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Erectile Dysfunction
Sex Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction
Sex therapy
is a short-term form of counseling, generally involving 5
to 20 sessions with a sex therapist. A typical session may
be one hour every week or every other week.
During
the session, the counselor will give the patient "assignments"
to do at home, such as:
Reading
books about sexuality
Touching exercises that are designed to take away the pressure
to perform during sex
Practicing better sexual communication skills
Sex therapy may be useful for treating erectile dysfunction
if a man is able to have a normal erection during sleep, the
results of his physical examination and blood tests are normal
and he is generally in good health. Sex therapy may also be
helpful when erectile dysfunction is caused by stress, such
as: work worries, financial worries, relationship conflicts,
and poor sexual communication. In these cases, sex therapy
may be the best treatment option.
Does
Sex Therapy Work?
Sex therapy
is most effective when a man's sexual partner is willing to
be part of the treatment. Studies have shown that for men
with stress-related ED, having the partner involved in the
therapy resolves the problem 50%-70% of the time. When the
man must go through counseling alone, the results are somewhat
lower.
Sex therapy
is unlikely to work if a man drops out of treatment after
only one or two sessions.
Sometimes
several sessions of sexual counseling can be helpful to a
man who is going to receive medical or surgical treatment
for erectile dysfunction. A counselor can help guide a couple
in agreeing on a treatment or help them improve their sexual
communication and lovemaking skills. A single man may benefit
from counseling on how to talk to his partner about penile
injections or a vacuum constriction device, both treatments
for ED.
Does
Health Insurance Cover Sex Therapy?
Some insurance
plans cover sex therapy. Once you select a therapist, call
her/him to ask about whether or not his or her services are
covered by your insurance provider. If payment cannot be worked
out through insurance, many therapists can adjust their fees.
Sex therapy clinics tend to be less expensive than private
therapists. The cost of sex therapy programs varies, but generally
range between $600 and $2,300 dollars, depending on the nature
of the problem and the response to treatment.
How
Do I Find a Sex Therapist?
Call your
local hospital or university medical center to see if they
have a sex therapy clinic. Also, ask your doctor if he or
she can recommend a therapist.
Reviewed
by the doctors at the Glickman Urological Institute at The
Cleveland Clinic.
Edited
by Charlotte Grayson, MD, WebMD, May 2004
Portions of this page © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2004
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