Bookstores and the Internet are wonderful places where you can browse, buy, and become informed, but they can also provide information that is quite frankly confusing, misleading, or just wrong.
If you want to read more about the history of sexual medicine or perhaps learn more about a specific medical condition (beyond the sexual issues!), I have personally checked out the following resources and can vouch for them as trustworthy. I may not agree with every piece of information found in these publications and on these sites, but they are generally good sources of accurate information.
This is also the place to find out more information on many of the products and devices mentioned in the book. Although I have been compensated for my time to educate women on behalf of a few of these companies, no one paid to be mentioned in this book or included in this resources section. Also, please check out my website, www.drstreicher.com, for more resources, links, and updates.
To help you find what you need, the resource chapter is organized as follows:
General Medical Information
Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Support
Relationships
Online Female-Friendly Erotica Shopping
SexAbilitators (Products and Websites)
Vaginal Lubricants/Moisturizers
Accessories
Vibrators
Dilators
Pelvic Floor Strengthening Devices
Pelvic Physical Therapy
Sexual Ergonomics
History of Sexual Health
Finding a Clinician
Specific Medical Problems or Situations
Arthritis
Cancer
Depression
Diabetes
Disabilities
Endometriosis
Epilepsy
Heart Disease
Hereditary Cancer
Hysterectomy
Incontinence
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Interstitial Cystitis
Kidney Disease
Lung Disease
Orgasms
Osteoporosis
Parkinson’s Disease
Sexual Pain
Vulvar/Vaginal Health
General Medical Information
Websites
UpToDate
www.uptodate.com
This outstanding website is authored by physicians and has summaries of the latest information on every medical condition.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), US National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hinfo.html
A service of NIH that provides information about medical conditions and drugs.
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
www.healthfinder.gov
This HHS website provides links to health and human services resources and information produced by the US government and partner organizations.
Everyday Health
www.everydayhealth.com
This site provides articles about the latest health news as well as general information and recommendations for specific health conditions.
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
http://www.acog.org/For_Patients
The ACOG website provides information from leading experts in women’s health care and gynecologic conditions.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
www.nccam.nih.gov
NCCAM was developed within NIH to provide information on complementary and alternative medicine.
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm050803.htm
At its web page “FDA 101: Dietary Supplements,” the FDA offers consumer information and suggestions about the use of dietary supplements, including herbal preparations.
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
http://www.fda.gov/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/pharmacycompounding/ucm183088.htm
On this web page, the US watchdog agency explains its oversight of pharmacy compounding of custom-made prescription drugs, including bio-identical hormone therapy.
Books
Arlene Weintraub, Selling the Fountain of Youth. Basic Books, 2010.
Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Support
Websites
National Domestic Violence Hotline
www.ndvh.org
This 24-hour hotline provides information on both local shelters and the nationwide service providers available for victims, friends, and family.
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network
www.RAINN.org
The nation’s largest anti-sexual-violence organization has thousands of trained volunteers available 24/7. If you call 1-800-656-HOPE, a computer notes the area code and first three digits of your phone number, then instantaneously connects you to the nearest RAINN member center.
Books
Wendy Maltz, The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse. HarperCollins, 2012.
Relationships
Books
Andrew Cherlin, The Marriage Go-Round. Vintage, 2010.
Helen Fisher, Why We Love. Henry Holt, 2004.
Gregory Godek, 1001 Ways to Be Romantic. Source Books, 2000.
John Gottman and Joan DeClaire, The Relationship Cure. Three Rivers Press, 2001.
John Gottman and Nan Silver, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Three Rivers Press, 2001.
Barbara Keesling, Talk Sexy to the One You Love. Harper Collins, 1996
Howard Markman, Stanley Scott, and Susan Blumber, Fighting for Your Marriage. Jossey-Bass, 2001.
Barry and Emily McCarthy, Rekindling Desire: A Step-by-Step Program to Help Low-Sex and No-Sex Marriages, rev. ed. Brunner-Routledge, 2013.
Ester Perel, Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic. HarperCollins, 2006.
Joan Price, Naked at Our Age: Talking Out Loud About Senior Sex. Amazon Digital Services, 2011.
David Schnarch, Passionate Marriage. Henry Holt & Co., 1997.
