MYTHS & MISCONCEPTIONS
Causes
Sexuality is related to obscenity or vulgarity. Therefore there is secrecy. Nobody talks about it openly though there is tremendous curiosity, especially during the adolescence and youth. Secrecy leads to ignorance. They turn to their friends for information, who are equally ignorant and may provide misinformation. Since they cannot dare to ask their parents or teachers, they try it through pornographic literature. They expect quacks to solve their problems. Myths and misconceptions gathered are propagated from generations to generations.
Effects
Many myths are responsible for
Fear, Anxiety, depression
Guilt feeling, Poor self esteem
Over expectations
Sexual dysfunctions
Marital disharmony, conflict, divorce
Suicide
Victimization by quacks
Some of the common myths are mentioned below in italics, followed by their scientific explanations:
Penis
Men can will an erection
No. Erection is controlled by parasympathetic part of autonomic nervous system. Like salivation and perspiration, erection is a situational reflex. Therefore sensate focus is the most important factor for getting erection.
To satisfy a woman, the man needs a long, thick and straight penis.
No. Like the shape of the nose, each penis is different. As a long and big nose does not improve the smell of a rose, A long and thick penis is not required for the pleasure of the self or of the woman. Penis is never straight like the railway signal. In some, it has a shape of banana. Vagina accommodates any shape of penis. Since the length of the vagina is 3.5 inches and only outer one inch is sensitive to touch, any erect penis over 1 inch in length is sufficient.
Testes
Both the testes should be at the same level. Using tight underwear (Langot) prevents hydrocele and hernia.
No, the left testis is usually at a lower level, for some anatomical reasons. If the testes are brought near the body by using tight underwear, their temperature rises and adversely affects the formation of sperms.
Semen
Semen is a precious fluid.
No, semen is like any other secretion to be thrown out of body. Semen is a mixture of secretions from prostate, seminal vesicles and bulbuo-urethral glands plus sperms. Semen provides nutrition, helps motility and acts as a vehicle for the transport of sperms.
Losing Dhaat in sleep or passing it in urine is a disease.
Passing semen Dhaat in sleep is known as wet dreams or nocturnal emission. This is a normal event and a sign of puberty, the beginning of adolescence. It also proves that the reproductive system has started functioning. When the reproductive glands are full with secretions and person gets a sensuous dream, like escape of steam from the cooker,he ejaculates in sleep. This does not cause weakness or loss of vitality.
The sphincter of urinary bladder closes during ejaculation. Therefore, semen cannot be mixed with urine. If prostration secretion accumulates in the urethra at night the individual will see milky white secretion of prostate while passing urine next morning. This is physiological. Passing phosphates in the urine is sometimes mistaken for semen.
Losing semen through masturbation does not cause not any harm. Masturbation is not a bad habit. It cannot be overdone, since it is controlled by autonomic nervous system. The frequency of masturbation depends upon the hormone, testosterone and the secretions of reproductive glands. Those who have never masturbated since puberty, the ejaculatory reflex do not work after the marriage and hence the man cannot father a child.
Masturbation does not cause pimples, weakness, impotence or any other disease. It does not bend the penis. Masturbation or nocturnal emissions are inversely proportional to each other.
Not only young people but married persons, old people and the females also masturbate.
It is not the loss of semen, masturbation or wet dreams that harm a person, but the anxiety and fear about it harm him.
VAGINA.
Presence of hymen is the surest test for virginity.
No. There is no surest test for proving virginity. A woman may or may not bleed from her vagina at the first intercourse after marriage; even then she could be a virgin. Sports, cycling, horse riding or exercise can be responsible for the tear of the hymen. Hymen, if lax, can remain intact even after the child birth.
Hymen is a vestigial structure formed at the junction of external and internal genitals during the embryonic life. It may or may not be present at birth. Character is in the mind and not in the genitals. Secondly, there is a double standard for virginity. Man takes pride in mentioning about the number of women with whom he had sex. Such man deserves no right to ask his wife about premarital sex.
Vagina is a sensuous organ. Woman gets orgasm by stimulation of vagina.
