Author: Troy Browning

Q. I’m 28 years old. About six years ago I was in an accident and suffered spinal cord injury. I’m numb with little feeling from the waist down. I have no problem getting an erection, but I do not ejaculate during intercourse. I do ejaculate during oral sex, but only in a certain position. Help! A. You are not alone. Most men after spinal cord damage suffer some degree of ejaculatory dysfunction. That means that depending on the level of injury, you get different degrees of dysfunction. If you have little feeling from the waist down, your level of injury…

Q. I am a 50-year-old man. Is it natural for my ejaculation volume to diminish with age? Will this have any effect on my fertility? A. The majority of the ejaculate volume is fluid from the prostate and the seminal vesicles. Occasionally, a dramatic decrease in ejaculate volume may indicate blockage of one of the ejaculatory ducts. Duct obstruction is diagnosed by prostate ultrasound. Other possible causes of decreased volume include retrograde ejaculation or a long-term infection of the prostate (chronic prostatitis). Decreased semen volume may simply be a normal part of aging and may not necessarily result in decreased…

Q. My penis is so small that only the head can be seen when it is soft. When erect it looks normal. Somehow or other, the fatty tissue at the base of the shaft is quite pronounced, and it envelops the shaft, leaving only the head to be seen. Walking around the men’s shower is really embarrassing. I’m 45, and I’ve had this problem all my life. Can anything be done to correct this affliction? A. The situation you describe may be what is called a “buried penis.” This means that when you were born, the shaft skin did not…

Why Men Need Omega-3 Fatty Acids Perhaps it’s because men eat more red meat than fish that they are usually deficient in omega-3 fish oil. Omega-3 is one of the good fats found in food, and not all fats are bad—omega-3 proves that. Unlike fats found in meat, omega-3 fish oil provides many health benefits, particularly for men. Studies show that omega-3s help prevent and even reduce inflammation in the prostate, which can cause painful urination and other symptoms of prostatitis. Men should therefore be encouraged to include more fish in their diet. Beyond prostate health, omega-3s also protect against…

Understanding the Misrepresentation of Men Men, in short, reflect the full range of human potential. They are fully human in both their vices and their virtues. Yet, as men, we all face one shared challenge—maintaining our dignity in the face of what might be called the straw man of masculinity. Society often portrays men as cruel, warmongering, insensitive, or disrespectful toward women and children. We hear that men cannot be trusted, that they are obsessed with sex, and even that all men are inherently violent. This distorted version of masculinity is, of course, a straw man. While some men may…

A shocking new study published in the Lancet revealed that people with mental health problems are four times more likely to be a victim of violence than the general population. In the report which looked at 26 studies from developed nations, as many as a quarter of people with mental health problems have been attacked in the last year. What this research clearly demonstrates is that far from the mentally ill being a threat to society, it is society which is a threat to the mentally ill. Mentally ill people are ten times more likely to be a victim of…

As we move into winter living, with the cold weather and dark nights upon us, for many of us our energies start to flag, and we look forward to the Christmas and New Year festivities. For some men, though, the festive season brings new challenges. With its emphasis on food and drink, men with eating disorders can feel particularly challenged. To mark this difficult time, I will focus my posts in the run-up to the New Year on eating disorders in men. For many, “eating disorders” is synonymous with anorexia, but this is just one of several ways in which…

Blending Science and Spirituality If you’re like me, you may be skeptical of anything that sounds overly mystical—things like primal scream therapy, rebirthing, or neuro-linguistic programming. But meditation? That’s a different story. In recent years, meditation has shifted from being a spiritual curiosity to becoming a cornerstone of evidence-based therapies. Across studies, meditation has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and even chronic pain. Its proven benefits have made it indispensable in modern psychology. As explored in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy research, mindfulness-based interventions are now backed by neuroscience and embraced by therapists worldwide. The Evidence-Based Approach to Meditation What’s particularly…

When Separation Turns Into Retribution Fiona Donnison was jailed for 32 years earlier this month for the murder of her two children—Harry, aged three, and Elise, aged two. They were smothered in bedding, their bodies found in holdalls in the boot of Donnison’s car. Why would a mother commit such a horrifying act? According to court reports, it was a brutal act of revenge against the children’s father, Paul Donnison, her ex-partner. Murder, of course, is an extreme and unforgivable crime. But there are subtler, more common forms of emotional cruelty where some mothers punish fathers after a breakup—through endless…

Witnessing Disorder Up Close Last night I set out for Rusholme for a drink and a curry with a friend. At the first pub we were turned away—the venue was closing early in anticipation that the riots were moving in our direction. The streets felt eerie. We eventually found another place still open, almost empty, where I spoke to a man who’d been trapped in the city-centre violence for three hours. On the walk home, emergency vehicles prowled with lights flashing and busloads of police rolled past. The experience was profoundly unsettling. When Institutions Feel “Behind the Curve” My experience…