Pepper Schwartz, Prime: Adventures and Advice About Love, Sex, and the Sensual Years. HarperCollins, 2007.
Pepper Schwartz, with Janet Lever, Getaway Guide to the Great Sex Weekend. World Wide Romance Press, 2012.
Pepper Schwartz, with Christiane Northrup and James Witte, The Normal Bar: The Secrets of Happy Couples. Random House/Harmony, 2013.
Online Female-Friendly Erotica Shopping
Erotica Shops
Babeland: www.babeland.com
G Boutique: www.boutiqueg.com
Good for Her: www.goodforher.com
Good Vibrations: www.goodvibrations.com
Kitty’s Toy Box (LGBT-friendly): www.Kittystoybox.com
Middle Sex MD: www.middlesexmd.com
Pure Romance: www.pureromance.com
SexAbilitators (Products and Websites)
All of the erotica shops listed above sell many of the following lubricants, moisturizers, vibrators, and dilators.
Vaginal Lubricants/Moisturizers
Here are a few products to get you started, but always remember to check ingredients to know what you are getting!
Silicone-Based
Pink, Pjur, System Jo Silicone, Swiss Navy Silicone, Wet Platinum, Replens Silky Smooth
Water-Based
Liquid Silk, Pink Water, Maximus, Pre-Seed (fertility-friendly), Sliquid H2O, Yes Water-Based, Wet Naturals
Hybrids (Both Silicone- and Water-Based)
Sliquid Silk Intimate Hybrid, Wet Synergy
Long-Acting Vaginal Moisturizers
Replens Long-Acting Vaginal Moisturizer (www.replens.com)
Vulvar Soothing Cream
Neogyn Vulvar Soothing Cream (www.neogyn.us)
Accessories
Condoms
Female condom: FC2
Non-latex condoms: Trojan Supra Bareskin Condoms
Non-lubricated condoms: Trojan ENZ non-lubricated condoms (to use for dental dams or to add your own lube)
Handy Harness Velcro Glove
http://ergoerotics.com/pleasure/26-handy-harness.html
Don’t worry, this accessory to hold a vibrator comes in both right- and left-handed varieties!
Waterproof Throw Blanket
http://ergoerotics.com/86-waterproof-throw-blanket.html
Sheets with Velcro to Stabilize Limbs
http://www.sportsheets.com
EROS Clitoral Therapy Device
http://eros-therapy.com
The Love Swing
http://www.loveswing.com
Comeclose Collision Ring
www.comeclose.co.uk
Lubricant Delivery Device
Lube Shooter (no website but available at erotica shops)
Pillows/Bolsters
Many styles and decorator colors are available at both ergoerotics (http://ergoerotics.com/7-position) and Liberator (http://www.liberator.com/wedge.html).
To Buy a Merkin . . .
MaxWigs (www.maxwigs.com).
Kitty Carpet (in black, blond, or pink!)
Vibrators
A wide assortment of vibrators can be found at all of the erotica shops listed on page 420 (not to mention your corner drugstore). In addition, if you are willing to splurge, check out:
Lelo (www.lelo.com): INA 2, Mia 2 Lipstick Vibrator with USB, SIRI
Jimmyjane (www.jimmyjane.com): Hello Touch, Form 2, 4, or 6
We-Vibe (www.we-vibe.com): A couple’s vibrator—We-Vibe 2, 3, or 4, Thrill
Crave (www.lovecrave.com): Duet 8GB Lux, Solo
Thrill (We-Vibe 2, 3, or 4; Thrill couples vibrators)
Dilators
Cool Water Cones: www.coolwatercones.com
Soul Source: www.soulsource.com
Middle Sex MD: www.middlesexmd.com
Pure Romance (www.pureromance.com): Tapered silicone dilators
Pelvic Floor Strengthening Devices
InControl Medical (www.incontrolmedical.com): InTone
Pour Moi (www.pourmoi.com): Apex, Intensity
Pelvic Physical Therapy
Section on Women’s Health (SOWH) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
http://www.womenshealthapta.org
Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute
www.hermanwallace.com
International Pelvic Pain Society
www.pelvicpain.org/providers/find-provider.aspx
Sexual Ergonomics
Ergoerotics
www.ergoerotics.com
This site has information on innovative adjustment devices, educational materials, patient forums, additional resources, and even private consultations. It also provides books and videos to demonstrate positions and the best use of devices like pillows and bolsters to optimize comfortable intercourse and oral and manual stimulation.
