Most people can return to sexual activity after a short period of time. Heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and arthritis often complicate sex life. Surgeries such as hysterectomy, mastectomy, and prostatectomy also tend to dampen sexual appetite. Alcohol, medicines, sexually transmitted diseases, and AIDS are other factors that can also affect your sex life. Some people may find masturbation helpful, especially those who are single or whose partners are sexually dysfunctional.
Sexuality is often a delicate balance between emotional and physical issues.
How we feel affects what we are able to do. If your sexuality is important to you, please talk to your physician or see a therapist. A health professional can often provide the help you need. As people get older, chronic illness and disabilities become more prevalent. Physically ill older people are morelikely to suffer from mental problems.