VIDEO
Penn Women’s Cancer Conference – 20th Life After Breast Cancer (1 of 2)
What is sexual medicine?
Sexual medicine embraces the study, diagnosis, and treatment of sexual health concerns of women and men.
Specialists are usually doctors or nurse practitioners who have a background in family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, or urology; they have attended specific sexual health-related academic programs, training courses, or receptorships. Although sexual medicine is not now a standardized medical education path, it is gaining wide acceptance throughout the United States and Europe (see Question 6). Specialists, often called medical sexologists, focus on sexual concerns through a comprehensive sexual history, a thorough physical examination, and adjuvant specialized testing.
Sexual medicine specialists may treat sexual health concerns with
• Prescription medication
• Physical therapy and psychosexual counseling
• Behavioral counseling
• Complementary and alternative therapies
• Any combination of these
Sexual medicine specialists are often concerned with enhancing the overall quality of the couple relationship and may see both partners during the therapeutic treatment period. Sexual medicine specialists can also be American Association of Sex Educators Counselors and Therapists-certified as sexuality educators, counselors, or therapists.
