the tip of your penis for 10 to 20 seconds when you feel the climax is imminent).

There are also creams and sprays used to desensitise the end of the penis. They act like a local or topical anaesthetic. Some condoms have special Benzocaine cream inside the teat end of the condom to help control climax and prolong sexual excitement for longer lasting lovemaking. Oral tablets or pills are now available to help prevent premature ejaculation, but unfortunately not via the NHS.

Thrush

Thrush is a fungal infection caused by Candida albicans. The most common symptoms in women are itching, soreness and redness around the vagina, vulva and anus, unusual vaginal discharge which may be thin, thick and look like cottage cheese or pain on passing urine or during sex.

Thrush infections are relatively common in men as well. The most common symptoms in men are irritation, burning or itching under the foreskin or at the tip of the penis, redness or red patches on the penis or under the foreskin, a thick or thin discharge, like cottage cheese, under the foreskin or discomfort when passing urine.

All these symptoms can be embarrassing while some people don’t have any signs or symptoms, and may not be aware they have thrush. Sometimes thrush symptoms will be noticed during a vaginal examination for a cervical screening test.

Canesten Oral and Cream Duo is an oral capsule and soothing cream to treat thrush. Each capsule contains 150 mg of the active ingredient Fluconazole. This treatment is suitable for men and women. Diflucan (Fluconazole) is an anti-fungal medicine prescribed as a single dose for vaginal thrush. You can take it at any time of day, either before or after a meal. This treatment is for women only.

Baby All I Want for Christmas…is More of You!

Mel Gibson inadvertently developed the powers to understand ‘What women want’ in the 2000 film following an electric shock in the bath. However, for the rest of the male population, getting inside the complex thoughts of women to get a grasp on what they are thinking and indeed what they want, can be an impossible task that even Einstein himself wouldn’t be able to figure out.

With this in mind, and the fact that there is now only a month to go until Christmas day, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy thought we would try to find out some of the things women actually want, whether this be from their partner in the bedroom, or simply an aesthetic improvement to make them feel more desirable.

. 72% say they want longer foreplay

Men are sometimes described as being like ‘dogs on heat’ and it seems his red-bloodedness transpires into the bedroom, with nearly three-quarters of women complaining that the whole process of sex is over far too quickly and there isn’t enough foreplay. Women don’t’ want a ‘wham bam thank you maam’ type of quickie, so men if you want to make sex enjoyable for her then you better make it worthwhile for her. After all, the more enjoyable and pleasurable it is on the whole, the more likely she is to orgasm!

. 59% say they want their man to last longer in bed

It seems foreplay alone isn’t the only way men are coming up short in the bedroom. The actual sex itself seems to be over far too soon for more than half of the women Medical Specialists® questioned. Exactly what constitutes a ‘normal’ duration for sex can vary between couples, but the average time between penetration and ejaculation is generally believed to be around five-and-a-half minutes. Men that are ejaculating less than two minutes after penetration on a regular basis would probably be classed as suffering with premature ejaculation, and would be wise to consider premature ejaculation treatments such as Priligy and Stud 100 spray. Women, why not slip some Durex Performa condoms into his Christmas stocking this year, they have a special Benzocaine cream inside the teat end of the condom to help control climax and prolong sexual excitement for longer lasting lovemaking…so you will both benefit!

. 67% want their man to have stronger erections

Guys it might be time to consider the effects that alcohol, cigarettes and a poor diet are doing to your body, as two thirds of women are not satisfied with their partner’s erections, according to our survey. There are certain foods that may help with better erections, but a persistent trouble achieving and sustain an erection satisfactory for intercourse may be a sign of erectile dysfunction, treatable through medications such as Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, Spedra and finally Vitaros cream for those who do not want to, or are unable to take tablets.

. 88% highlight sense of humour as being important

Ask any woman what they look for in a man and “a good sense of humour” will be one of the first things to come out of their mouth, and indeed laughter is the key a successful relationship for nearly 9 in 10 women in our survey. Men that doesn’t mean you have to necessarily be the life of the party or have to be drunk, sarcastic or insulting. Remember that a little self-deprecating humour can actually seem endearing to a woman, as it can show the man has a vulnerable/sensitive side – but don’t overdo it, this can come across as a lack of confidence!

. 78% of women would like to lose weight

This may not be a surprising statistic considering that research earlier this year published in published in The Lancet medical journal found that young women in the UK can have the unwanted claim to be fatter than anywhere else in western Europe; 1 in 12 are clinically obese. By the year 2050, the prevalence of obesity is expected to spread to 60% of adult men and 50% of adult women. Christmas is a time many of us will really pile on the pounds so perhaps guys this is the time to treat her to a gym membership or inform her about Medical Specialists’® range of fantastic weight loss treatments – without being overly insulting of course!

. 84% of women would like to receive more compliments

As we have mentioned previously, humour is important in gaining her affections, however paying her compliments can be just as crucial in any relationship. If she looks beautiful fellas, then let her know! “You look gorgeous” or “that dress really suits you” might seem like nothing to you, but to woman it could be a huge confidence boost. If her earrings happen to look good with the top she is wearing, tell her! After all, many women put a great deal of effort into choosing outfits and they will appreciate the fact their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Compliments can extend beyond physical features however, if her culinary skills or professionalism at work are impressive, tell her so!

And finally…The survey found that 81% of the unmarried women in relationships want their man to put a ring on their finger! Unfortunately, Medical Specialists® can’t help with this one – the only rings we provide are Durex Play vibration rings…Guaranteed to give you both 20 minutes of quivering pleasure, but not that all important walk down the aisle!

Mental Health Awareness Week highlights Britain’s anxiety woes

Monday saw the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week which will run until the 18 May. Ran by the British charitable organisation Mental Health Foundation, this year’s specific theme is a problem that is spiralling all over the UK; anxiety.

Anxiety is a problem has that has got progressively worse over the last few decades and is recognised as one of the leading causes behind mental ill-health all around the world. With this week it is hoped more awareness is raised about anxiety, the leading causes of the condition and what steps you can take to live more easily with it.

The majority of us will experience some form of anxiety during the course of our lives. The stresses at work, or raising a family, trying to ride through the recession, or preparing for a job interview will all result in some degree of anxiety.

In addition, Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy have spoken to thousands of patients who are suffering with severe anxiety caused by health issues that have a huge detriment to their confidence and self-esteem. Problems such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, hair loss, acne, obesity and much more can all result in long-term anxiety without the necessary treatment(s), which can all be obtained from Medical Specialists™.

When anxiety becomes excessive, persistent and overwhelming, this is when it becomes so problematic that your daily life is effected and is also the primary symptom of a number of conditions, including phobias, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder (social phobia).

