Adolescent Skin and Development Hygiene Guide: Scientifically Addressing Acne, Anemia, and Sexual and Mental Health

Nocturnal Ejaculation

Nocturnal emission is the involuntary and irregular discharge of semen from the urethra in men after puberty. The first nocturnal emission usually occurs on summer nights, which is related to the warm weather and increased physical arousal. Nocturnal emission can occur during dreams, often in sexually related dreams, or it can happen without any sensation. Generally, there is no sensation after nocturnal emission, or only slight fatigue. Healthy men experience nocturnal emission once every 1-2 weeks, but some may experience it once every 1-2 months. If it occurs every 2-3 days, accompanied by symptoms such as lower back pain, fatigue, and dizziness, a doctor should be consulted.

To address nocturnal emission, it is best to keep some toilet paper on the bed beforehand for timely wiping of semen. Additionally, prepare a spare pair of underwear for frequent changes. Used underwear should be washed immediately and dried in the sun (inner side facing out, towards the sun) to prevent bacteria and kill germs.

Besides seeing a doctor, self-treatment methods can also be used to treat nocturnal emission, achieving satisfactory results.

(1) Half-squatting stance. Chest out, waist down, knees bent in a half-squat, head straight, eyes looking forward, arms extended forward (imagine holding a heavy object, stretching forward as far as possible), knees held in place, squeeze inward as much as possible, keeping the legs, lower abdomen, and buttocks highly tense, hold for half a minute, then return to the starting position. Do this once in the morning and once in the evening, several times each time.

(2) Supine abdominal contraction. Lie on your back with arms extended behind your head, then quickly raise your upper body and legs simultaneously, so that your hands and toes touch above your abdomen. Inhale as you raise, exhale as you return. Do this once in the morning and once in the evening. Each time, do 24-32 repetitions, gradually increasing the number of repetitions as your abdominal muscles strengthen.

(3) Kegel exercises.

(3) Semen Retention:Sit on the bed and contract your anus as if you are holding back a bowel movement. Repeat 20-30 times, inhaling deeply while contracting and exhaling while relaxing. The movements should be gentle, slow, and rhythmic.

(4) Massage Therapy:Rub your palms together until they are warm, then rub up and down your lower back to the sacrum and coccyx 100 times. Press the Shenmen acupoint on your forearm and the Taixi and Zusanli acupoints on your feet for 1 minute each.

(5) Cold Water Bath:Take a cold water bath once a day, or rinse your scrotum with cold water for 2-3 minutes before bed each night. This can reduce the excitability of the sexual nerves.

Nocturnal emission is a normal physiological phenomenon in young men. The folk beliefs that "one drop of semen is worth ten drops of blood" and "losing semen damages vital energy" lack scientific basis. Nocturnal emission in unmarried men indicates normal reproductive organ function. After marriage, with normal sexual activity, nocturnal emission will naturally disappear. If a couple abstains from sexual activity for an extended period after marriage, the man may experience nocturnal emissions.

Newlywed Health Care

Premarital Checkup

Although the newly revised Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China has removed the clauses requiring young men and women to undergo medical examinations and obtain medical certificates before marriage registration, this does not negate the importance and role of premarital checkups. The purpose of premarital checkups is to identify early on whether either partner has any diseases that preclude or temporarily hinder marriage, whether there is a family history of hereditary diseases, and whether there is any close kinship with the spouse. Discovering diseases through examination allows for timely treatment. Therefore, premarital checkups can be considered the first step in detecting and preventing the spread of diseases, a crucial matter for ensuring good health and marital happiness after marriage; at the same time, premarital checkups are also an important measure to avoid the birth of children with health problems.

