Jared came to the Sexology Clinic because of a painful, non-resolving erection lasting eight hours. Trouble started when he used a herbal concoction to enhance his erection.

“My new girlfriend was visiting me for the first time and I needed to prove that I am good at the game,” he explained, groaning in pain. “I did not know it would end this way.”

Jared, a 24-year-old graduate of engineering, had earlier been dumped by a girlfriend because he ejaculated too fast. He met a street vendor selling herbal preparations who assured him that if he used the concoction he would be perfect in bed.

Because he did not want the trauma of another booting, he quickly purchased the medicine. As instructed, he started using it immediately in anticipation of meeting his new girlfriend the next day.

“Now look at what this has caused,” he lamented, “the woman is to arrive later today and with this pain I cannot have sex with her.”

Jared is among the many men and women who use sexual enhancers. Many pharmacies report that the sale of enhancers of all types is on the rise. The blue pill is the most common among men. There are also food supplements and herbal based preparations that are sold in pharmacies.

Read: Why men are avoiding intimacy with their wives

Then there are those that are sold in the streets. A root from Western Kenya popularly known as mkombero is a common one. There are also some mixtures sold in jerrycans, mostly from Maasai land. Registered herbal clinics similarly have their preparations.

“Could you be knowing what is contained in the herbs?” Jared asked. “It must be a very powerful chemical because it has also made me vomit severally and I have a headache.”

Unfortunately, most of the herbal preparations have not been analysed to know the active ingredients. As such, knowing the right dose can be a problem. How many roots of mkombero, for example, does one need to chew to get the desired results?

Of late, sexual enhancers are not just used by men, women are similarly indulging. Many people know the story of okra water. A lot of women are using it. Unlike other herbs, okra, scientifically known as Abelmoschus esculentus, has been studied quite a bit.

There is a region in Nigeria, the Igbo-Ora, Oyo State, where okra is very commonly used. The region is known to have the highest incidents of twin deliveries in the world. Studies have associated the twinning to use of okra. Animal biochemical studies have shown that okra could enhance sexual stimulation, lubrication and orgasm. Studies in humans are however limited. Be that as it may, there is an epidemic of use of okra water currently. Fortunately, no ill health effects have been reported with this increased use.

Read: Surprising benefits of oral stimulation during intimacy…

Another product most people are using to enhance sex is marijuana. The practice of marijuana foreplay is becoming common among young people. They smoke weed then indulge in sex. They report that they get stimulation after smoking. Scientifically, sexual response in weed users is very varied. While most women and some men get stimulation in the initial stages, the results may change with continuous use. Most men, on chronic use of weed, actually have erection failure. More worrying is the problem of addiction which comes with ongoing use.

But is there a case for using sexual enhancers? Well, only if prescribed. There are health conditions that warrant their use. The challenge, however, is that there are very many types of sexual dysfunctions and they are not necessarily treated by sexual enhancers. Jared’s case is a good example. He had quick ejaculation and ended up using erection enhancing herbal medicine. A medical evaluation would have resulted in the correct diagnosis and the right treatment.

“But doctor, the erection goes after ejaculation and this is frustrating to the woman who is left hanging!” Jared interjected.

Losing erection after ejaculation is a normal body response. It is not treated with erection enhancers. Unnecessary use of erection enhancers, herbal or otherwise, can lead to problems. A non-resolving erection, also called priapism, is one such problem. Left untreated, priapism can cause damage to the tissues of the penis, depriving them of oxygen and this can lead to permanent loss of erection.

“That is very scary,” Jared said, obviously distressed as I initiated treatment to reverse his undesired erection.

The reason people resort to sexual enhancers is because they do not believe in their abilities. Sexual confidence is a rare commodity these days because nobody teaches people about their sexuality. There is a lot of trial and error. Sometimes people watch pornography and want to do what they see, not knowing that pornography is sexual drama, real acting which may not be reproducible in real life. If you have not gone through lessons on sexuality, seek professional help instead of trial and error. It is never too late to learn.

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