According the Mental Health Foundation, levels of anxiety are on the rise. Currently around one in five in the UK feels anxious most or all of the time. A survey carried out by the charity also found nearly half of Brits now feel more anxiety than they did in the past. The survey defined anxious as “generally feeling worried, nervous, or uneasy”.

An estimated three-fifths of the 2,330 British adults questioned by YouGov admitted they feel anxious on a daily basis and 7% would not hesitate to see a GP due to their feelings of anxiety. Just one in 20 say they never feel anxious.

So what exactly is on the nation’s mind and causing us sleepless nights? Well, perhaps unsurprisingly given the state of the economy, money problems were cited as the main cause of anxiety.

Of those polled, 45% said money/finance/debt was the main cause, 36% said the welfare of their children and loved ones, whilst 27% said work problems – i.e. long hours – were causing the most anxiety.

Older people were found to be less worried about finance, but women and older people were more concerned for loved ones. Even though there are a large number of people battling anxiety, almost a fifth of respondents admitted to doing nothing to deal with it.

“Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems in the UK and it is increasing, yet it remains under-reported, under-diagnosed and under-treated,” said Jenny Edwards, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation.

“A good ability to cope with anxiety is key to our resilience in the face of whatever life throws at us. However, experiencing it too much or too often means we risk becoming overwhelmed. Anxiety at this level can have a truly distressing and debilitating impact on our lives and impact on our physical as well as mental health. As individuals and as a society we need to be more anxiety aware. If we truly recognised the cost anxiety has on society, as well as the mounting distress it causes to individuals, communities and employers, we would act now.”

To help people understand anxiety in greater depth, the charity has compiled a new guide titled Are You Anxiety Aware?, which explains the different types of anxiety, the main reasons that can result in feelings of anxiety, in addition to the physical signs that could occur with anxiety (fast breathing, sweating, rapid and/or irregular heartbeat, etc.).

Premature ejaculation can be improved with pelvic floor exercises

Pelvic floor exercises are normally suggested to women who are pregnant, or planning to get pregnant.  Such exercises can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and lessen the risk of the woman experiencing urinary incontinence and reduced sensitivity during sex following the birth of their child. Strong pelvic floor muscles will result in increased sensitivity during sex and stronger orgasms as well.

However, new research has suggested that pelvic floor exercises can also help men – in particular those who are suffering from premature ejaculation problems.

Study data from Sapienza University of Rome was presented at the European Congress of Urology in Stockholm earlier this week, demonstrating how pelvic floor exercises can be effective in delaying ejaculation for men. This showed for the very first time that these exercises are beneficial for men who have suffered with premature ejaculation on a long-term basis.

The research, led by Dr. Antonio Pastore, looked at 40 men aged between 19 and 46. The men all suffered with premature ejaculation but not not seen results from other types of therapy. For a period of 12 weeks, the men were trained to exercise their pelvic floor muscles and also asked to track their time-to-orgasm over this period.

The men’s average ejaculation time at the beginning of the study was measured at just 31.7 seconds, but at the end of the 12 week study period, this average ejaculation time jumped up to 146.2 seconds (two and a half minutes). This equates to an increase in excess of 400%.

In total, an impressive number of men benefited from the pelvic floor exercises, with 33 of the 40 men experiencing improvements to ejaculation time during the course of the study and only five did not see any significant improvement. Two men quit the study earlier than the rest, but had seen improvement prior to dropping out. Thirteen of those 33 carried on with the trial for a further six months and their improved ejaculation times were maintained.

One person’s perception of what constitutes premature ejaculation may differ to somebody else’s and some men may mistakenly assume they have the condition, but the International Society of Sexual Medicine defines premature ejaculation as “ejaculation within a minute.”

Some men’s premature ejaculation problems can be so severe that sex can prove near impossible, especially if he ejaculates before penetration. This can be hugely damaging for a man’s self-confidence, and frustrating for both partners especially if they are trying for a baby.

Health experts generally, and rightfully, see premature ejaculation as a genuine medical condition requiring treatment, which can be done through over the counter products such as Stud 100 spray and/or the prescription-only medication Priligy. The latter works to prolong a man’s sexual performance by an average of 200% to 300%.

How long do American men last for in the bedroom?

Men in New Mexico are able to lay claim to a surprising boast after new research suggests that on average, they last longer in the bedroom compared to those in all the other states across the United States.

An smartphone mobile app named Spreadsheets which tracks the ‘duration, thrusts, and decibel peak’ of a couple’s sexual rhythm, analysed the data from 10,000 of its users to assess just how long couples from different states in America were lasting for.

According to the Spreadsheets app website, the technology works by monitoring ‘user’s movement and audio levels through the accelerometer and microphone to provide statistical and visual analysis of their performance in bed’. Those using the app can unlock 30 ‘achievements’ – a points-based system where couples can set targets or challenges for themselves, such as earning ten points for early morning sex.

For those concerned about privacy, you might be relieved to learn that the app will not record or playback audio or video and all data is stored securely on a person’s mobile device and information will never be relayed, backed up, or synced to the internet, according to the Spreadsheets website.
New Mexico, a state located in the southwest and western regions  of the United States, topped the average intercourse time (excluding foreplay) with just over seven minutes, compared to a mere average time of 81 seconds in the state of Alaska.

The full list was as follows:

1. New Mexico (7:01)
2. West Virginia (5:38)
3. Idaho (5:11)
4. South Carolina (4:48)
5. Missouri (4:22)
6. Michigan (4:14)
7. Utah (3:55)
8. Oregon (3:51)
9. Nebraska (3:47)
10. Alabama (3:38)
11. Delaware (3:33)
12. Hawaii (3:28)
13. Wisconsin (3:22)
14. North Dakota (3:18)
15. Arizona (3:17)
16. Maryland (3:15)
17. Mississippi (3:10)
18. Rhode Island (3:09)
19. Connecticut (3:07)
20. Texas (3:06)
21. New Hampshire (3:04)
22. Wyoming (3:03)
23. New York (3:01)
24. Pennsylvania (2:58)
25. Maine (2:58)
26. Washington (2:51)
27. Iowa (2:50)
28. Illinois (2:49)
29. North Carolina (2:47)
30. Tennessee (2:46)
31. Kansas (2:38)
32. California (2:38)
33. Massachusetts (2:31)
34. Florida (2:29)
35. New Jersey (2:28)
36. Indiana (2:26)
37. Virginia (2:23)
38. Oklahoma (2:21)
39. Colorado (2:21)
40. Minnesota (2:19)
41. Ohio (2:18)
42. Louisiana (2:17)
43. Kentucky (2:14)
44. Arkansas (2:08)
45. District of Columbia (2:08)
46. Nevada (2:07)
47. Georgia (2:07)
48. Montana (2:03)
49. Vermont (1:48)
50. South Dakota (1:30)
51. Alaska (1:21)

Precisely how long sexual intercourse should last can vary from one couple to the next, i.e. what is satisfying for one couple may not be satisfactory for another. The 2009 study ‘Canadian and American Sex Therapists’ Perceptions of Normal and Abnormal Ejaculatory Latencies: How Long Should Intercourse Last?’, determined that sexual intercourse usually ranges from three to seven minutes on average and another study found the average time was five and a half minutes from the moment of penetration to ejaculation.

