Sexual abnormalities

Heather Little-White, PhD, Contributor

Sexual physiological abnormalities prevent or reduce an individual's ability to enjoy 'normal sex'. The sex organs of males and females are made for specific functions of sexual intimacy, procreation and other essential functions like urinating and menstruating. Sexual abnormalities may result from physical or psychological conditions. According to Brenda Love writing in Encyclopedia of Sex Practices, there are several sexual abnormalities that you may take for granted not knowing what it is and the causes.

Azoospermia

As a man, can you imagine how devastating it would be to discover that there is partial or total absence of spermatozoa in your ejaculate? This is caused by a blockage between the testicles and the urinary tract or the testicles may just not produce any sperm. There is the possibility of a man becoming a father through treatment or surgery.

Cryptorchidism

Another frightening experience for a man, is discovering that one or both testicles have not descended since birth. The body develops in such a way that the testicles fail to drop in the scrotum before puberty. The testicles will be sterile and become dysfunctional. Surgery can correct the problem. Today, plastic testicles can be inserted into the scrotum.

Filariasis

This is the same as elephantitis which is an enlargement of the arm, leg or scrotum caused by obstruction in the lymphatic vessels by filarial worms.

Gynaecomastia

Have you seen a man with enlarged breasts? This is caused by fatty deposits and may occur in men being treated with female hormones for prostate cancer. It may occur in boys during puberty but it often disappears as they develop.

Penis deviations

Bent penises will fall in this category. A man may be born with it or it can be caused by an injury later in life. During sexual intercourse, the penis may bend slightly into a crooked position. As men age, natural hardening of the corpora cavernosa may occur. Illnesses like Peyronie's disease may also cause penises to bend. Most common curvatures are towards the body when erect. In other instances, the penis may curve forward sometimes making penetration and thrusting painful for a partner during intercourse. The position in which a penis curves may be related to the position the man kept his penis in as a child.

Priapism

In this condition, the penis stays erect causing pain. It could be caused by acute sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhoea, leukaemia, prostate problems, injuries of the spine and overdose of drugs used for impotence.

Retrograde ejaculation

The sperm is pushed into the bladder instead of out of the urethra because the internal bladder sphincter opens and the external urethral sphincter closes causing the semen to enter the bladder. Accidents, diabetes, tranquillisers or prostate complications may cause this problem.

Siamese deformities

This is found in a person who has two complete sets of genitals, example cited in the book, Freaks: We Who Are Not As Others, by Daniel P. Mannix.

Sperm defects

When the sperm is defective, it is incapable of fertilising an egg. The deformities come as two-headed, tailless, small or large headed which affects the rapid movement to reach an egg in the tubes. At the entrance of the cervix, it is blocked by the mucosal plug which prevents unhealthy sperm from entering the cervix.

Deformities in partners

Persons can be aroused by partners with deformities. These may come as hunchback, dwarfs, club feet, scars or lost limbs. The attraction comes from the need to provide compassion or rescue a sex partner from feeling unloved.

Understanding the sex organs and their functions should provide you with the foresight to determine when, and if you are suffering from some sexual abnormality and the need to seek help.

Send feedback to: heatherl@cwjamaica.com