History of Sexual Health
Books
Winfield Scott Hall, PhD, Sexual Knowledge. John Winston Co., 1916.
Shere Hite, Hite Report on Female Sexuality. Macmillan, 1976.
Alfred C. Kinsey et al., Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. W. B. Saunders Co., 1953.
Rachel Maines, The Technology of Orgasm: “Hysteria,” the Vibrator, and Women’s Sexual Satisfaction. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.
William Masters and Virginia Johnson, Human Sexual Response. Little, Brown and Co., 1966.
Marie Stopes, Married Love. G. P. Putnam, 1918.
Samuel-Auguste Tissot, Onanism, Treatise on the Diseases caused by Masturbation, Self Pollution and Other excesses (1758).
Finding a Clinician
In addition to the resources listed here, check your local hospitals or universities for sexual health clinics.
American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)
www.abms.org
This organization oversees physician certification by developing standards for the evaluation and certification of physician specialists. Go to the ABMS website to find out whether a physician is board-certified.
Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
www.fsmb.org
Go to this website to verify that a physician is licensed.
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
http://www.acog.org/About_ACOG/Find_an_Ob-Gyn
This site will help you find a board-certified gynecologist.
International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH)
www.isswsh.org
This website will help you find a sexual medicine specialist.
Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR)
www.sstarnet.org
The SSTAR website will point you toward therapists who are trained in sexual function.
American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT)
www.aasect.org
Therapists trained in sexual function can also be found using the AASECT website.
North American Menopause Society (NAMS)
http://www.menopause.org/for-women/find-a-menopause-practitioner
NAMS will help you find a certified menopause practitioner.
Specific Medical Conditions
Arthritis
American College of Rheumatology
http://www.rheumatology.org/default.aspx
Arthritis Foundation
www.arthritis.org
Cancer
American Cancer Society (ACS)
www.cancer.org
ACS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment.
CancerCare
www.cancercare.org/index.php
CancerCare provides free professional support services to anyone affected by cancer—people with cancer, caregivers, children, loved ones, and the bereaved.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp
The CDC’s early detection program provides access to breast and cervical cancer screening services.
Foundation for Women’s Cancer
www.thegcf.org
This site provides updated news and information on cancer, as well as resources for finding doctors and clinical trials, survivor stories, a bookstore, and other links.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute, Cancer Information Service
www.nci.nih.gov
A nonprofit organization within NIH, the Cancer Information Service provides extensive cancer information for health care providers and the public on types of cancer, treatments, screening and testing, clinical trials, risk factors, and statistics.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
www.nccn.com
NCCN is a not-for-profit organization whose website provides cancer news, treatment summaries, and links to cancer treatment centers.
Depression
American Psychiatric Association
http://www.psychiatry.org/mental-health
American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org
International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression
http://www.ifred.org
Diabetes
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
www.diabetes.org
Disabilities
SexualHealth.com
www.sexualhealth.com
This is a comprehensive online source for disability and sexuality information.
Mitchell Tepper
http://mitchelltepper.com
Disabled himself, sexologist Dr. Mitchell Tepper provides expert advice on sexual health, disabilities, and medical conditions.
Queers On Wheels
http://disqueers.tripod.com
Queers On Wheels is an organization that serves the physically disabled GLBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer) community by providing literature, classes, workshops, and networking.
Life Center: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
http://lifecenter.ric.org
Books
Gary Karp, Disability and the Art of Kissing (available on the author’s website, Lifeonwheels.net)
Miriam Kaufman, Corey Silverberg, and Fran Odette, The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability: For All of Us Who Live with Disabilities, Chronic Pain, and Illness. Amazon Digital, 2007.
Ken Kroll and Erica Levy Klein, Enabling Romance: A Guide to Love, Sex and Relationships for People with Disabilities, No Limits Communications, 2001.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis Association
www.endometriosis.org
Endometriosis Foundation of America
www.endofound.org
Epilepsy
Epilepsy Foundation
www.epilepsyfoundation.org
National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/epilepsy/detail_epilepsy.htm
Heart Disease
American Heart Association
www.americanheart.org
Hereditary Cancer
National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC)
www.nsgc.org
This site will help you locate a genetic counselor who specializes in cancer risk.