For a man to ejaculate prior to or within a minute of penetration, this is usually deemed to be a genuine medical condition requiring treatment through over the counter products such as Stud 100 spray and/or the prescription-only medication Priligy – the latter works to prolong a man’s sexual performance by an average of 200% to 300%.

As highlighted earlier, sometimes a man’s premature ejaculation problems are so severe that sex is a seemingly impossible task as he ejaculated before entering the vagina. This can be hugely damaging for a man’s self-confidence, and frustrating for both partners especially if they are trying for a baby.

Health benefits of sex – everything from less stress to better memory!

Great news! Having sex not only makes us feel great and boosts our confidence, it could also provide a number of health benefits.

Unfortunately, according to data from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, we are generally engaging in less of it! Despite regular sex being linked to less stress, better emotional wellbeing, less migraine pain and even a lower risk of prostate cancer, on average we are having sex fewer than five times per month. 20 years ago the average stood at six and a half times.

A Canadian study was published last month which looked at the sexual activity of 21 couples aged between 18 and 35.  The couples had to wear an armband which worked out intensity of the sex and roughly how many calories the wearer had expended.

Amazingly, it was discovered that 30 minutes of sexual activity burned away more calories than walking on a treadmill; the researchers arguing sex therefore could be considered a ‘significant’ exercise.

For sexual activity lasting around 25 minutes, an average of 100 calories were burned off by the men and 69 calories for women. Intensity was monitored in METs (the Metabolic Equivalent of a Task); for men, the average reading was 6 METs, for women it was 6.6.

This is the equivalent of 19 minutes of light rowing, walking uphill or engaging in a game of doubles tennis for 20 minutes, or 40 minutes of yoga.

The British Heart Foundation have previously said that half an hour of sex each day is as beneficial for you as walking the dog. There is evidence that sex actually provides a whole range of benefits by giving your lungs and heart a workout, and then helping to emit hormones that not only decrease stress but generate new brain cells.

Scientists at the University of Maryland in the U.S. discovered the latter benefit after their study showed middle-aged rats made more brain cells after mating.

This is known as neurogenesis, thought to be responsible for lost brain function as a result of aging. Following extended periods of sexual activity, brain function was boosted, in particularly in the hippocampus area – the region of the brain where new memories are made.

“A huge amount of brain stimulus occurs during intercourse,” comments Dr Ghosh, a private GP who studies the health benefits of sex. “It’s why we feel so overtaken when we orgasm. When researchers do MRI scans on people in orgasm, they observe both sides of the brain being stimulated, including parts of the brain we wouldn’t normally use.”

Older men may be delighted to learn that regular sexual activity may remarkably lower their prostate cancer risk.

Researchers from the University of Nottingham quizzed 840 men about their sexual activity levels past and present. Those in their 50s with an active sex life (ejaculating over 10 times each month) were at a lower risk from what is still the most common type of cancer for UK men. Experts believe this could be the case as if men don’t clear sperm, it can be re-absorbed by the prostate gland.

“Sperm needs to be regularly flushed out to allow new cells to develop. It’s a bit like cleaning out a pipe, it may help stop the build-up of old cells that might be more likely to turn cancerous,” says Dr Ghosh.

So what are the obstacles to ‘great sex’? Two of the common health problems which might hinder this are erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

Erectile Dysfunction (ED), also known as male impotence, is a very common condition afflicting around 4 in 10 men over 40. Such problems can be catastrophic for a man’s self-esteem, causing stress that can affect the man’s health and relationship with his partner.

Premature ejaculation is one of the most common and frustrating sexual problems that a man can suffer from, and is something they find difficult to discuss with their own doctor. Men with this problem climax (come) before penetration or in less than two minutes after penetration. Ejaculating too soon is embarrassing and unsatisfying for both partners. It is particularly common in younger men however many middle-aged men also have this problem.

Suitable male patients can buy Viagra for erectile dysfunction, or buy Priligy for premature ejaculation, both following an online consultation with one of Medical Specialists Pharmacy’s GMC-registered doctors.

Premature ejaculation campaign urges men to get treated

TV Doctor and star of ‘Embarrassing Bodies’ Dr Christian Jessen, yesterday launched a new premature ejaculation campaign in Ireland.

The ‘Take Control’ awareness campaign is aimed at tackling a condition which is still the most common type of sexual dysfunction in men, affecting around 1 in 5 Irish males.

The Irish Association of Sexual Medicine have voiced their concerns that many men are simply ignoring their symptoms, disregarding it as just ‘stress’, or are feeling to ashamed to discuss the problem, which should not be the case in the 21^st century and there are a whole range of premature ejaculation treatments out there for men.

Although opinions about what could be classified as ‘satisfactory sex’ can vary between couples, it should be worth noting that the NHS state that if you are regularly ejaculating prior to or within one minute of entering your partner’s vagina, this is usually regarded as a medical issue that should be treated.

Hopefully, with the new campaign which kicked off yesterday, more men will now feel open about the issue of premature ejaculation. There is also a Take Control website offering some myths and truths about premature ejaculation, advice on how to speak to your doctor about it, as well as real life stories from people who have also experienced premature ejaculation problems.

“PE is one of the last remaining sexual taboos and so many men who suffer from it find it embarrassing and difficult to talk about,” commented Dr Jessen at yesterday’s launch. “Leaving it unaddressed can have a very negative impact upon men’s confidence and their overall well-being, not to mention their relationships.”

Erectile dysfunction is one issue Medical Specialists Pharmacy are inundated with phone calls and emails about, with thousands of men seeking our help with the best impotence treatment for them, however premature ejaculation is an area that more men need to come forward about and get treated for. Following an online consultation with one of our doctors, men with the condition can buy Priligy, an oral medication that can prolong a man’s sexual performance by an average of 200% to 300%.

After all, recent research showed that an incredible 85% of Irish people believe it is an imperative thing to satisfy their partner sexually as it will boost the strength of the overall relationship, and this is one stat that is probably applicable to other countries around the globe, not just specific to Ireland.
Trish Murphy, a psychotherapist, has spoken to countless couples and helped them with the condition, witnessing herself how it can be detrimental to relationships.

She says: “The potential shame and embarrassment combined with anger and frustration for men and their partners can create a vicious cycle that compounds the problem and limits the chances of reclaiming lost intimacy. These psychosexual aspects underline the importance of sexual counseling and the treatment of the couple in finding solutions.”

