New Mexico Doctor Is Shattering the Gender Orgasm Gap

New Mexico Doctor Is Shattering the Gender Orgasm Gap

DrRath2011New Mexico Doctor Is Shattering the Gender Orgasm Gap: Helping Women Go to the Party at Least 90% of the Time

And He’s Doing It All with Your Own Fat Cells, Which Women Are Happy to Repurpose from Their Bellies to Their Vaginas

Ruidoso, New Mexico, May 21, 2017: Female Sexual Dysfunction, Anorgasmia, Urinary Incontinence: once considered taboo topics only discussed with close girlfriends, simple solutions for female sexual problems and urinary leakage are becoming more widely pursued in doctor’s offices across the country. Fortunately, women no longer have to live with the effects of age, childbirth and a socially-accepted norm that reaching orgasm “every now and then” is sufficient!

A unique medical practice in New Mexico is tackling the problem of female sexual dysfunction and urinary leakage head on with a ground breaking medical technique aimed to give women the pleasurable experiences they (often secretly) desire!

At Fusion Medical Spa & Wellness in Ruidoso, New Mexico, Dr. Stephen A. Rath is turning to the very latest in non-surgical aesthetic medicine to address sexual concerns for women. Dr. Rath is one of the country’s premier providers of Autologous Lipocyte Micronized Injection (ALMI). This ground breaking procedure allows Dr. Rath to use a patient’s own adipose (fat) tissue to restore volume, texture, tone and sensation to the vaginal area. This revolutionary rejuvenation procedure restores function, while repairing and regenerating damaged tissue.  

During the ALMI procedure done in office at Fusion Medical Spa & Wellness, the fat tissue is typically collected from the lower abdomen in less than 30 minutes and processed through specialized equipment, which micronizes and activates stem cells and growth factors. Coupled with the self-healing power of platelet rich plasma (PRP) from the patient’s blood, the fat tissue is injected into targeted areas of the vaginal area, according to patient needs. Urinary leakage, prolapse of the bladder walls, and decreased ability to reach sexual arousal are areas of greatest concern to patients at Fusion Medical Spa & Wellness. Of the women treated with the ALMI O-Shot by Dr. Rath, an unprecedented 100% have reported an increase in orgasm during subsequent sexual encounters, with most women also reporting having reached orgasm at least 90% of the time which is always Dr. Rath’s goal in treating women struggling with sexual dysfunction in his practice!

As the stem cell-rich adipose tissue, PRP and growth factors stimulate collagen, blood vessels and tissue at the site of injection, results are expected to be long term. Additionally, because Dr. Rath injects with both function and aesthetics in mind, patients at Fusion Medical Spa & Wellness can expect the added benefit of an immediate volumizing effect within, as well as outside the delicate vaginal area. This additional volume is also expected to last, as the surrounding tissue regenerates from the stem cell-rich injections. Patients struggling with urinary incontinence have reported a loss of the need to wear panty liners since receiving the ALMI O-Shot by Dr. Rath – a freedom for which these women cannot thank him enough!

Dr. Rath offers this highly innovative approach as one element of a comprehensive medical program designed to achieve whole-body wellness through functional and integrative medicine. More than just a “run-of-the-mill med spa”, Fusion Medical Spa & Wellness is a concierge medical practice integrating a wide range of medical and aesthetic specialties, including bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, medical weight loss, as well as anti-aging and aesthetic treatment options.  

Dr. Stephen A. Rath is a Board Certified Anesthesiologist who focuses on cutting-edge aesthetic, functional, and integrative medicine with a unique focus on sexual health. He is a consulting physician to Allergan for their entire portfolio of injectable rejuvenation treatments, including Botox, Kybella and their newest injectable, Allure. Dr. Rath is a certified trainer for The Vampire Facelift®, ALMI and regenerative orthopedics and sports medicine. Unlike most medical spas, Fusion Medical Spa & Wellness offers anesthesia and sedation for all non-surgical procedures, part of Dr. Rath’s continued commitment to prioritize patient health, well-being and safety.  

If you would like more information about Dr. Stephen A. Rath’s cutting-edge approach to women’s sexual health or on the functional and aesthetic medicine offered at Fusion Medical Spa & Wellness, please contact Dr. Rath at 855.257.4SPA (4772) or contact@fusionmedicalspa.net.  