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/genetic.cfm
This EEOC web page on genetic information discrimination provides information about the laws that prevent employers or health insurers from using genetic testing results in decisions about eligibility, rates, or coverage.
Myriad
www.myriad.com
Myriad is the company that developed testing to detect the presence of genes for hereditary cancers, such as the BRCA gene. The website provides a great deal of information about testing and risk reduction.
Bright Pink
www.brightpink.org
This organization works on behalf of young women who are at genetic risk for breast and ovarian cancer.
Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE)
www.facingourrisk.com
This organization is dedicated to providing information about hereditary cancers.
Hysterectomy
American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgeons (AAGL)
www.aagl.org
AAGL provides information about minimally invasive surgery such as laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery, hysterectomy, and myomectomy.
Books
Lauren Streicher, The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy: Advice from a Gynecologist on Your Choices Before, During, and After Surgery. Rowman and Littlefield, 2013.
Incontinence
American Urogynecology Association (AUGS)
www.mypelvichealth.org
Women’s Health Foundation (WHF)
http://womenshealthfoundation.org
The WHF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving women’s pelvic health.
The Total Control Program
www.totalcontrolprogram.com
The Total Control program is a comprehensive pelvic fitness and wellness program designed by leading experts in the fields of urogynecology, physical therapy, and fitness.
National Association for Continence (NAFC)
www.nafc.org
Education and support for health care professionals and the general public is provided by this nonprofit organization with a focus on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management solutions for incontinence.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS)
www.fascrs.org
American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)
www.gastro.org
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)
www.ccfa.org
Interstitial Cystitis
Interstitial Cystitis Network (ICN)
www.ic-network.com
Kidney Disease
National Kidney Foundation
www.kidney.org
American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)
www.aakp.org
Lung Disease
American Lung Association
www.lungusa.org
Alpha-1 Foundation
www.alphaone.org
Menopause
North American Menopause Society
www.menopause.org
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Pause: The ACOG Guide to Midlife Health
www.pause.acog.org
Orgasms
Books
Betty Dodson, Sex for One: The Joy of Self Loving. Crown, 1996.
Betty Dodson, Orgasms for Two: The Joy of Partnership. Random House, 2002.
Julia Heiman and Joseph LoPiccolo, Becoming Orgasmic: A Sexual and Personal Growth Program for Women. Prentice-Hall, 1988; Piatkus, 2010.
Barry R. Komisaruk, Carlos Beyer-Flores, and Beverly Whipple, The Science of Orgasm. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.
Osteoporosis
National Osteoporosis Foundation
www.nof.org
Information for health care providers and the public on the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis is available on this site from a nonprofit US organization.
Parkinson’s Disease
National Parkinson Foundation
www.parkinson.org
American Parkinson Disease Association
www.apdaparkinson.org
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/detail_parkinsons_disease.htm
Parkinson’s Disease Foundation
www.pdf.org
Worldwide Education and Awareness for Movement Disorders
www.wemove.org
Sexual Pain
International Pelvic Pain Society
www.pelvicpain.org
Vaginismus: Helping Women Overcome Sexual Pain
www.vaginismus.com
Books
Andrew Goldstein, Caroline Pukall, and Irwin Goldstein, When Sex Hurts: A Woman’s Guide to Banishing Sexual Pain. Perseus Books, 2011.
Vulvar/Vaginal Health
International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD)
www.issvd.org
National Vulvodynia Association (NVA)
www.nva.org
Center for Vulvovaginal Disorders (CVVD)
www.cvvd.org
CVVD is Dr. Andrew Goldstein’s center, with offices in Washington, New York, and Annapolis, which is devoted to sexual pain, sexual dysfunction, vulvar pain, vulvodynia, lichen sclerosus, decreased libido.
Books
Debby Herbenick and Vanessa Schick, Read My Lips: A Complete Guide to the Vagina and Vulva. Rowman and Littlefield, 2011.
Elizabeth G. Stewart and Paula Spencer, The V Book: A Doctor’s Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health. Bantam Books, 2002.