Promescent spray for premature ejaculation set to become a huge hit

A new over-the-counter spray for men suffering with premature ejaculation (PE) could be set to take the world by storm after becoming available in the North American market.

Promescent is the name for the spray which is being referred to as an ‘anti-Viagra’ and as a miracle cure for PE; a condition that can cause deep emotional distress for the male, yet is often ignored in comparison to erectile dysfunction whereby there are a vast array of treatment options such as Viagra, Cialis, Cialis Daily, Levitra, and more.

Absorption Pharmaceuticals are the brains behind the revolutionary topical PE spray, applied to the under-shaft of the penis just 10 minutes prior to sex and will also not transfer to the sexual partner’s vagina if it is washed off, according to Absorption, who give detail on their website what makes Promescent stand out from the crowd.

They say: “Promescent’s absorption technology, in conjunction with the metered-dose spray bottle, enables men to deliver a specific and reproducible amount of lidocaine through the stratum corneum of the penile skin to the dermis and control ejaculation latency. Promescent allows men to easily manage penile sensitivity in order to maintain optimum sexual satisfaction…”

As mentioned above, Promescent contains lidocaine; a topical anaesthesia and this is the same active ingredient as another hugely popular PE spray that is already available in the UK – Stud 100.

Depending on the dose and penis sensitivity, Promescent can last from anywhere ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour. This should undoubtedly leave both man and woman very satisfied indeed.

The International Society for Sexual Medicine state that PE happens when a man reaches his peak and releases semen soon after penetration. This could be within a minute, but for some men it could be as soon as 15 seconds. For those with a skewed idea of what constitutes ‘premature’ due to a misleading concept of sex from the pornographic industry, it is worth bearing in mind that the average ejaculation time is between an estimated 4 to 8 minutes.

Dr. Ron Gilbert, leader of the research team that developed the spray, commented in an interview that the amount of spray used is quite variable. “One of the nice things about the medication is the dosage can be changed easily,” he said.

“With Promescent the FDA has approved 3 to 10 sprays so you’re able to very, very subtly change the effect, because if four sprays isn’t perfect you can go up to five or six. We hear from patients where this product has brought them from a situation where the bedroom is a place where there’s all this anxiety and disappointment – to where they feel really empowered.”

Jeff Abraham, CEO of Absorption Pharmaceuticals, speaking to CNBC, said: “How can these billion dollar companies in the ED space not come up with a product?”

Mr Abraham recently rejected a $30 million offer for his company on the belief that the market for premature ejaculation treatments could eclipse that of the one for erectile dysfunction treatments – meaning Absorption will be worth a whole lot more than $30 million!

If you are one of the many millions of men around the world who are having premature ejaculation problems, Medical Specialists Pharmacy are able to prescribe Priligy to suitable patients following an online consultation with one of our doctors. Priligy is an oral tablet taken prior to the sexual activity and acts quickly within 60 minutes, only taken when you need it. In addition, we offer Stud 100 spray, obtainable from our chemist shop. Stud 100 delays ejaculation by reducing the sensitivity of the penis, significantly prolonging intercourse and providing greater satisfaction for both partners.

Online Pharmacy to give away 1,000s of condoms for Sexual Health Week

 Sexual Health Week 2013 will take place this year from 16 to 22 September and is one of many national campaigns which Medical Specialists Pharmacy are proud supporters of.  Therefore we have teamed up with Skins Condoms to give out free condoms to any patient who obtains sexual health products during that particular week, such as Viagra, a Clamelle chlamydia test kit, Durex play vibration rings, etc. You are guaranteed to get more bang for your buck during Sexual Health Week with Medical Specialists Pharmacy.


The words ‘sexual health’ will always be synonymous with condoms, but choosing the right condom can be tricky. One massively popular type is the ‘long love condoms’, as nicknamed by the German scientists who devised them. They are an excellent method of ensuring sexual health AND prolonging yours and your partner’s sexual excitement – quite handy when bearing in mind that Medical Specialists Pharmacy research has found that 20% of women rate their most recent sexual partner has having a poor to very poor performance, and almost a third (32%) want their man to last longer in bed.

One particular ‘long love’ condom is the Durex Performa, which has a special non-spermicidal Benzocaine lubricant cream inside the teat end of the condom to help control climax for longer lasting lovemaking and better sex. This is of course a fantastic bonus on top of its other main functions of preventing an unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection! Of course, we do realise there are some people who are somewhat careless, and this is why Medical Specialists Pharmacy can supply the Levonelle 1500 morning after pill in addition to a range of treatments for sexually transmitted infections such as herpes and chlamydia.

However, with regards to condoms, an important factor to take into account is that there are often reports of counterfeit condoms in circulation around the country by their millions. A cheap and poorly-made counterfeit condom is unlikely to provide any of its main functions, let alone the added bonus you can get from condoms such as the Durex Performa.

Therefore, condoms and other contraception methods should only be obtained from a reputable source such as Medical Specialists Pharmacy, and during Sexual Health Week we will be offering a fantastic bargain on the previously mentioned Durex Performa condoms,  slashing the price of a pack of individually wrapped 72 Durex Performa condoms by half…yes half! For the unbelievably low price of just £30.00 this bundle can be yours.

For those unaware, Sexual Health Week has been pioneered by the Family Planning Association (FPA) in partnership with Brook, with the theme remaining as last year’s XES We can’t go backwards campaign.

The aims of the national campaign are to protect and promote sexual health and contraception services by fighting government budget cuts, policy changes, and more specifically; the lack of easy access to contraception due to closures of sexual health centres or alterations to their opening hours.
Both FPA and Brook have stated they receive a large number of calls from worried and unhappy members of the public, being denied basic access to the advice, products and services that they require.

However, calls they probably won’t receive are the types of calls Medical Specialists receive on a daily basis – distressed men who are having problems in the bedroom. Whether this is in the form of erectile dysfunction and/or premature ejaculation, each problem can place a great deal of stress onto relationships and cause a huge loss of self-esteem for the male.

The fact we receive so many calls is a positive thing as it means that the majority of men are no longer suffering in silence, but some still are. Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation are viewed as genuine medical conditions and as such, require treatment. This may come in the form of lifestyle changes such as giving up smoking or managing stress, but in most cases erectile dysfunction usually requires treatment through a type of medication known as a Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor, such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. On the other hand, premature ejaculation can be treated with a medication known as Priligy in addition to those wonderful long love condoms which can also help you last longer in the bedroom!

‘Viagra for women’ may be available in 2016

In just three years’ time, it could be that men are not the only sex who get a helping hand in the bedroom, as Dutch scientists are developing two new drugs to cure the loss of a woman’s desire, one of which is a testosterone-based therapy to heighten pleasure.

