Show Notes
This season of It Can't Hurt To Ask, we're taking a deep dive into your men's health questions and concerns. This episode, we’re talking about men’s sexual health, function and fertility. Our featured expert is urologist and Professor of Surgery, Dr Eric Chung, who shares his deep knowledge of what affects men’s sexual and reproductive health. You'll also hear from Queensland men, Phoenix and Greg, who asks what happens to your sexual health as you age. For anyone who is sexually active, struggling with sexual performance, trying to conceive or avoid unwanted pregnancy, this episode is for you. We will explain the science and physiological factors behind libido and erectile dysfunction, sperm health, sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and more. How can men optimise sexual function? What long-term effects do STIs have on our health? Is the fact that you’ve never had a pregnancy scare actually a sign of infertility? What can we do to bio hack our sperm? Listen to find out. If you'd like to learn more about men's health, tune in to our brand-new season. Keep your ears open for our next episode, where we explore alcohol and substance use. Feel free to leave us a review too—we'd love to hear your thoughts. Episode resources: Stop the Rise STIs are on the rise, often because of unprotected sexual activity and many infections go undetected. Stop the Rise provides free resources and information about how to prevent catching STIs (did someone say free condoms?) and what to do when you need an STI check. Some STIs can go unnoticed, but they can impact your overall and long-term health. If you’re sexually active, using a condom with water-based lube and getting regular sexual health check-ups are the best way to protect yourself and your partner/s from STIs. Struggling with erectile dysfunction or infertility? If you're having a hard time with erectile dysfunction, it's important to check in with your GP. Many things can affect impotence, so seeking professional advice can help to identify and address the root cause. When it comes to fertility challenges, both partners can be affected. It's important that both parties see the GP to determine whether specialist help is needed. Infertility can be an emotionally and mentally challenging experience. Depending on your situation, you may consider seeking support from a fertility counsellor. Emergency care in Queensland If you’re not sure if your medical condition requires emergency care, call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84). Registered nurses are available 24 hours a day. They will advise you on what to do and if you need to go to a GP, pharmacy or emergency department. In an emergency call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance. Virtual emergency care is also available in Queensland. Visit our Virtual Emergency Care Service between 8am - 10pm for free specialist emergency care services, by telephone or video conferencing. You can also access the Health Direct symptom checker.
More from It Can't Hurt To Ask
What's involved in caring for someone at the end of their life? What kind of support is available for people wanting to die at home? How can people provide care for loved ones while they are in hospital?
While it may feel uncomfortable, we can't talk about Death and Dying, without answering this one—what actually happens when someone is dying? Lauren tackles this question head on to find out more—what are the different stages of dying, how long does it take and what do the movies get right (if anything)? We also learn more about the importance of advance care planning as we age and how voluntary assisted dying works from Karen, a clinical nurse consultant from Toowoomba. In this episode, we'll hear from clinical nurse consultant Jacinta and palliative care specialist Dr Sheryl from Caboolture Hospital's palliative care service, who explain what to expect as people come to the end of their lives. Remember, death may feel scary, but talking about it shouldn't. After all, it can't hurt to ask! Resources: Talking about death and dying can bring up challenging emotions. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental wellbeing, support is available: Lifeline: call 13 11 14 (24 hours a day) if you are experiencing a personal crisis or chat to a counsellor online. Beyond Blue: call 1300 22 463 for broad mental wellbeing support or speak to a counsellor online. Griefline: call 1300 845 745 (9am–6pm, Monday - Friday, 12 noon–6pm weekends). PalAssist has general information and advice about palliative care services in Queensland. Call 1800 772 273 (free for Queensland residents) or chat online (from 7am to 7pm, 7 days). In an emergency, always call Triple Zero (000).
There can be a lot of people involved in end-of-life care, so in this episode, we're finding out who's who and what they do. In this episode, Lauren meets with staff from across the state who help care for people who are dying, to find out what their jobs are and what they love about their work. From the role of doctors and nurses in palliative care settings, to allied health professionals and a geriatrician, we're finding out how many different disciplines can come together to support a person's quality of life in their final months, weeks and days. What's the most common request a palliative care music therapist gets? Why might an occupational therapist talk to a patient's neighbours? How does a geriatrician explain ageing? Come along for the journey to find out! Resources: Talking about death and dying can bring up challenging emotions. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental wellbeing, support is available: Lifeline: call 13 11 14 (24 hours a day) if you are experiencing a personal crisis or chat to a counsellor online. Beyond Blue: call 1300 22 463 for broad mental wellbeing support or speak to a counsellor online. Griefline: call 1300 845 745 (9am–6pm, Monday - Friday, 12 noon–6pm weekends). PalAssist has general information and advice about palliative care services in Queensland. Call 1800 772 273 (free for Queensland residents) or chat online (from 7am to 7pm, 7 days). In an emergency, always call Triple Zero (000).
What if we told you that palliative care is less about death and dying, and more about living? In Episode 2 about Death and Dying, Lauren heads to different services across the state to find out what palliative care is, how it works and the many different ways you can access care. We start with a history lesson from Dr Graham, the director of the Specialist Rural Telehealth Service, who explains what palliative care is and who it's for. We will also hear from clinical nurse consultant Jacinta about how a hospital palliative care ward works, meet community palliative care specialist Dr Erin who explains what in-community care looks like, and find out how the Specialist Rural Telehealth Service delivers care to people in rural and remote areas from Dr Graham. Hit play to find out how palliative care services are evolving to meet the needs of people right across the state. Resources: Talking about death and dying can bring up challenging emotions. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental wellbeing, support is available: Lifeline: call 13 11 14 (24 hours a day) if you are experiencing a personal crisis or chat to a counsellor online. Beyond Blue: call 1300 22 463 for broad mental wellbeing support or speak to a counsellor online. Griefline: call 1300 845 745 (9am–6pm, Monday - Friday, 12 noon–6pm weekends). PalAssist has general information and advice about palliative care services in Queensland. Call 1800 772 273 (free for Queensland residents) or chat online (from 7am to 7pm, 7 days). In an emergency, always call Triple Zero (000).
Death is one of life's few guarantees. It's natural and will happen to all of us—so why are we so afraid to talk about it? In Episode 1 of It Can’t Hurt to Ask ... about Death and Dying, our host Lauren kicks off the season by asking what seems like an obvious question: what are death and dying? The answer, however, is a little more complex. We're joined by Dr Christian, a palliative care specialist from Rockhampton Base Hospital and Laurelle, a social worker from our statewide Specialist Palliative Rural Telehealth Service based out of Gold Coast University Hospital. They help us explore the clinical definitions of death and dying (and how they differ from what we understand as death), share what we do and don't know about death, and help us understand what a "good death" really means. It may seem scary, but this episode is just the start of tackling the silence and stigma that surrounds death. Because talking about it can help us feel more prepared, more informed and help us live our lives to their fullest. Resources: Talking about death and dying can bring up challenging emotions. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental wellbeing, support is available: Lifeline: call 13 11 14 (24 hours a day) if you are experiencing a personal crisis or chat to a counsellor online. Beyond Blue: call 1300 22 463 for broad mental wellbeing support or speak to a counsellor online. Griefline: call 1300 845 745 (9am–6pm, Monday - Friday, 12 noon–6pm weekends). PalAssist has general information and advice about palliative care services in Queensland. Call 1800 772 273 (free for Queensland residents) or chat online (from 7am to 7pm, 7 days). In an emergency, always call Triple Zero (000).