Health
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk| or NHS Direct tel: 0845 46 47
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Torfane Local Health Board:
01495 745868 or
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When I was younger I was kicked in the groin. Ever since then I've rarely had an erection. I didn't really bother me before but now I am getting more inquisitive about girls. I know I'm heading for a major embarrassment is there anything I can do?
You don't mention whether you were examined after the kick. It is unlikely that there is any physical damage, but it might be worth you getting it checked out. The fact that you are able to get an erection sometimes means that there is probably nothing physically wrong with you. It would be more of a concern if you had never experienced an erection. I suspect that there are two possible causes for your "rare erections". Firstly, you are still in the growing phase and therefore your hormone levels are still changing. This may affect your ability to get erections at times.
Secondly, whenever you feel sexually aroused, you may be worrying too much about whether you should be getting an erection. Being anxious is often a cause for not being able to achieve an erection. I would try to distract yourself from thinking about your ability to get an erection and you may find that this will help you.
I started my periods a few months ago. I get really bad period pains. How can I stop them?
There are several tablets that are very good for period pains, which your doctor could prescribe for you. They are certain types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Mefenamic Acid that are very effective but, as with any treatment, there may be side-effects and reasons why you cannot take them. I think that you should talk to your family doctor, as you shouldn't have to put up with pain every month if there is something that can help.
I am 14 and haven't started having periods yet. All my friends have started theirs. When will I start mine?
There are all sorts of possible reasons for why you have not started your period yet. Check with your mum and see whether she started late, as it tends to go in families. It's all related to release of hormones from your ovary. These hormones fluctuate until they get into a regular rhythm and start to cause periods. There is a huge variation in when girls hormones start being released and this is affected by anxiety, if you are short or losing weight rapidly, amongst other things. If you are about to start having periods, then you should have pubic hair, some hair under your armpits and should have started developing breasts. If this is the case, then you are just a late starter. If none of these things have yet happened to you it may worthwhile getting a blood test from your doctor to check whether you are making hormones. The most important thing is not to worry as that in itself may stop you having periods.
Lately I have been getting really moody and taking it out on my family. Why do I feel like this?
When you become a teenager, you have growth spurts and your body also has rapidly changing hormone levels, whether you are a male or female. Your body is not used to these hormone changes and they affect you by making you moody and irritable. You always take it out on the people closest to you, your family and friends. Some teenagers have more trouble with the fluctuations of their hormones than others, which is why some are more moody than others and some have worse spots than others. These hormones will take a while to settle down usually this happens by the age of 16. You are better off than most as you recognise that you are moody and irritable and can probably do something to try to control it. Lots of teenagers deny that they are moody and that really does cause problems.