1st Blog Entry

This is my first attempt at blogging. From the other blogs I have read, it doesn’t look like there is a cut-and-dried method of blog writing, so please let me know if I am irritating the great blog guru.
I have always enjoyed writing as a recreational outlet, as well as sharing my view of the world, medicine, etc…

Allow me to introduce myself. Dr Stephen Rath, 3rd generation physician and a lefty. I had to become facile with typing due to penmanship that was apparently genetically cursed. I am a 24 year military veteran, 6 years active duty Army as a scout helicopter crewchief/mechanic, paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne, and combat lifesaver with an additional 13 years in the Army Reserve or Guard before I saw the light and converted to the Air Force after 19 years. Apparently I’m a slow learner, but I finally figured out the Air Force treats folks better! Since my conversion, I have learned that it is a true emergency when the air conditioner in the tent dies! In the Air Force I am a Flight Surgeon currently serving as the Chief of Flight Medicine for the 150th Special Operations Wing of the New Mexico Air National Guard. Division medical advisor for the National Ski Patrol, ski patroller, FAA Aviation Medical Examiner, paramedic, pilot, husband of one and father of two to round me out. Thirteen years as an enlisted member before I commissioned, so I am classified as a Mustang. Time spent cleaning latrines, KP duty, and off-duty time spent delivering pizza. So, there are very few people that I can’t identify with. I am also aware that I ended the last sentence with a preposition. My blog, and I don’t think an archaic rule from the Latin is applicable!

First entry finished. This seems to be a good medium to use to post newspaper articles I’ve written in the past, so expect to see those. You can also expect to see some irreverent and humorous articles. I’m no Mark Twain, but I do think seeing the funny things in life and embracing them makes sense. Just like the radio show that I intermittently co-host, I appreciate audience participation. Have a question? Send it. I never appreciated having smoke blown up my 4th point of contact (Google the term) and I won’t do it to anyone else. If I don’t have the answer, I’ll let you know.

– Doc Rath

Are Vampires Real? I’ve Been Bitten! – Part I

I have been out of the office since Thursday, so I apologize if it has been difficult to get a response from me in a timely fashion. Fairhope, Alabama is a lovely town that is a nice tourist destination without too much heat and humidity in April. I have spent the past few days with Dr Charles Runels, the inventor of the Vampire Facelift (R), Vampire Breastlift (R), Orgasm Shot (R), and Priapus Shot (R). While I have already begun to perform all of the procedures listed above with the exception of the Priapus Shot, I wanted to see firsthand how the originator of the procedures performed them as well as obtain firsthand experience with the Priapus Shot and Dr Runel’s latest innovation to restore hair loss.

First, a rundown of the procedures… The Vampire Facelift will treat aging skin and restore lost volume and is an excellent add-on to improve the outcomes of the Bladeless Facelift and Precision Tx procedures to remove sun damage, age spots, and deep wrinkles. I have been very impressed with our own patient’s outcomes from combining the above procedures resulting in decreased down-time from redness and swelling with even greater improvements that ever seen previously. The Vampire Breastlift can be used to naturally increase or restore breast volume, correct nipple inversion, and improve the look of aging breast implants. Excellent results thus far with our own patients! The Orgasm Shot (O-Shot) will help restore the vagina to a younger state and has been used to treat urinary incontinence, painful intercourse, and vulvodynia. I have personally injected three patients already with reported improvements in sexual satisfaction from both the patient and partner. I have been even more impressed with the report from a patient that has suffered from vulvodynia (pain in the vaginal area) that is very similar to migraine headache type pain and can be incapacitating when it occurs. This patient had experienced vulvodynia for more than 10 years and was extremely discouraged with the treatment options offered by “modern” healthcare. After her initial treatment she reported a 70-80% improvement in her pain within the first week. This is for a procedure that doesn’t achieve peak results until up to three months after treatment. Truly life changing!

Now for my procedures… The Priapus Shot will help rejuvenate and enlarge the penis and has been very successful in improving the erectile dysfunction that normally occurs as part of the aging process but is usually made much worse by prostate surgery and diabetes. I have long believed that I need to personally experience the procedures that I perform. While I’m not a candidate for the O-Shot due to my anatomy, I have the required hardware for the Priapus Shot. So… yesterday I was able to experience both the Priapus Shot as well as treatment for my receding hairline. I wouldn’t compare either procedure with getting a massage but both were very tolerable WITHOUT the benefit of local anesthesia. (I don’t expect my patients to forego local anesthesia for any of these procedures.) I will keep our readers updated on both my own results as well as the results of our patients through our Constant Contact emails as well as our Facebook posts. Next- the science behind the names.