The revolutionary new drugs Lybrido and Lybridos, or ‘Female Viagra’ as they are being nicknamed, are being developed by Dutch and US firm Emotional Brain, who claim either could be on bedside cabinets across the world by 2016, being used to boost a woman’s sexual desire and increase feelings of satisfaction in the bedroom.

Currently, men hugely benefit through medicines such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra for impotence, in addition to Priligy and Stud 100 spray for premature ejaculation. Women’s bedroom issues are often overlooked and ignored, but not for much longer!

The creators Emotional Brain were founded in 2001 primarily to pioneer innovative health care. A lot of their work is targeted at researching women’s sexual health. The twelve years following, many experts have tried to find causes for Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) and targeted therapy to treat the problem.

Unfortunately, previous treatments have been found relatively ineffective as female libido is commonly linked to psychological issues and not merely physical factors.

Emotional Brain believes they may have created something to beat the problem through two-in-one pills that will target both the body and brain.

The pills will be sized smaller than a typical aspirin and Lybrido will be comprised of a Viagra-like drug coated in a testosterone and will have a minty taste. Both components may be weak to combat low libido separately, but the testosterone-coating that melts in the mouth followed by a delayed-release of the Viagra-type substance.

Lyrbridos however will have its Viagra-like molecule replaced buspirone; an anti-anxiety medication that increases levels of the hormone serotonin. Unlike Viagra, Lybridos targets brain areas associated with sexual desire, encouraging the brain to realign with intimacy.

U.S. trials have finished involving more than 200 women have recently been completed, and Emotional Brain founder Adriaan Tuiten states the results from both drugs are ‘very, very promising’.
Dr Tuiten was prompted to research into female emotions after having his heart broken by an ex-girlfriend whilst he was in his 20s. It is his belief that the treatments will be a massive hit especially amongst women who have been married for many years and for whom sex may have lost the appeal and become stale over time.

Dr Tuiten says up to 43% of women experience a low sex drive at some point in their lives and has alleviated fears that the new drugs wills turn women into sex-crazed nymphomaniacs, stating that the treatments will work at simply increasing low-libido to more ‘normal’ levels.

David Beckham didn’t let asthma hold him back, why should you?

We are now in the 21^st century and we as humans have particularly made drastic forward strides over the previous 100 years in regards to social and technological development. For instance, our ever-increasing knowledge and understanding about ‘embarrassing’, yet genuine medical conditions such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and sexually transmitted infections, has enabled better advice and treatment to be available for patients with these problems.

One health problem that you could be forgiven for assuming is not too ‘embarrassing’ is the lung condition asthma. Affecting an incredible 5.4 million people in the UK alone, it is more prevalent than you may first realise and worryingly it can strike anybody, at any age. Despite the fact that 1 in 12 adults and 1 in 11 children are suffering from asthma, to this day there is still a stigma and feeling of shame/embarrassment that is closely linked to the airway-constricting lung condition.

 By Regular Daddy (Own work)
 [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL],
via Wikimedia Commons

Why is this? One possible reason could be the strong desire to fit in with family members and friends. However this can lead to a lax attitude from sufferers who then do not properly manage their asthma and ignore symptoms of an imminent attack. There could also be the feeling of embarrassment of using their preventer or reliever inhaler in a public arena, after all nobody wants to draw attention to themselves do they? However, consider this – what is more important, one 5 second moment of ‘embarrassment’, or your health and being able to properly breathe? Surely a member of the public being forced to call an ambulance for you would heap a whole lot more attention on you than simply using that important asthma inhaler. Not only this, the chances are that nobody will be even paying attention to you! We live in an age whereby most adults are occupied with the social media and music facilities on their smartphones, and are too busy to pay attention to much else around them.

Alternatively, perhaps the embarrassment factor of asthma can be attributed to a lack of understanding of the problem from those who do not actually have asthma themselves. Medical Specialists advise sufferers to take control of their asthma today. Educate those around you about what it is like to live with the lung condition, share your experiences and how it impacts your life.

Bestowing this knowledge onto family, friends and co-workers will benefit both you and them. They will have more empathy and will be able to even help you in the event of a serious asthma attack. Showing people that you are not ashamed of having asthma and are fully in control of it means you do not need to feel self-conscious about having asthma or needing to use an inhaler in public.

After all, there are an increasing number of celebrities who are speaking out about their experiences with asthma.  More and more celebs are using their position of being a powerful role model to hammer home the clear message that asthma is absolutely nothing to feel humiliated about and that you should definitely not let it stop you enjoying your life. Why should you hide away at home and be miserable when some of your favourite heroes are still doing what they are passionate about and are not letting it hold them back. Here we look at some of the most famous asthma sufferers from the world of entertainment:

• David Beckham

Somewhat surprisingly given his high-profile image, football superstar David Beckham’s asthma was only first revealed to the public during half-time of a LA Galaxy match in November 2009. Beckham was snapped puffing on his preventative inhaler for the first time ever since he burst into Manchester United’s first team in the 1990s. It was later revealed he has suffered from asthma since childhood but never felt the need to publicly speak about it. His agent Simon Oliveira said at the time, “David has suffered with this since he was a young boy. He has never sought to make it public, but if it does inspire any sufferer to think they can achieve great things like many other sportsmen have done then so much the better.”

• Martin Scorsese

Oscar winning veteran film director Martin Scorsese has enjoyed a widely acclaimed career, spanning several decades. He is responsible for many films that are constantly being voted as some of the greatest films of all time including Raging Bull, Goodfellas and The Departed. However, his glittering directorial career may not have come to fruition without asthma. Scorsese suffered from severe asthma whilst a young boy growing up in Queens, New York. The young Scorsese was therefore encouraged by his parents to spend more time in movie theatres instead of the sports field. It was here he developed his fierce passion for film-making, and the rest is history as they say!

• Alice Cooper

Known as ‘Vincent Damon Furnier’ when he is not on stage screaming down his microphone, 64-year-old US heavy metal singer Alice Cooper has never let his asthma hold him back from becoming one of the most idolised rock gods in the world, in a career that has lasted for over four decades and counting.  Cooper first suffered from asthma as a young child when growing up in Detroit, Michigan. To try and help his condition, Alice’s family made the decision to relocate to Phoenix, Arizona. These days, the rocker has his asthma firmly under control and has certainly not allowed the condition to prevent him from ‘rocking out!’

