[Sexual function and dysfunction: from theory to practice].

Sexual dysfunctions are common phenomena in healthy as well as in ill populations. The introduction of PDE5-inhibitors gave primary health-care physicians and specialists a tool to treat erectile dysfunction. This focused the attention on the need of physicians to be trained to discuss helpfully sexual issues. Sexual dysfunctions are biopsychosocial phenomena with many causes, including specific diseases and some treatments. These dysfunctions can be a cause for much distress. It seems that nowadays people are more prepared to ask sexual questions than physicians are ready to discuss and answer them. In this issue of Harefuah, we present many aspects of a combined, multi-professional, biopsychosocial model, for identifying and treating sexual dysfunctions. We also propose some ideas that could serve medical professionals in their efforts to better deal with sexual matters.