According to Dr. Mai Ba Tien Dung, Head of Andrology Department, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, sexual health issues are often difficult to talk about, making many men reluctant to go for examination. Instead of going to medical facilities, many people find information online and choose products advertised as "panaceas".
According to Dr. Dung, a survey in 7 countries shows that men spend about 30-35% of their daily time searching for unofficial information about the treatment of andrology. The psychology of wanting to quickly regain their form, even "rejuvenate like 18", makes many people easily believe in attractive advertisements.
One of the common ways of advertising is to affirm that the product is completely from herbs, natural and harmless. However, users cannot determine the actual ingredients if the product has not been tested.
Dr. Dung recommends that people should check the origin, condition of being licensed for circulation and instructions for use before using any product. In particular, for prescription drugs, patients should not buy them themselves online but need to be examined by a doctor and consulted by a pharmacist.
No medicine is absolutely safe. Each medicine has effects and unwanted effects. Use needs to be appropriately consulted by doctors and pharmacists," said Dr. Dung.
Not only pills, doctors also warn about "nutritious alcohols", animal-infused alcohols advertised to help boost vitality. Uncontrolled use can lead to poisoning, and even emergency treatment for diseases such as acute pancreatitis.
Dr. Dung emphasized that when encountering sexual health problems, men should not self-treat because of psychological hesitation. Examination at specialized facilities helps determine the cause and choose appropriate methods.
Currently, there are many methods for treating sexual dysfunction, from medication, hormone therapy when indicated, support measures such as vacuum cleaners to surgery in necessary cases.
The important thing is that patients must correctly identify the problem, search for information from official sources and choose licensed medical facilities. Be a smart consumer to avoid traps called'panaceas'," Dr. Dung advised.