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, FAA AME, paramedic, ski patroller, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.

Sexual Health and Aging

While most physicians are willing to treat the effects of physical aging, other than my wife, I haven’t run into many that are willing to deal with the sexual effects of aging. “He just doesn’t seem to be that interested anymore” is a common statement that I hear on a regular basis. Mind you, most women also admit that they aren’t very interested in sex either.

Why? They have succumbed to society’s theory that as you grow older sex isn’t that important anymore. Even if you haven’t read about the physical and mental benefits of an orgasm; you have to admit that the orgasm isn’t something that most people willingly give up. The orgasm has benefits that include better mental well-being, anti-depressant properties, and increased ability to handle the daily stressors that everyone experiences.

Why give up the orgasm? It takes too much work and “to be honest, sex is pretty much a chore that I feel I have to try to accomplish on a monthly or semi-monthly basis to keep him happy”. Orgasms become increasingly difficult as we age.

From the guy’s standpoint- “I’m still very much in love with her, but sex isn’t as stimulating as it was when she was younger. I have to try harder to help her reach orgasm and that isn’t easy as my stamina isn’t like it was when I was younger.”

From the gal’s viewpoint- “Sex is something that doesn’t come easy anymore. He doesn’t give me the foreplay I need to achieve an orgasm on a regular basis.”

Gals- give the guys a break. We know that stamina decreases along with the decrease in testosterone (T) production. If he has issues, have him get his T checked! Most docs just check total testosterone, while free T is the number that matters. Show me a guy that has problems with his libido, decreased energy levels, loss of muscle mass, and high cholesterol and I’ll show you a guy that has low or borderline low free testosterone.

What about the ladies? As women age and hormone levels decrease they lose erectile tissue. What does this mean? Breast mass is lost, the clitoris isn’t as pronounced during sex, and the G spot loses volume. Sounds like the perfect storm for less pleasure during sex, right?

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) has a better than 75 year safety history; so I am very comfortable recommending it to my patients. Will that fix all issues? BHRT may revitalize vaginal mucosa and may bring new life to erectile tissue but it won’t fix some of the issues that occur during the aging process that are exacerbated by the trauma of childbirth. While vaginal deliveries are the method of choice (if it is an option) for bringing a new life into the world, they don’t do wonderful things for the vagina in terms of insuring that everything snaps back into place. Many women have told me that sex is never the same after the first kid boldly blazes a trail into a new world through the same organ that is used for sexual pleasure.

That’s right. Things get stretched! If you have issues with incontinence or urine leak, surgery may be the right choice for you. Is there a less invasive option that will also help make sex more pleasurable? It’s called G-spot augmentation.

G-Spot augmentation or G-spot injection involves placing a small amount of naturally occurring dermal filler (Juvederm, for example) in the body of the G-spot. The result? The G-spot is not only more prominent but the vagina is a little bit tighter. Sex is more pleasurable for you again and he doesn’t have to work near as hard to achieve the “impossible dream”. Need some help in the bedroom? Ask me about it!

 

 

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, FAA AME, paramedic, ski patroller, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. He is committed to making great changes before he is committed. Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.

 

New Year, New Medications?

 

I’d like to continue the theme of my last article, “New Year, New Methods!” 2014 is THE year for change. We are looking at new opportunities for universal healthcare coverage, new ways of practicing medicine, and in Ruidoso, a new chance to affect the direction our community takes regarding leadership.

New Year, New Me! What does that mean? I can’t tell you what that means for you. I can tell you what that means for me and my medical practice. Last year I embarked on a journey as I accepted and then embraced the changes that occurred as I entered andropause or “Manopause”. As I came to grips with my own humanity and accepted that my testosterone level would not be up to my demands, I began to explore new ways of practicing medicine and treating patients. It was almost 180 degrees apart from the conditioning I received in medical school. Now, I listen to a patient’s issues and concerns and treat them based on their goals, not my goals for them.

