Telehealth for Sexual Concerns: What Works Remotely

Which sexual concerns does telehealth handle well?

Telehealth is a strong fit for concerns that rely on conversation, history, and prescriptions rather than a physical exam. Low desire, a history of painful sex, contraception questions, menopausal symptoms, and ongoing management of a known condition like genital herpes are all well suited to a video or phone visit. Clinicians can review symptoms, adjust treatment, and send prescriptions to your pharmacy.

According to the World Health Organization, self-care options, including some at-home sampling and counseling, can safely extend sexual and reproductive care beyond the clinic 2Ref 2World Health Organization (2022).WHO guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being, 2022 revision.Self-care interventions, including some at-home sampling and counseling, can safely extend sexual and reproductive health care beyond in-person clinic visits.. Talking about low desire in a relationship or reviewing antidepressant effects on sex drive often works just as well remotely as in person.

What still needs an in-person exam?

A physical exam is still the deciding factor for anything a clinician needs to see, feel, or swab. New or worsening pelvic pain, a lump, a visible skin change, abnormal discharge, or a suspected infection that requires a sample generally calls for an in-person visit 3Ref 3MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) (2024).Vaginitis.Symptoms such as abnormal discharge or a suspected infection generally require an in-person exam or a swab for diagnosis rather than remote assessment alone.. A first-time evaluation of pain with sex often includes a pelvic exam that video cannot replace.

About 1 in 8 women, roughly 12%, have a distressing sexual concern, and some of those need hands-on assessment before treatment 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2019).Female Sexual Dysfunction: ACOG Practice Bulletin, Number 213.Sexual concerns affect roughly 40% of women and about 12% report a distressing concern; many desire and history-based problems can be evaluated and treated without a physical exam.. Telehealth can still be the front door; a virtual visit can triage the problem, order the right test, and decide whether an in-person appointment or at-home STI testing is the better next step 3Ref 3MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) (2024).Vaginitis.Symptoms such as abnormal discharge or a suspected infection generally require an in-person exam or a swab for diagnosis rather than remote assessment alone..

How do you prepare for a private online visit?

A little preparation makes a sexual health telehealth visit more useful and more comfortable. Choosing a private space, having your questions and medication list ready, and testing your connection beforehand all help, and the mechanics of checking your camera and mic matter more when the topic is sensitive. Knowing your pharmacy and, if relevant, recent test dates speeds things along.

Costs and coverage vary, so it is reasonable to ask about what a telehealth visit costs upfront. Menopausal symptoms such as dryness or pain, which the North American Menopause Society reports affect between roughly 27% and 84% of women after menopause, are well suited to a first remote visit, since the history often points to the cause 4Ref 4The North American Menopause Society (Menopause Society) (2020).The 2020 genitourinary syndrome of menopause position statement of The North American Menopause Society.Genitourinary symptoms of menopause, including dryness and pain with sex, affect roughly 27% to 84% of women after menopause and are often history-driven, making them well suited to a first remote visit..

Can you get a prescription for a sexual concern online?

Many treatments for sexual concerns can be prescribed after a video visit when it is clinically appropriate. A clinician can prescribe or renew therapy for genital herpes, discuss contraception, or start a vaginal moisturizer or local estrogen for dryness once the history is clear. What a prescriber will not do is skip an exam that the situation genuinely needs.

Sexual concerns shift across life stages, new after adolescence, common during the postpartum months, and frequent through the menopausal transition, and telehealth can meet many of them 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2019).Female Sexual Dysfunction: ACOG Practice Bulletin, Number 213.Sexual concerns affect roughly 40% of women and about 12% report a distressing concern; many desire and history-based problems can be evaluated and treated without a physical exam.. For a first episode with an uncertain cause, or symptoms that do not improve, a clinician may still recommend coming in. Close to 40% of women report a sexual concern at some point, and a virtual visit is a low-barrier place to start 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2019).Female Sexual Dysfunction: ACOG Practice Bulletin, Number 213.Sexual concerns affect roughly 40% of women and about 12% report a distressing concern; many desire and history-based problems can be evaluated and treated without a physical exam..

When a sexual concern needs an in-person exam

An in-person visit becomes the right call when the problem needs to be seen, felt, or sampled. Persistent pain, a new lump, a skin change, bleeding after sex or between periods, or symptoms that do not improve after a virtual visit are all reasons to book a hands-on appointment. A primary care or sexual health clinician can start the conversation online and bring you in when an exam or test will change the plan. Gale can help you decide whether your concern fits a video visit or needs a room.