There are many more famous asthmatics than the three mentioned though, and many whom you are probably not aware even have the lung condition. Here are just a few more examples:

. Paul Scholes (Manchester United footballer)
. Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC & England footballer)
. Paula Radcliffe (English long distance runner)
. Rebecca Adlington (Team GB Olympic swimmer)
. Darren Gough (Former England cricketer)
. Charles Dickens (English writer during the Victorian period)
. John F. Kennedy (35^th President of the United States)
. Bill Clinton (42^nd President of the United States)
. Ricki Lake (American chat show host)
. Billy Joel (Singer)

As you can see, there have been many successful athletes, film directors, presidents and novelists who have all followed their heart and fulfilled their dreams. Do not let your asthma force you into living a reclusive day to day life. In fact, previous research has found that people living with a chronic illness such as asthma that have formed an extended social network, tend to be happier and successful in comparison to those who decide to retreat from social events. Reach out to others, do not be embarrassed to use that potentially life-saving inhaler, and most importantly – relax and enjoy life!

Men with a bulging waist risk impotence and ejaculation problems

For all you men out there – Next time you hit the town with your friends and drink pint after pint of beer, followed by that customary kebab on the way home, think about what the extra calories and weight could be doing to your sex life. By that, we do not mean the common ‘brewer’s droop’ that many intoxicated men experience, which is a temporary form of alcohol-induced impotence.

An American study that has been published in the August edition of the British Journal of Urology International claims that men with a larger waistline have a much higher chance of experiencing sexual dysfunction and symptoms of urinary tract infection.

Senior study author Dr Steven Kaplan of the Weill Cornell Medical College at Cornell University, worked with colleagues to examine 400 males who were all suffering with lower urinary tract symptoms, which include varying things such as difficulty urinating, incontinence and frequent urination during both the day and night.

Age ranges of the subjects spanned from 40 to 91 years. It was documented that 37.5% of the men had a waistline measuring less than 36 inches, roughly a third were measured between 36 and 40 inches and finally 29% of the men had a waist circumference of more than 40 inches.

A link was established between having a bigger waistline and frequency of urination. For example, it was noted that 39% of men with the largest waists needed to urinate more than eight times in a 24 hour time period. In contrast, statistics showed it was 27% for men in the middle category and just 16% for males with waists less than 36 inches.

As well as being more at risk of urination problems, researchers found that erectile dysfunction (ED) was present in 74.5% of the men with the biggest waists, whereas it was prominent in 50% of men in the middle group and 32% with the smallest waists.  Ejaculatory problems showed a similar pattern to the two issues already mentioned as 65% of men with the larger waists had ejaculation problems, followed by 40% and 21% respectively.

Moreover, the study also found men with the biggest waist circumference were more likely to have the common health conditions that have long been linked to obesity, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes.

Dr Kaplan spoke on the study results and said, “The findings demonstrate that obesity in men – part of a growing global epidemic, affects their well-being in profound ways. We have to think of the body in a much more holistic way. What we eat can have devastating consequences on more than just our hearts. Quality-of-life issues…can be affected as well in drastic ways.”

Certainly the problems encountered in this study paint a worrying picture for men. Indeed if current trends continue then it is expected that by the year 2030, half of UK men could be obese. Also in 2008 it was estimated that an incredible 502 million people around the globe were obese.

However, if you are a male who is suffering from ED, Medical Specialists Pharmacy offers a wide range of treatment options to help you and kick-start your sex life. The medications we provide for male impotence can be ordered with or without a private prescription, and pending approval from one of our registered doctors, can arrive to you within just 24 hours. We have Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, all obtainable at fantastic prices.

In addition, if you are suffering from the common ejaculation problem, premature ejaculation (PE), our doctors can prescribe Priligy for this condition, following a consultation. This is an oral tablet for suitable males suffering from premature ejaculation. These tablets are taken prior to the sexual activity. It acts quickly within 60 minutes and is only taken when you need it. In addition, we offer Stud 100 spray, obtainable from our chemist shop. Stud 100 delays ejaculation by reducing the sensitivity of the penis, significantly prolonging intercourse and providing greater satisfaction for both partners.

Erectile dysfunction drugs could help with premature ejaculation

A group of 14 individual studies has found compelling evidence to suggest that erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra could help with premature ejaculation as well as ED.

There has developed an interest in using ED drugs to treat premature ejaculation after it was found that a side effect of using ED drugs was a delay in ejaculation.

With that in mind a series of 14 studies were carried out to ascertain whether ED drugs could help delay ejaculation. The men in the study were asked to use a stopwatch before and after treatment to measure the time between penetration and ejaculation and it was found that the ED drugs had a positive effect on delaying ejaculation.

However a review of these studies has pointed out that these studies did not use a placebo during the tests thus not eliminating the psychological factor. Added to that they didn’t use the International Society for Sexual Medicine’s definition that an inability to last for more than one minute before ejaculating constituted premature ejaculation.

Following on from that review however 4 new studies including about 300 men were conducted using both an ED drug and a placebo. It was found that after taking the placebo men had intercourse lasting between a minute and a minute and a half, just over the official definition of premature ejaculation.

Significantly the men who did take the ED medication had intercourse lasting between two and a half minutes and six minutes, well over the official definition of premature ejaculation.

Whilst it was noted that more thorough and extensive studies would be needed to back up these findings the signs are encouraging that ED drugs could be added to the list of already successful premature ejaculation treatments such as Priligy and topical anaesthetic sprays such as Stud 100 spray.

At Medical Specialists we offer a free online consultation to anyone suffering from either erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation and our in house doctors can prescribe the most suitable treatment for you. Following that our resident pharmacist can dispense the medication and have it delivered to your home thus avoiding the hassle and embarrassment of going to see a doctor/pharmacist face to face.

New drug ‘Zertane-ED’ on the horizon to treat both ED and PE in men

Erectile dysfunction is one of the most frustrating conditions for a male to suffer from and it is estimated that 4 in 10 men have impotence problems. The inability to achieve and sustain an erection can cause distress for both partners and result in a dramatic loss of self-esteem for the man especially. Viagra, Cialis and Levitra remain the three most effective medications for this condition and have spawned countless illegal copies such as ‘Kamagra’.

Premature ejaculation is a condition many men have long wondered how to prevent and many are still too embarrassed or afraid to seek help. Certain things to do during foreplay and even some breathing exercises may help to some degree, but effective treatments available to combat the problem remain as the prescription medication Priligy and the over the counter stud 100 spray. With all this in mind, some companies have long wondered how to conjure up something that can treat both conditions, so far without success.

In June we were the bearers of good news to the thousands of men across the country who unfortunately suffer with premature ejaculation. Dr Mike Wyllie, who was a member of the Viagra team who helped to develop the product, is currently formulating a new spray to help premature ejaculation and it will be called ‘Tempe’. However, the release date of this spray is still yet to be confirmed.

It has now emerged that yet another product for male premature ejaculation may be entering the market in the future. That is not all though – the drug also treats erectile dysfunction too according to its creators. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have given the go-ahead to Ampio Pharmaceuticals Inc to begin two clinical trials of the oral medical ‘Zertane-ED’.  The FDA have given their approval after acknowledging premature ejaculation as a disease condition with negative consequences for the sufferer such as emotional distress, frustration and sometimes the complete avoidance of sexual intimacy. This contradicts earlier reports where some suggested that the FDA did not see premature ejaculation as a treatable ailment.