Along the way I realized that the typical Western medicine approach to medical concerns didn’t always fix the problems and in some cases actually created new problems. Returning to the basics of human psychology and physiology actually yielded some “breakthrough” answers as I attempted to navigate the minefield of my own issues. I’ll discuss two of them in this article.

  • Just because I’ve always done it that way doesn’t mean that my way is the best way. Many of you have read Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Published in 1936, fifteen million copies have been sold worldwide in multiple languages, according to Wikipedia (15,000,0001 including my copy). This wasn’t required reading in any of my classes. I am now of the opinion that it should be required reading for EVERYONE in the human race. I have always held myself to very high standards and have endeavored to do the right thing, every time, similar to Dale Carnegie. It took his book to bring home the lesson: No matter if I am 100% in the right, if I beat my opponent over the head with my correctness, nobody wins. It will be a journey to implement this sage wisdom.
  • We don’t have medication deficiencies. I was trained to treat depression with anti-depressants, anxiety with anxiolytics, pain with narcotics, and elevated cholesterol with cholesterol-lowering medications (statins). Western medical education is subsidized by big pharma. All physicians in the U.S. are taught that if a patient has a condition, treat the symptoms with a drug! If the drugs cause bothersome side effects, use an additional medication to mask the side effects. Many patients are interested in a new (very old) treatment methodology. Why not treat the cause instead of covering up the symptoms? I didn’t have a Prozac, Xanax, Vicodin, and Lipitor deficiency. Those medications were designed to mask the same symptoms I experienced with a testosterone deficiency; they weren’t designed to treat the primary problem. Testosterone replacement treated all the above symptoms as well as decreased libido, sleep disturbances, muscle loss and gain of unwanted abdominal fat.

When I took the Hippocratic oath I embarked on a journey to be a lifelong learner. Obviously, not all lessons are learned early, as attested by my forty-two years prior to discovering some key principles and beginning to incorporate them into my life and medical practice. One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2014? I want to continue to change me! I challenge each of you to examine your life and join me in changing the things that need improvement. I’m not saying that you were doing it all wrong or that you were doing things differently from the way you were taught. Take a critical look, and if there is room for improvement, make the change! If you haven’t read Dale Carnegie or incorporated all of the life lessons illustrated in his books; re-read the books or listen to the audio versions. I’ll be doing the same.

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, FAA AME, paramedic, ski patroller, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. He is committed to making great changes before he is committed. Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.

New Year, New Methods!

 

Last year’s January article was entitled New Year, New You! The article’s main point was for readers to become more involved in their personal health. In 2014, health care changes bring even more reasons that we should be involved in taking care of our selves. However, there’s a twist. It requires a vested interest in a new partnership.

I’m an optimist. While I have yet to speak to a single physician that believes the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will improve health care in the United States; I hold the hope that we may actually be able to make a little progress toward better health care. As a United States Air Force flight surgeon, I find similarities between the system the ACA proposes and the system that we use to take care of our military members and veterans. As both a current military member and a veteran, I have been able to experience the services provided within both systems and have been satisfied with my health care.

Does my satisfaction have anything to do with knowing that I could trust the system to ensure that my annual wellness visits, my blood work, and required exams were taken care of? Not a bit! My satisfaction came from knowing that my vested interest kept the train on the tracks. I learned the hard way that I always needed to keep a copy of any military record. More than once I had to produce my copy to ensure that I wasn’t charged for an item that I had returned to the supply sergeant or to prove that I had received the required immunization. Our systems will always be fallible. We will always need to take a personal interest to ensure that our concerns are well represented. After all, who cares more about you than you? (Okay, your mother may be an exception, but it is doubtful that she will be involved in your healthcare).

New Year, New Methods. We have all tried things in the past that haven’t worked very well. Call any gym in the world and ask when their membership picks up. January! The gym is always crowded the first 2-3 weeks of January as the New Year’s resolutioners try again to desperately make changes that haven’t been possible in the past. Sure, there are a few folks that will still be present as winter turns into spring, but the majority of the new members will have given up. Why? Change is difficult!

We need to change more than just the surface level. For change to survive it has to be systemic. Systemic change requires help. Going to the gym on your own hasn’t worked in the past, so find a personal trainer. Kicking that habit didn’t happen, so enlist the aid of a life coach or counselor. You weren’t able to keep the weight off on your own, so get professional help!