One newlywed couple neglected a premarital medical examination. On their wedding night, the man suffered severe penile edema due to a tight foreskin, requiring an emergency trip to the hospital, leaving an embarrassing memory on their joyous occasion. Another couple experienced a similar situation where the woman suffered severe bleeding on her wedding night and was rushed to the hospital. It was discovered she had no vagina; the continuous impact of the erect penis during intercourse caused a severe tear in her urethra and rectum. These conditions could have been easily detected through a premarital medical examination, preventing such injuries. Data from 26,000 premarital medical examinations revealed that among 13,000 men, 2,800 suffered from various illnesses, approximately 22% of the examinees. Among these, 148 had intellectual disabilities, color blindness, congenital myopia, active tuberculosis, or active hepatitis; and 920 had reproductive system diseases. Among the 13,000 women examined, 1,900 were found to have various illnesses, approximately 14% of the examinees. Among these, 132 had intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, active tuberculosis, or active hepatitis; and 240 had reproductive system diseases. After the premarital medical examination, most of them received treatment or premarital guidance.

Without premarital medical examinations, couples are unaware of each other's health conditions, and hasty marriages can have unimaginable consequences for their own health, their married life, and their future generations. During premarital checkups, individuals with any illnesses that could affect their marital sex life and the health of their offspring should honestly inform medical staff and carefully listen to the doctor's guidance and advice. Any discovered illnesses or defects should be treated promptly. Those temporarily unsuitable for marriage or childbearing should not force themselves, as this could cause unnecessary trouble and suffering in their married life.

Premarital checkups also provide access to premarital hygiene guidance and sexual health education from medical staff, as well as knowledge about contraception and reproduction. Achieving optimal birth outcomes must begin before marriage. Some young couples want to have children 3-4 years after marriage. When is the best time to conceive and what contraceptive methods are best? These questions can be answered scientifically during premarital checkups.

What does a premarital checkup include? It includes taking a medical history, a full physical examination, a genital examination, and necessary laboratory tests. The examination allows doctors to understand the health status of both parties, whether there are diseases or defects in their reproductive systems, whether they suffer from diseases of vital organs or infectious diseases, and whether immediate marriage or childbirth is advisable.

The medical history inquiry includes:

① Determining whether the two parties are related by blood. Marriage should be prohibited for close relatives.

② Understanding the current and past medical history of both parties. The focus is on diseases closely related to marriage and childbearing, such as sexually transmitted diseases, leprosy, mental illness, various infectious diseases, genetic diseases, diseases of vital organs and the genitourinary system, and intellectual developmental disabilities. If congenital defects are found, the doctor will further investigate the circumstances surrounding the examinee's birth, including any abnormalities during the mother's pregnancy, the method of delivery, and the examinee's birth weight.

③ Personal history of both parties. This includes work and living environments that may affect fertility, smoking and alcohol consumption habits, and dietary habits.

④ Menstrual history. This includes age at menarche, menstrual cycle, menstrual period, menstrual flow, accompanying symptoms, and last menstrual period. This helps in identifying certain gynecological diseases that may affect marriage and fertility.

⑤ Family history of both parties. Primarily focusing on parents, grandparents (maternal grandparents), and siblings, with an emphasis on hereditary medical history and history of consanguineous marriage.

⑥ If it is a remarriage, previous marital and reproductive history will be inquired about. Physical examination includes internal medicine examination, genital examination, and laboratory tests. The internal medicine examination is mainly a routine physical examination. The focus of the genital examination is to identify genital diseases that may affect marriage and fertility. When examining the male genitalia, the main checks include for phimosis, penile induration, micropenis, hypospadias, cryptorchidism, microtestis, varicocele, and hydrocele. For women, a bimanual abdominal and rectal examination should be performed. If a rectal examination reveals suspicious lesions in the internal genitalia and a vaginal examination is necessary, the doctor will explain the reasons to the examinee and their family, and the examination can only proceed after obtaining their consent. During premarital checkups, women should also pay attention to the presence of imperforate hymen, vaginal absence or atresia, uterine absence or developmental abnormalities or malformations, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, etc. They should also pay attention to whether there is inflammation, damage or ulceration of the vulvar skin and mucous membranes, so as to avoid missing sexually transmitted diseases.