Michael Macaluso, Ampio’s CEO, was clearly overjoyed with the FDAs ruling and said, “The clear clinical path for Zertane provided by the FDA, and the reasonable costs to complete these PE trials, allows Ampio to present potential distribution partners a portfolio of sexual dysfunction drugs that treat both PE and the PE/ED combination worldwide. Ampio was recently awarded multiple patents worldwide for combinations of Zertane with any PDE5 inhibitors and for reduction of side effects of Tramadol. These recently awarded patents will benefit from a full patent life and are important for negotiations with potential partners whose PDE5 inhibitors patent protection has expired or are about to expire, which could be greatly extended by Ampio’s patents.”

Ampio has now entered into a contract with the Indian-based contract research and manufacturing organisation ‘Syngene’, to manufacturer the drug. Macaluso spoke on the partnership, “As a first step for the clinical study of Zertane-ED, Ampio entered into an agreement with Syngene to begin manufacturing the combo product for the conduct of a phase III trial for these co-morbid conditions in South Korea by our partner Daewoong Co. Ltd. By previous contractual agreement Daewoong will finance and conduct the South Korean phase III trial according to US FDA standards/guidelines and the data generated will be used both for approval in South Korea and to support a US FDA submission. This agreement with Syngene will accelerate the initiation of the phase III trial in South Korea.”

The release of Ampio’s Zertane could be a long way off. The medication is only just entering the clinical trial stage, so it is a possibility the company may yet see some unforeseen adverse drugs of the drug and then have to further develop its active ingredients. The same applies for the premature ejaculation spray tempe, mentioned earlier.  If you are suffering from either erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation why not try one of the many proven treatments already available NOW.

Our doctors can prescribe Priligy for premature ejaculation, following a consultation. This is an oral tablet for suitable males suffering from premature ejaculation. These tablets are taken prior to the sexual activity. It acts quickly within 60 minutes and is only taken when you need it. In addition, we offer Stud 100 spray, obtainable from our chemist shop. Stud 100 delays ejaculation by reducing the sensitivity of the penis, significantly prolonging intercourse and providing greater satisfaction for both partners.

We have more information on male impotence here and the variety of options that are available to best suit your needs such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. We are at the forefront of new treatments for impotence and will be one of the first online pharmacies to offer Viagra Chewable (aka Viagra Jet) to patients as soon as it hits these shores, so keep checking the website for updates!

Levitra’s active ingredient could help to fight Raynaud’s

This year we have already heard about how erectile dysfunction medication has been found to possibly help with certain conditions in men such as premature ejaculation, but now it appears that vardenafil (the active ingredient in Levitra), may help in aiding blood flow and relieving symptoms for those who suffer from Raynaud’s syndrome.

This is a condition that restricts blood supply to certain areas of the body, with the fingers and toes often found to suffer most in this aspect and can actually change to a pale white colour. Symptoms are brought on when blood vessels become narrow due to very cold temperatures and it is believed that Raynaud’s may be a sign of an underlying issue such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma. In many cases, it has been found that by quitting smoking, you can help to alleviate your symptoms as smoking can have a detrimental effect to your blood circulation.

The latest study on Raynaud’s syndrome (or ‘phenomenon’ as it is sometimes known), was published three days ago in the online Archives of Internal Medicine. It is the most wide-scale randomised study that has ever been conducted on the disease and was orchestrated by Evren Caglayan, MD, from the University Hospital in Cologne, Germany. This study is not the first to examine possible benefits of erectile dysfunction medication in treating Raynaud’s, but it is the first to show promising results.

To begin with, Evren and his colleagues’ randomly selected 53 subjects who had attended clinics at the University Hospital because of their Raynaud’s, between the time periods January 2006 to August 2009. Of the 53 patients, almost 90% suffered with secondary Raynaud’s (due to an underlying cause such as systemic sclerosis), and the rest of the patients had primary Raynaud’s, whereby there was no known cause for their condition.

For the study, a 2-period crossover for 6 weeks was implemented, to understand the efficiency and safety of two doses of 10mg vardenafil each day. After a week’s break, the treatment group and those who were given a placebo were switched around so that the treatment group would now receive the placebo. The severity of everybody’s Raynaud’s was established via a daily questionnaire, whereby a ‘Raynaud condition score’ would be calculated. In addition, a laser Doppler perfusion imager was utilised to assess digital blood flow in patients.

The authors reflected on the findings of their study and commented, “Interestingly, in patients receiving vardenafil first, the RCS remained low during the washout phase and the entire second phase of the study when patients received placebo, suggesting a prolonged drug effect. This study is, to our knowledge, the largest randomised controlled trial investigating the efficacy and safety of a PDE5 inhibitor in patients with RP. The findings demonstrate that vardenafil is safe and improves clinical symptoms in these patients.”

During their life the average Briton will suffer over 9,000 ailments

The Benenden Healthcare Society have published the results of a survey that shows the average Brit suffers with accident or illness approximately 9,672 times during their life. This includes various conditions such as an upset stomach, headache, shaving cuts and backache. The survey quizzed 2,000 Brits and one in four of those described themselves as ‘accident prone’. Half admitted to having hit their head at some point in their life whilst getting out of the car. Furthermore, a quarter also said they had suffered a bite from their pet or had stood onto a plug.

From the survey, it seems we can expect to experience a sore throat on 3 occasions each year along with 4 cricked necks and 4 episodes of heartburn.  If this isn’t bad enough, we will roughly have 6 cases of upset stomach, 5 cramps and cut ourselves 5 times. This equates to some form of injury or pain once every 3 days. In addition, during our lifetime, we can look forward to a tripping or falling over a whopping 234 times, have 156 blisters and have a nosebleed 78 times.

A member of the Benenden Healthcare Society, Lawrence Christensen, commented on the survey, “Even without the threat of serious health conditions, the average human body takes an awful battering day to day, which demonstrates why life just isn’t designed to be easy. Whilst it’s unnecessary to suddenly develop a hypochondriac attitude to life, be sure to visit your GP if you do feel you are experiencing higher than average occurrences of ailments such as sore throats, stomach upsets and back pain.” Mr Christensen further added he would advise everybody to maintain good posture, wash hands regularly, eat healthily and engage in plenty of exercise.