I would like to say that my military training and background prepared me to go it alone and do well throughout life. I was certainly well prepared to stand on my own through any manner of difficulty. I appreciated the camaraderie and fellowship that is difficult to achieve outside the military. However, it wasn’t until I got married that I truly appreciated the value of having someone that would always have my back.

The New Year is an opportunity for change. Stale marriage? Invest more time with your spouse and change it! Stale sex life? Work on improving your libido and spice things up! Stale body? Shape it!

Enlist someone else’s help. Going it alone hasn’t worked well in the past. Try partnering with someone else!

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, FAA AME, paramedic, ski patroller, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. He is very fortunate to have found a loving partner that doesn’t complain while she puts up with his other interests. Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.

Christmas Excitement

 

I don’t think of myself as an easily excitable person. As an anesthesiologist and paramedic I have had to face many critical situations with trauma patients and maintain my cool to ensure that I provide optimum medical care. As a pilot I can’t get excited and lose sight of the big picture while flying. That said, I am truly excited about changes and developments in the aesthetic medicine world as well as in my medical practice.

Allergan, world famous for bringing Botox to the market, recently obtained FDA approval to start marketing Juvederm Voluma in the United States. According to Allergan, only the top 20% of aesthetic medicine practices are eligible to purchase Voluma for the initial rollout and Fusion Medical Spa has already received its first shipment! Voluma, approved for use in Europe for more than 3 years, received FDA approval in October 2013 and was released by Allergan in time for Christmas in December 2013. Voluma “reverses signs of age-related volume loss in the mid-face” with results lasting up to two years in the majority of subjects.

Why is this exciting? We have a new dermal filler that, in my opinion, will revolutionize how we treat typical signs of facial aging. Volume loss in the mid-face and cheek area is one of the major reasons that women come through the door of my practice. Volume loss in women usually starts to become apparent in the early 30s and continues to progress as age increases. This volume loss, accentuated by decreased skin elasticity, causes the cheeks to descend until the smile and then the lower jaw and neckline are affected. Voluma can reverse this volume loss better than any previous fillers.

I was even more excited to learn that Fusion Medical Spa had achieved “Gold” level status with Allergan. Gold status is reserved for the top 15% of Allergan’s aesthetic medical practices. We achieved this status in less than 3 years! Not bad for a practice located in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

Decreased volume and descent of the mid-face accelerates the look of facial aging. Unfortunately, the descent doesn’t stop at the neckline. Descent of bodily fat tends to accumulate around the mid-section and contributes to an increase in clothing size. Fusion Medical Spa recently received an early Christmas present to combat fat and cellulite from Cynosure.

The Smartlipo TriPlex system is Cynosure’s newest laser liposuction platform designed to treat stubborn fat, tighten loose skin, treat cellulite, and eradicate overactive axillary sweat glands. I have been following the progress in laser liposuction for the last three years and am confident that our new platform will allow us to treat issues that have historically been difficult to treat with traditional liposuction. Smartlipo laser liposuction is a vast improvement on older technology as it melts fat and tightens tissue simultaneously while allowing faster recovery.

Finally, Fusion Medical Spa will celebrate three years in operation as of December 27, 2013. My family and I have enjoyed the warm welcome that we have received since our transplant from Texas and we are happy to be a part of the Ruidoso community. Thanks for making our business a success!

Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, FAA AME, paramedic, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. He is happy that his long walks on the humid Galveston beaches have been replaced by brisk walks in the mountains. Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.

 

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

 

Winter is officially here as the Ruidoso area has been through two large storms this season with more predicted to follow. I’m excited! Winter brings new opportunities for exercise to include ice skating, sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and my personal favorite: downhill skiing. Many of you know that I am the medical director of Ski Apache Ski Patrol and have been a pro patroller since the 2004-2005 ski season. This year’s snow may yet rival that banner year if predictions hold out.

Winter also bring new challenges for exercise. It is more difficult to plan a daily walk and workout routines often must be adjusted. Join the RAC or get a treadmill! Gym membership is frequently less expensive than purchasing all the equipment that you should be using at the gym. A home gym is another alternative for those that find it more difficult to get out. But, beware of the home gym option! The home gym has been known to succor many suckers into thinking that getting into shape will be much easier away from others. Anessa Collins, ACE certified personal trainer has been known to pull people out of bed to ensure that they get on the ball with their workout routine. If you home workout routine has stagnated, look up Anessa!