No. Like esophagus, vagina is developed from endoderm and therefore there is no sensation in vaginal barrel. Vaginal orgasm is a myth. Orgasm in a woman is always clitoral in origin. Clitoris is the homologous organ of penis. The area of vestibule and the outer inch of vagina is developed from ectoderm and hence it is erotically sensitive to touch; only next to clitoris.
There is no homologous organ like vagina in man. If men were to have vagina the site of opening would be on the median scrotal raphe, one inch in front of the anus. Vagina is considered as the organ of honor and character. However, physiologically, vagina is a passage for the menstrual flow and baby to outside it is the side of sensuous pleasure for male, where gets maximum erection that terminates in ejaculation for fertility.
MENSTRUATION
Bad blood is passed out menstruation. Woman becomes impure during menstruation.
Menarche (beginning of mensturation) is the first indication that girl has been promoted to become a woman, Every month the inner lining of the wall of the uterus becomes thickened and engorged with blood vessels and mucus glands, ready to nourish the fertilized egg. If the egg is not fertilized, this lining breaks down and is discharged with little blood and mucus through the vagina. This is menstruation. Neither the blood is bad, nor does the woman become impure. A woman can lead a normal and usual life during menstruation.
Breasts
Small breasts produce less of milk. Their size can be augmented by hormones/ massage.
The size of breast has no relation to the production of milk in it.. Even a small breast can produce enough of milk breast- feeding. The size of the breast depends upon the amount of fatty tissue in it.
Massage or hormones do not help in increasing the size. For aesthetic reasons, silicon gel implant or fatty tissues injection can help in augmentation of the size of breast. The simplest way is to use a padded bra.
Having unequal size of the breast is a normal variation and does not need any treatment.
INTERCOURSE
The first wedding night is the most sensuous and the most memorable experience. Sex with a virgin woman gives maximum pleasure.
No.A virgin woman being a novice may not be able to enjoy sex herself. In fact, love, caring and sharing with the partner is needed. She inhibitions, feel relaxed,establish a loving relationship with partner, engage in foreplay, and then only she will be able to enjoy herself and herself and give the pleasure of sex to him. On the first wedding night,though the expectations are high, both being ignorant about the genitals, having pressure of performance and fear of failure, the intercourse may be unsuccessful and both may disappointed.
My friend says that he performs three times every night and each times he lasts for half an hour.
He is exaggerating his performance. Researchers have proved that the duration of intercourse from the time of penetration to the time of ejaculation is 1 to 3 minutes. The frequency becomes less and less. However, frequency and duration varies from person to person. For fertility it should be daily or on alternate days especially during the sexual performance is controlled by autonomic nervous system. Man cannot will an erection. If he tries to imitate his friend, nature does not cooperate and he may not be able to get an erection as he desires.
Simultaneous orgasm of the two is necessary for pregnancy.
No, It is not possible, since every individual has /her own speed. However, women should have orgasm prior to man’s, either by manual stimulation of clitoris or by ‘woman-on-top position. Simultaneous orgasm is not necessary for the pregnancy to occur. A woman is capable of becoming pregnant even without having an orgasm.
Sex during menstruation and oral-genital sex are harmful
There is no medical evidence to prove that sex during menstruation or oral genitals sex is harmful, provided:
1. The mouth and the genitals are cleaned before the act
He/she has no dislike or objection to it.
Intercourse causes weakness or objection to it.
Intercourse causes weakness. Sex tonic improves theperformance
During the intercourse, the tension in the muscles rises. This is followed by fatigue which recovers in a day. There is nothing like ‘sex tonic’. Masters and Johnson used to say “Sound health, interested and interesting partner is the best sex tonic.
Hysterectomy/ menopause is the end of sex life.
No. individuals can indulge in sex till the end of life. ‘Use it, or lose it’ is the rule applicable to it. Those who have regular sexual outlet do not find any discomfort or pain during sex.
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is abnormal. A Homosexual can be identified.
A homosexual is normal in every respect except that his sexual orientation is different. There are 4% of male and 2 to 3% of female homosexuals in any society. No definite cause has been found. A homosexual cannot be identified by his look or behavior.
Infertility
Woman is always responsible for infertility in the couple.
In 40 to 50 percent of the couples, man is responsible for infertility.