At Medical Specialists Pharmacy, we strive to make life that little bit easier for you.  We have a massive range of products that can help you with many things such as erectile dysfunction, asthma, acne, premature ejaculation, sexual health and many more.  As we mentioned last week, we understand that the hot weather the UK is currently experiencing can be detrimental to asthma and allergy sufferers in particularly, so don’t delay in obtaining your inhalers, such as Ventolin Evohaler, which we sell cheaper than the NHS. If you have already been prescribed an inhaler, have lost your inhaler, or run out and cannot get a prescription immediately, we are able to supply you an inhaler to help your asthma symptoms. We offer both blue (relievers) inhalers such as Ventolin and Salbutamol, and brown (preventers) inhalers such as Qvar Beclomethasone, Qvar Easi-Breathe and Pulvinal Beclomethasone. Our constantly expanding product range now also includes Prevalin allergy nasal spray, Prevalin allergy kids nasal spray and Alomide allergy eye drops, which can all help to combat hay fever.

Online poll shows surprising results about when men and women reach their sexual peak

It has long been assumed that men are at their ‘sexual peak’ as just 18 years old, whilst women have to wait another 12 years until they are 30. However, a survey carried out by online sex toy company ‘lovehoney’, has contradicted this theory. From the study it was deduced that women actually have the best sex lives when they are28 years and men have to wait an additional 5 years, when they reach 33.

There was one similar thing found in the survey though, both men and women are most sexually active at around their mid to late 20s, for women at 25 and men at 29. Over 1,200 were questioned in the recent survey and as an average it was determined that women lost their virginity at around 17 years old and men at 18.

Relationship expert Tracey Cox, has her own range of sex toys on the lovehoney website and she had this to say on the findings, “Like most things, sex gets better the more you do it and the more practised you are at it. So it makes sense for men to be having better sex at 33 rather than 18. It takes time to learn how to control their orgasms and to fathom to the complex female sexual system. This reinforces what we’ve always known. It’s not about quantity, it is about quality. We tend to have the most sex at the start of relationships when desire is fresh and the best sex once we’re more in tune with our bodies and our partner. Despite the female sexual system being far more complex than a man’s, women are discovering what works and doesn’t faster than men.”
For men who are having their sex life effected by conditions such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, Medical Specialists Pharmacy offer a massive range of prescription medications and non-prescription products that can help you and your partner enjoy the best sex life possible.

At Medical Specialists Pharmacy we have a wide range of medications to help with male impotence such as Viagra, which is available from as little as £29.97 for 4 tablets. You can obtain this medication through a consultation with our in-house doctors or we can dispense the medication to you if you can supply a valid UK or European private prescription issued by your doctor, consultant or other medical practitioner. On top of this, back in April we started to provide NHS services for our patients. If you have obtained an NHS prescription from your GP and you are too busy to go to a pharmacy to hand your NHS prescription in, we might be of help to you as we can arrange to dispense your medication and have it delivered to you. In addition, we have introduced the NHS Electronic Prescription Service and operate with the very latest technology, EPS2. This service makes it easier and more convenient to get your medicines, as your prescriptions can be sent electronically by your GP to Medical Specialists Pharmacy and we can dispense your medicine to you through our delivery system. You need to choose a place for your doctor to send your prescription electronically. This is called ‘nomination’. You can nominate Medical Specialists Pharmacy to dispense your medicine, by downloading and completing our nomination form and giving it to your surgery.

If you are experiencing problems with premature ejaculation, Medical Specialists can help. Doctors at Medical Specialists Pharmacy can prescribe Priligy, an oral tablet for suitable males suffering from premature ejaculation. These tablets are taken prior to the sexual activity. It acts quickly within 60 minutes and is only taken when you need it. The effects of this oral tablet are also short lived lasting for approximately 1-3 hours, which considerably lowers the risk of any possible side effects.
In addition, we offer Stud 100 spray, obtainable from our chemist shop. Stud 100 delays ejaculation by reducing the sensitivity of the penis, significantly prolonging intercourse and providing greater satisfaction for both partners. It is quick acting, safe and effective. More importantly, strictly controlled clinical trials and surveys prove that Stud 100 does work. The active ingredient, Lidocaine, is an anaesthetic which is used to reduce the sensitivity to touch of ejaculation is cases of over-rapid or premature ejaculation.

Only 15% of men admit to premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation (PE) can be a common problem for men at any age throughout there lives, and with a recent study in Malaysian only 15% of men confessed to have experienced it.
Another 14 per cent had "probable PE", said consultant urological surgeon and Monash University Sunway campus clinical associate professor Dr George Lee. He said a recent Asia-Pacific study showed that PE affects approximately 30 per cent of men in this region. "The Asia-Pacific PEPA (Premature Ejaculation Prevalence and Attitude) study showed that 15 per cent of Malaysian men confessed to having PE and 14 per cent probable PE," he said.

In simple terms, premature ejaculation is when a man ejaculates within about one minute from the point of penetration. This usually causes distress among sufferers.

Dr Lee said the average time for a man to ejaculate from the point of penetration is between four to eight minutes. "Some men ejaculate much faster than the average time and this has a huge negative impact on their self-confidence and relationship," he said at an NST Live session recently. He said men who were bothered by this may suffer from PE. "Open and honest communication with their partner is the step in the right direction," he said, noting that unlike erectile dysfunction (ED), the prevalence of PE remains constant from age 18 to 80.

He said ED was when a man could not get an erection to have sex or can't keep an erection long enough to finish having sex. PE is by far the biggest complaint that men have about their sexual performance. They want to last longer during intercourse to prolong the pleasure, for themselves and their partners.
Dr Lee said many men who see their doctors for sexual dysfunction cannot differentiate between PE and ED and, therefore, are given the wrong treatment and never go back to see their doctors again. "We are fortunate that more and more research is ongoing to help identify treatment strategies, to improve men's sexual and overall health." When asked if PE could be treated, Dr Lee said since the 1950s, PE had been treated with stop-start, and squeezing techniques.

This was popularised by sexologists Masters and Johnson. However, such treatment has poor efficacy and low compliance. "Fortunately, there is pharmaceutical treatment for PE these days," he said.
Among the treatments include topical cream to numb the penis and medications to increase 5HT neuro transmitters. However, he said, topical creams were very undesirable as they numb the vagina too. Treatment can also include behavioural, pharmaceutical interventions and use of dapoxetine. Another treatment that can be used is a pill called Priligy that is capable of increasing the duration of intercourse by three to four folds in scientific trials.

Priligy

On whether alternative methods, including the use of "Gambir Sarawak" would work, Dr Lee said it only numbed the penis. "The effect from its use is not well received." He said the use of Tongkat Ali definitely did not work for PE. "Some Chinese traditional medicines claim to improve the interval of intercourse, however, there are no clinical trials to support it, he said.

Dr Lee said the psychological impact of PE was also substantial for the partners of those with the condition.
"It is only a cause for divorce if the couples do not address the issues." Dr Lee said the real cause of PE was unknown. Some believe it is caused by psychological trauma during sexual maturity.