Those that have a regular walking or outdoor exercise routines would do well to pay extra attention on our snowy or icy days. I’ll admit that I don’t think there are many things more invigorating than taking a breather after a hard workout in below freezing temperatures. That said, please take precautions to avoid a trip… to the ER. Icy roads, snowy sidewalks, and frozen ground can bring winter activities to a halt. Stay safe and warm this winter!

Winter blues? Also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, the shorter days have a tendency to increase the risk for depression. This risk is greater in those individuals that also have symptoms of hypothyroidism. While exercise doesn’t have a significant effect on low thyroid; it has been proven to do wonders in reversing the winter blues. For the couch potatoes- the studies use an increased heart rate and respiratory rate (think heavy breathing or blowing like you are trying to catch your breath) to define exercise.

Santa doesn’t get off the hook either! A recent meta-analysis looking at more than 60,000 patients was published in the December 2013 Annals of Internal Medicine. “Metabolically healthy” obese patients had a 24% increased risk for cardiac events or death compared to metabolically health patients of normal weight. Overweight patients didn’t fare much better at 21% increased risk. So much for the “jolly old fat man”! I imagine that he will start hitting the gym this January after reading these statistics. I’ve heard that health care around the North Pole is rather limited even if you have managed to sign up for it.

Finally- what about those winter days that are so cold and icy that it isn’t safe to venture outside? I’ve got the perfect exercise routine for you! If you haven’t read the previous Ageless Medicine column entitled The Big “O” (and I don’t mean Ohio), find it on the Ruidoso Free Press website. The physical and psychological benefits of sex have been well documented and it might be safer to stay home and get your heart rate up under the covers on some of our snowier winter days. Please re-reference two paragraphs above for a good definition of exercise. If you aren’t blowing when you’re going at it you probably need to adjust your routine.

Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, FAA AME, paramedic, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. He continually quarrels with his wife on the appropriateness of being able to see his breath in the bedroom, especially in the winter months. Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.

The Big “O” (and I don’t mean Ohio)

Ageless Medicine or Wellness Medicine deals with keeping people feeling young and vibrant for as long as possible. I have the opportunity to address exercise, nutrition, hormone replacement, and aesthetic treatments that all play a crucial role in a person’s wellness and quality of life. I also talk about the physical and psychological benefits of sex. What does sex have to offer? Ask my patients over 70 who haven’t had sex for ten years before bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Men and women alike say they miss it! Sex can rekindle feelings of intimacy that have been long gone. Sex done right will also lead to the Big “O”.

“Oh my goodness! He isn’t going to talk about orgasms is he?” The orgasm is the natural end point or climax to sex. Men know that orgasms are healthy. We know that it is reprehensible to fake something that has such obvious health benefits. Indeed, the December 1997 British Medical Journal (BMJ) entitled Sex and Death: Are they Related? paints a “glowing” picture of the health benefits associated with orgasms in men. Men that experienced an average of 300 orgasms per year had a 50% decreased mortality rate compared with men that only experienced 100 orgasms per year. As reported in the Men’s Journal according to Dr Michael Roizen, chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute, 350 orgasms per year can increase average lifespan by four years. Math isn’t my strongest subject, but 300+ per year is even a bit more frequent than the 3 times per week that both my wife and I recommend to our patients to maintain vaginal mucosal health.

Now I know at least one woman is reading this article and thinking “Hmm, so he might live four years longer with frequent sex. I can withhold sex and have him kick off sooner!” Ladies, the benefits aren’t just restricted to the guys. Ever heard the phrase “cutting off your nose to spite your face”?

So, an orgasm is beneficial in reducing the risk of death from coronary artery disease. I don’t have any major risk factors for heart disease. Are frequent orgasms important for me? Depends… Do you have risk factors for depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, osteoporosis, chronic pain, Alzheimer’s, or stress? Even if you aren’t afflicted with any of the above diagnoses you certainly have risk factors for them. Orgasms have been shown to improve all of the above!

Orgasms release many different hormones including oxytocin, endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, HGH, DHEA, testosterone, and estradiol. Oxytocin, the so-called “cuddle” hormone increases feelings of intimacy. Endorphins help the body deal with pain. Dopamine and serotonin both act on the satisfaction and reward centers of the brain and gut. (Slow bowels or IBS- try increasing your orgasm frequency). HGH and DHEA help the body recover from cellular trauma and slow down the aging process. I’ve previously written about estradiol and it’s precursor testosterone. Hormone deficient? Have an orgasm!

