ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to look at men’s sexual health and its relationship to chronic pain of the urogenital system. To a certain extent this is a taboo area, often causing patients significant embarrassment. However, there is a strong suggestion that urogenital pain (UGP) affects sexual activity and therefore produces increased distress and increased psychological and sexual disability. To manage these problems clinicians must be aware of what is normal so that they can hold discussions with the patient in an informed manner. There is a significant amount of misinformation circulated within the popular press and during informal discussions, and this may be compounded by limited sexual experience of the patient and his partner. As a part of the process of managing the sexual problems, normalizing this information is important. Referral by a clinician to the appropriate specialist (psychologist, sexologist, or counsellor) must also be considered.
