Do medical professionals ever 'enjoy' an intimate examination?

[cottoncandyflossy]

Really wasn't sure which topic to put this in.

I have had a pelvic examination recently, I of course felt exposed and a little bit awkward, but it is what it is.
The doctor was examining to see how much pain I was in. I was offered a chaperone but refused as the less people the better.

I assume as a medical professional you have pretty much seen it all, and when you're at work you see things through a very scientific/medical way.

But at the end of the day, people are only human. If you are doing an examination of a person you might normally find attractive, would they ever enjoy it or have to focus to not be turned on/think about it afterwards? (Male or female)

God no, I hope not.
But common sense says there must be a few

Who would admit to it though?

Did they seem like they were turned on or something, is that why you’re asking?

@PurpleSunrise hmmm not really. During the examination he was just asking whether or not it hurt in each area.

Afterwards, he took what I perceived to be an extended look, which wasn't part of the examination, but that could of been me being paranoid and overthinking a situation where I already felt a bit embarrassed.
But for the rest of the day I just couldn't shift the thought.

Absolutely not. Nothing you describe indicates anything other than a professional exam. If you had any concerns, you should report them.

Of course abusive people exist.

But the idea that a medical professional (who is not abusive) would get turned on by a physical exam is nuts. A family member has such a role - they don't even see it as an intimate exam or highly personal, it's just a routine part of their work & for them, they are examining with medical purpose and don't connect it with the person themselves.

I don’t think they see it like that op. Because they do it too often. It’s not an erotic experience for them unless they are some form of weirdo.

Are you saying you think thr doctor fancied you and got off on examining you?

I guess you have to assume there are some bad eggs out there who will enjoy these things in a sense of getting off.
What I imagine is much more common are people who enjoy their job and find certain facets of physical examinations to be ‘scientifically’ interesting. If someone is regularly doing pelvic examinations they probably notice and are intrigued by things that are not an issue but not ‘normal’. It’s quite common for a nurse to comment on the position etc of a cervix during a smear test, even if it makes no difference to the patient- I think they just find it interesting. It would be like a colleague telling you they read your most recent report or if you go to the hairdresser and they say ‘oh it always takes longer than I expect to dry your hair, thicker than it looks’.
At least that’s the way I see it, but I’m not too fussed by medical things.

I think he was daft not to have a chaperone!

For most I would say they don't. Although I had an experience with an optician once that made me feel really uncomfortable, while examining the back of my eye he obviously had to get really close to me and his breathing sped up while he was doing it, it totally freaked me out and I actually had to stop the exam by lying and saying I felt really unwell. It freaked me out so much that I never went back there again.

No.

Hmm. Going back a long, long way, to the 1950s...

My mum was a psychiatric patient. When admitted, patients first had to be medically checked, naked, on a couch, by their psychiatrist. A sister said to the psychiatrist "We've got a treat for you! Look!" and pulled back the cover, revealing my mother's naked body. She was in her early twenties and very lovely.

My dad later observed that the man was 'in love with her for years'.

There was lots of horrible stuff in those days. Mental and geriatric patients were in together. Once a week they would line all the women up naked, and bath them one at at a time, in the same -used- bathwater.

I'm a doctor and personally, absolutely not! There is really nothing at all erotic about trying to visualise someone's cervix, or feeling round a scrotum for lumps. Plus patients are usually stressed and worried in these situations - would feel very icky to be 'enjoying' it, though of course as pp said it is sometimes interesting from a professional pov.

Slightly off-topic but a nurse doing my smear test said I had a lovely vagina and tried to set me up on a blind date with her mate.

At an ENT clinic waiting for my appointment, I heard a woman protest when her daughter (about 14?) was told to take off her top and bra for a throat examination. You'll never convince me that the panel of elderly men demanding her exposure weren't getting something out of it. That was around 2000.

I hope not

DH wouldn’t have examined you without a chaperone and I’m surprised you didn’t have one as it’s pretty much compulsory-protects the Dr and the patient.

But no-it is not one of his favourite things to do and no he doesn’t get turned on by random people’s anatomy.

No, it’s so normal and mundane that I don’t even register that I’m looking at someone’s private bits. Important to remember that it’s a big deal for them.

I remember a story a few years ago about a doctor who used a pen camera to record vaginal examinations 😐 that really freaked me out. But I think (and hope!) that's pretty unusual.

I'm another one who is surprised the doctor allowed you to refuse a chaperone tbh unless it was a woman? In the last few years every male doctor I've seen has insisted I had a chaperone even though I didn't really want one, but I don't blame them - if I was them I'd want one too. DH always has a chaperone present when he has to do them too. As PP said, it protects the staff and the patient. The only two times I can think of where the staff haven't insisted I have a chaperone was a female GP that DH had worked with before (and he was present too) and a female physio (DH was also present). But male doctors have insisted I had a chaperone from hospital or GP practice staff even with DH present, which I totally understand.

But no I don't think they ever find it an erotic experience at all. I mean I don't even find looking at my DH's body an erotic experience if it's about something medical and he's the same for me so it's not going to feel sexual with a complete stranger who as PP said is stressed and worried and often in pain etc.

There's some weirdos out there but the vast majority would just be doing their job.

I did have pelvic floor physio after DS was born and the physio said she enjoyed working with me but that was more in relation to the fact that I did the exercises afterwards, was a straightforward case and made good improvements quickly. She clearly enjoyed helping people and getting a positive outcome for them.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

I think he was daft not to have a chaperone!

Me too, it’s to protect the practioner as much as the patient.

It doesn’t mean the ops wrong, but that there are patients who will believe something not true and make accusations that are career ending. It shouldn’t even be a choice, one should always be present.

No way

As a Dr work and pleasure situations involving naked bodies are two wholly separate matters.

To be honest I don't really 'see' the patient as a whole when examining a body part. I am just clinically inspecting, comparing with past experience and knowledge and trying to see if something looks or feels 'wrong'. The intention of any touching or looking is just a completely different one. If I make eye contact it would be to ensure I am not hurting them and that is all.

I have (rarely- usually they are pretty elderly) examined men who I would usually find attractive in an out of work situation but I still have never enjoyed it in any way. That kind of thought is so far from my mind when working

From what you have said I can't see any reason for you to jump to the conclusion that the Dr was inappropriate. He likely had a clinical reason for 'looking too long' or it may not have been long and just felt that way to you. Why would he offer the chaperone if he had nefarious intentions? He was foolish not to insist on it in fact for his own protection.

I'm a nurse - honestly you see so many peoples private bits that it doesnt even register any more - it is just another body part. I'm finding it very hard to believe you were examined without a chaperone - this wouldn't happen in any setting I've worked in (uk, nhs)

Usually if I look a bit distracted after/ during examination it's me concentrating and trying to figure stuff out in my head. Did that feel a bit wrong or could it be normal? What does that finding plus the history mean?

Unusual not to have a chaperone. I've had a fair few examinations by male doctors over the last couple of years and a nurse has always been there by default, even if they were just poking my tummy. They have to cover themselves.

Whereabouts was this that any male healthcare professional would conduct an intimate exam without a chaperone, outside of every provider policy in the U.K.?