“But wait, doc. How can I have an orgasm with low libido?” It’s a double-edged sword. Normal libido not only makes an orgasm easier to achieve, it also makes it more likely. Feel like your body just isn’t up to par or been out of the game for too long? Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can naturally and safely bring your hormone levels back to normal.

This article was written to highlight some of the positive health benefits associated with orgasms. Feel depressed or like you’ve fallen off the wagon after reading this? Have an orgasm! Doctor’s orders!

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, FAA AME, paramedic, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. He is committed to continuing his personal research into the benefits of the Big “O”! Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.

 

I Can’t Figure Out Why I Can’t Lose Weight

I don’t want to sound like I’m beating a dead horse but I thought writing another article in an attempt to clarify thyroid issues might be in order. Additionally, an article discussing weight issues right before we kick off the holiday season might be beneficial to some of my readers.

Since I wrote the August 2013 article entitled “My Thyroid Is Low But My Doc Doesn’t Know”, I have seen many patients who have thyroid hormone concerns. I try to have them visit www.StopTheThyroidMadness.com before their consultation as this website does an admirable job of discussing many of the issues and symptoms shared by my patients.

During a typical consultation I will go over some of the hallmark symptoms associated with decreased thyroid function. The major symptoms can include fatigue, depression, inability to lose weight or weight gain, changes in hair, skin, and nails, cold intolerance, fibromyalgia, constipation or bowel function irregularities. Then I ask the patient to tell me about the symptoms they experience and I listen to their response.

My grandfather received his Texas medical license on May 20th, 1946. His license to practice medicine expired in 1996 upon his retirement. During his 50 year history as a general practitioner he treated numerous patients with the symptoms listed above. His medical office was a part of his house and when he wasn’t inviting patients into his house he was visiting them in theirs. He talked to his patients and then his listened. Why? Lab tests during the majority of his practice were more expensive and the results took longer than they do now. He didn’t order labs without first having a few possible diagnoses in mind knowing that if the patient was very sick, the results might come back after the patient was already dead! He practiced medicine at its finest. If a patient described a few of the above symptoms consistent with low thyroid he often wouldn’t order a lab test at all. He had the diagnosis of hypothyroidism and increased thyroid replacement (he used Armour thyroid) until the patient’s symptoms improved and they got better.

Now? We order a simple thyroid screening test called TSH. The problem with any screening test is that they are designed to screen for possible disease that might go unreported. Screening tests were NEVER designed to be used on patients that reported symptoms. “Sorry ma’am. I know that you thought your thyroid wasn’t working properly but I checked your TSH and it came back normal. You just need to stop eating so much!”

I have lost count of the weight loss patients that had a normal TSH and knew they had thyroid problems that responded well when I put them on the same medication that worked well for my grandfather 65 years ago.

How much medication is enough? Most people need between 120-180mg of natural thyroid (Armour) or 200-300mcg of synthetic thyroid (Synthroid/ levothyroxin). If you have ever been diagnosed with hypothyroidism or borderline thyroid function and are on medication- take a look at your bottle. Odds are you are underdosed and STILL HAVE SYMPTOMS.

Why would you have symptoms if your thyroid is just borderline? Your doc is doing exactly what they were trained to do. Check the TSH (never intended to be used for someone with hypothyroidism) and keep it in the normal range. TSH isn’t a thyroid hormone. It’s a brain hormone (think gas pedal) that asks the thyroid to release more T4 and T3. What if there is a blockage in the fuel filter? It doesn’t matter where the gas pedal is- you need to check the tachometer to see how fast the engine is turning (free or circulating T4 and maybe T3). Total T4 and T3 aren’t good tests either. T4 and T3 are bound (made unavailable) by thyroid binding globulin.

My wife (board-certified OB-Gyn who takes Armour thyroid) said it best. “It doesn’t matter if you use a high dose, medium dose, or mini-pill for birth control. They all suppress normal hormone release. The thyroid behaves just like the ovaries! Too little thyroid replacement is as bad or worse than no thyroid replacement. If thyroid hormone is low you need to give the body what it needs!”

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, paramedic, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. Stay tuned for an article about the Big “O”! Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.