The female is responsible for giving birth to male or female child
Male is responsible. It depends on the sex chromosome that fertilizes the egg,
If the sperm containing Y sex chromosome fertilize the egg, it will be a boy, and if X sex chromosome fertilizes. It will be a girl.
However, this too is not under his control, Whatever the outcome is one has to accept and love the child.
Family Planning
Pill causes cancer, Coper T leads to profuse menstruation, Papaya causes abortion, and vasectomy leads to impotence.
All these are myths. Pill contains minimum amount of hormones. Numerous studies done on the usage of pill show that it does not causes cancer. Coper T may cause little excessive menstrual flow in some cases that too initially only. Papaya or any other food stuff or hormone injection does not cause abortion. Manual vacuum aspiration is the only way (up to 6 weeks) for the termination of pregnancy. Vasectomy does not interfere with person sexual desire, erection or sexual performance. The quantity of semen also remains as before only that it does not contain sperms.
STI/ HIV/ AIDS
A Person using public toilet, using cloths of the patient or touching him, is liable to get STI or HIV infection
NO. These diseases are transmitted through sexual contact. The germs of these diseases do not thrive in open. Using the public toilet, using the clothes or utensils used by the patient cannot transmit these diseases.
Miscellaneous
A female has ten times the sex desire than that in the male
No. the hormone responsible for the sex desire testosterone is more abundant in the male than in the female. She is interest in love, caring and sharing than in intercourse. For that reason there are no male sex workers to service the females.
Hysteria is the female is due to sex starvation. Marriage is the solution
Hysteria is a psychological disorder sex starvation does not cause any disease. Marriage in such a mental state complicates the problem.
Blood group of both should be matched before marriage.
Blood groups need not be matched, but the compatibility of Rh factor in blood of both should be examined. If the female is Rh negative and male is Rh negative, then the second child of this couple may get jaundice and may not survive. To avoid this Rh negative female is given Anti D immunoglobulin injection immediately after first delivery (or after abortion).
Posted by Dr. Ramesh Maheshwari, Wnho Clinic, 2014 sadashiv peth, Tilak road, Pune. Free to call for further information.
Causes
Sexuality is related to obscenity or vulgarity. Therefore there is secrecy. Nobody talks about it openly though there is tremendous curiosity, especially during the adolescence and youth. Secrecy leads to ignorance. They turn to their friends for information, who are equally ignorant and may provide misinformation. Since they cannot dare to ask their parents or teachers, they try it through pornographic literature. They expect quacks to solve their problems. Myths and misconceptions gathered are propagated from generations to generations.
Effects
Many myths are responsible for
Fear, Anxiety, depression
Guilt feeling, Poor self esteem
Over expectations
Sexual dysfunctions
Marital disharmony, conflict, divorce
Suicide
Victimization by quacks
Some of the common myths are mentioned below in italics, followed by their scientific explanations:
Penis
Men can will an erection
No. Erection is controlled by parasympathetic part of autonomic nervous system. Like salivation and perspiration, erection is a situational reflex. Therefore sensate focus is the most important factor for getting erection.
To satisfy a woman, the man needs a long, thick and straight penis.
No. Like the shape of the nose, each penis is different. As a long and big nose does not improve the smell of a rose, A long and thick penis is not required for the pleasure of the self or of the woman. Penis is never straight like the railway signal. In some, it has a shape of banana. Vagina accommodates any shape of penis. Since the length of the vagina is 3.5 inches and only outer one inch is sensitive to touch, any erect penis over 1 inch in length is sufficient.
Testes
Both the testes should be at the same level. Using tight underwear (Langot) prevents hydrocele and hernia.
No, the left testis is usually at a lower level, for some anatomical reasons. If the testes are brought near the body by using tight underwear, their temperature rises and adversely affects the formation of sperms.
Semen
Semen is a precious fluid.
No, semen is like any other secretion to be thrown out of body. Semen is a mixture of secretions from prostate, seminal vesicles and bulbuo-urethral glands plus sperms. Semen provides nutrition, helps motility and acts as a vehicle for the transport of sperms.
Losing Dhaat in sleep or passing it in urine is a disease.
