Talking about sexual health with your medical provider
Sexual health is part of your overall health.
Many people find it uncomfortable to talk about sex and sexuality.
Talking about it with a medical provider can feel scary enough to keep you silent.
It can be intimidating, but your sexual health matters.
As a longtime nurse and patient advocate, one of the easiest tools I encourage clients to use is this:
write out a script or questions on a small card or in your phone and take with you to medical appointments. When a health care provider sees that you have specific questions or concerns written down, it helps them to pause, listen and address your concerns. It also helps you to remember what you want to ask or what you want to talk about.
Here are some talking points to get you started:
I would like to discuss my sexual health or I would like to discuss sex.
Something is not working correctly or ___ is happening.
____ is interfering with my sexual desire/arousal/orgasms/genitals/pleasure.
What I think might be going on is ___.
I can’t figure out what is going on.
What can we do to figure this out? Are there tests we can do?
If you cannot help me, who can you refer me to?
Will you please give me that referral before I leave today?