Passing semen Dhaat in sleep is known as wet dreams or nocturnal emission. This is a normal event and a sign of puberty, the beginning of adolescence. It also proves that the reproductive system has started functioning. When the reproductive glands are full with secretions and person gets a sensuous dream, like escape of steam from the cooker,he ejaculates in sleep. This does not cause weakness or loss of vitality.
The sphincter of urinary bladder closes during ejaculation. Therefore, semen cannot be mixed with urine. If prostration secretion accumulates in the urethra at night the individual will see milky white secretion of prostate while passing urine next morning. This is physiological. Passing phosphates in the urine is sometimes mistaken for semen.
Losing semen through masturbation does not cause not any harm. Masturbation is not a bad habit. It cannot be overdone, since it is controlled by autonomic nervous system. The frequency of masturbation depends upon the hormone, testosterone and the secretions of reproductive glands. Those who have never masturbated since puberty, the ejaculatory reflex do not work after the marriage and hence the man cannot father a child.
Masturbation does not cause pimples, weakness, impotence or any other disease. It does not bend the penis. Masturbation or nocturnal emissions are inversely proportional to each other.
Not only young people but married persons, old people and the females also masturbate.
It is not the loss of semen, masturbation or wet dreams that harm a person, but the anxiety and fear about it harm him.
VAGINA.
Presence of hymen is the surest test for virginity.
No. There is no surest test for proving virginity. A woman may or may not bleed from her vagina at the first intercourse after marriage; even then she could be a virgin. Sports, cycling, horse riding or exercise can be responsible for the tear of the hymen. Hymen, if lax, can remain intact even after the child birth.
Hymen is a vestigial structure formed at the junction of external and internal genitals during the embryonic life. It may or may not be present at birth. Character is in the mind and not in the genitals. Secondly, there is a double standard for virginity. Man takes pride in mentioning about the number of women with whom he had sex. Such man deserves no right to ask his wife about premarital sex.
Vagina is a sensuous organ. Woman gets orgasm by stimulation of vagina.
No. Like esophagus, vagina is developed from endoderm and therefore there is no sensation in vaginal barrel. Vaginal orgasm is a myth. Orgasm in a woman is always clitoral in origin. Clitoris is the homologous organ of penis. The area of vestibule and the outer inch of vagina is developed from ectoderm and hence it is erotically sensitive to touch; only next to clitoris.
There is no homologous organ like vagina in man. If men were to have vagina the site of opening would be on the median scrotal raphe, one inch in front of the anus. Vagina is considered as the organ of honor and character. However, physiologically, vagina is a passage for the menstrual flow and baby to outside it is the side of sensuous pleasure for male, where gets maximum erection that terminates in ejaculation for fertility.
MENSTRUATION
Bad blood is passed out menstruation. Woman becomes impure during menstruation.
Menarche (beginning of mensturation) is the first indication that girl has been promoted to become a woman, Every month the inner lining of the wall of the uterus becomes thickened and engorged with blood vessels and mucus glands, ready to nourish the fertilized egg. If the egg is not fertilized, this lining breaks down and is discharged with little blood and mucus through the vagina. This is menstruation. Neither the blood is bad, nor does the woman become impure. A woman can lead a normal and usual life during menstruation.
Breasts
Small breasts produce less of milk. Their size can be augmented by hormones/ massage.
The size of breast has no relation to the production of milk in it.. Even a small breast can produce enough of milk breast- feeding. The size of the breast depends upon the amount of fatty tissue in it.
Massage or hormones do not help in increasing the size. For aesthetic reasons, silicon gel implant or fatty tissues injection can help in augmentation of the size of breast. The simplest way is to use a padded bra.
Having unequal size of the breast is a normal variation and does not need any treatment.
INTERCOURSE
The first wedding night is the most sensuous and the most memorable experience. Sex with a virgin woman gives maximum pleasure.
No.A virgin woman being a novice may not be able to enjoy sex herself. In fact, love, caring and sharing with the partner is needed. She inhibitions, feel relaxed,establish a loving relationship with partner, engage in foreplay, and then only she will be able to enjoy herself and herself and give the pleasure of sex to him. On the first wedding night,though the expectations are high, both being ignorant about the genitals, having pressure of performance and fear of failure, the intercourse may be unsuccessful and both may disappointed.
My friend says that he performs three times every night and each times he lasts for half an hour.
He is exaggerating his performance. Researchers have proved that the duration of intercourse from the time of penetration to the time of ejaculation is 1 to 3 minutes. The frequency becomes less and less. However, frequency and duration varies from person to person. For fertility it should be daily or on alternate days especially during the sexual performance is controlled by autonomic nervous system. Man cannot will an erection. If he tries to imitate his friend, nature does not cooperate and he may not be able to get an erection as he desires.
Simultaneous orgasm of the two is necessary for pregnancy.
No, It is not possible, since every individual has /her own speed. However, women should have orgasm prior to man’s, either by manual stimulation of clitoris or by ‘woman-on-top position. Simultaneous orgasm is not necessary for the pregnancy to occur. A woman is capable of becoming pregnant even without having an orgasm.
Sex during menstruation and oral-genital sex are harmful
There is no medical evidence to prove that sex during menstruation or oral genitals sex is harmful, provided:
1. The mouth and the genitals are cleaned before the act
He/she has no dislike or objection to it.
Intercourse causes weakness or objection to it.
Intercourse causes weakness. Sex tonic improves theperformance
During the intercourse, the tension in the muscles rises. This is followed by fatigue which recovers in a day. There is nothing like ‘sex tonic’. Masters and Johnson used to say “Sound health, interested and interesting partner is the best sex tonic.
Hysterectomy/ menopause is the end of sex life.
No. individuals can indulge in sex till the end of life. ‘Use it, or lose it’ is the rule applicable to it. Those who have regular sexual outlet do not find any discomfort or pain during sex.
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is abnormal. A Homosexual can be identified.
A homosexual is normal in every respect except that his sexual orientation is different. There are 4% of male and 2 to 3% of female homosexuals in any society. No definite cause has been found. A homosexual cannot be identified by his look or behavior.
Infertility
Woman is always responsible for infertility in the couple.
In 40 to 50 percent of the couples, man is responsible for infertility.
The female is responsible for giving birth to male or female child
Male is responsible. It depends on the sex chromosome that fertilizes the egg,
If the sperm containing Y sex chromosome fertilize the egg, it will be a boy, and if X sex chromosome fertilizes. It will be a girl.
However, this too is not under his control, Whatever the outcome is one has to accept and love the child.
Family Planning
Pill causes cancer, Coper T leads to profuse menstruation, Papaya causes abortion, and vasectomy leads to impotence.
All these are myths. Pill contains minimum amount of hormones. Numerous studies done on the usage of pill show that it does not causes cancer. Coper T may cause little excessive menstrual flow in some cases that too initially only. Papaya or any other food stuff or hormone injection does not cause abortion. Manual vacuum aspiration is the only way (up to 6 weeks) for the termination of pregnancy. Vasectomy does not interfere with person sexual desire, erection or sexual performance. The quantity of semen also remains as before only that it does not contain sperms.
STI/ HIV/ AIDS
A Person using public toilet, using cloths of the patient or touching him, is liable to get STI or HIV infection
NO. These diseases are transmitted through sexual contact. The germs of these diseases do not thrive in open. Using the public toilet, using the clothes or utensils used by the patient cannot transmit these diseases.
Miscellaneous
A female has ten times the sex desire than that in the male
No. the hormone responsible for the sex desire testosterone is more abundant in the male than in the female. She is interest in love, caring and sharing than in intercourse. For that reason there are no male sex workers to service the females.
Hysteria is the female is due to sex starvation. Marriage is the solution
Hysteria is a psychological disorder sex starvation does not cause any disease. Marriage in such a mental state complicates the problem.
Blood group of both should be matched before marriage.
Blood groups need not be matched, but the compatibility of Rh factor in blood of both should be examined. If the female is Rh negative and male is Rh negative, then the second child of this couple may get jaundice and may not survive. To avoid this Rh negative female is given Anti D immunoglobulin injection immediately after first delivery (or after abortion).
Posted by Dr. Ramesh Maheshwari, Wnho Clinic, 2014 sadashiv peth, Tilak road, Pune. Free to call for further information.