Doc, I have a problem with my penis. I am 19 years old, and I think it is only five inches long when erected. Should I buy myself a pump?

I would not advise young men to waste time and money on the 'penis pumps' which are so widely advertised on the Internet. It is doubtful if they really do any good.

Also, length of five inches is not all that short, though it is on the low side of normal. But I do wonder whether you have been measuring yourself correctly.

Nevertheless, I do assure you that a young man with five inches can be a very skilled and successful lover!

My advice to you is to have a doctor look at your 'equipment'. Only by examining you can one tell whether you are OK or not. Good luck.

Doc, I am a teenage girl and I do not know much about sex. Could you please explain to me about that clitoris thing? I am a little doubtful whether I have a normal one. I understand that it is supposed to be around six inches long, but all I can see is a pink thing, like a tiny pearl, which cannot be even half an inch across.Is it true that this is 'the source of all sexual pleasure', as I have read? Certainly, touching the little pearly thing does give me a pleasant, warm feeling. But I do not know if this is the clitoris or not.

Yes, this is clearly your clitoris. That organ is not 'the source of all sexual pleasure'. However, it can be a real important source of pleasant sensations in all women.

In fact, it is very similar in structure to the male's penis it is much smaller. Like the penis, the clitoris is packed full of erotic nerve endings. That is why most women find it real difficult to discharge unless their clitorises are stimulated.

Now, you are clearly fretting about the question of clitoris size. Recently, I have had a number of emails and letters on that topic - from young women and also from young men. Obviously, there is a lot of confusion in younger people's minds about this organ.

Part of the trouble is caused by the fact that there are some real misleading 'sex books' which are read by young adults. Only this week, a patient showed me a 'blue novel' which she had been reading. The plot of this book involved a very sexy heroine who had a six-inch long clitoris. And in the story, she actually used her clitoris to penetrate other girls!

Absolute foolishness

Now, I must tell you that this idea - which is real common in porno books and magazines - is absolute foolishness. The idea that a woman could have a clitoris which was so long that she could put it into somebody else is just absurd.

So what is the real size of the clitoris? Well, the visible part - which just 'peeks out' at the point where the two inner lips of the vulva meet - is about the size of a smallish gungo pea.

To be more precise, some years ago an American 'gyno' measured the clitorises of 200 of his patients, and found that the average dimensions were:

Width: 3.4 millimetres, which is just about one-eighth of an inch;

Length: 5.1 millimetres, which is around one-fifth of an inch.

So that is pretty small. However, the clitoris does swell up a little when a lady is sexually excited.

Also, in the 1990s an Australian woman gynaecologist discovered that there is quite a lot of the clitoris which you don't see. It actually goes quite deep into your body, towards your vagina and also out sideways.

However, that does no the fact that the part of the clitoris which you can see is actually real tiny. I am sure yours is perfectly normal, but if you still have any doubts I suggest you get yourself checked out by an experienced and motherly woman doc or nurse, for instance, at a family planning clinic.

Whenever I train for sport, I get clicking near my knees. Does this mean I am certain to get arthritis or rheumatism?

Not all. Many young people get clicking sounds in the legs when doing sport. Usually, this is just due to the tendons - which are like taut cords - straightening suddenly. So quit fretting.

My life is one long misery because my menses go on for three weeks at a time. Then they stop for a week and start again. I am 21. Do I have to put up with this for the rest of my adult life?

Certainly not. You can be cured! First of all, you need a medical check-up. The purpose of this is to find out whether there is any definite cause for this excessively long menstruation. Also, the doctor will want to see if these prolonged periods have made you anaemic (weak-blooded).

Once you have had the check up, it should be pretty straightforward to put you on a hormone medication that can make you have short periods - say, about four days in length - every 28 days.

Ever since I had sex with my girlfriend two weeks ago, she has had a 'bladder infection?' Why? Is it my fault?

No, it is not your 'fault,' though it is a medical fact that bladder infections in young women are frequently caused from sex.

A bladder infection is the same thing as 'cystitis'. Main symptoms are pain in passing urine, plus having to urinate very frequently.

The infection generally occurs because germs from the area of the female's bottom got transferred to the opening of her urinary pipe. They then go up inside - and cause inflammation of the urinary bladder.

Practise good hygiene

Here are some good hygiene tips to prevent that sort of thing from happening:

Before sex, the guy should make sure he has clean hands

He should not touch the girl's bottom because there are bound to be bowel germs there

When handling her sex organ, he should be as gentle as possible.

A vital tip for young women is this. After 'going out', always clean yourself by wiping backwards - never forwards. Wiping backwards ensures that bowel germs are not carried towards the urinary opening.

I am female, age 16, and I am thinking of giving up my virginity next month. But will it be painful, doctor?

I do urge you to WAIT. There should be no 'rush' about giving up your virginity. You will not gain anything - and you could run into a lot of trouble!

Yes, there is usually a little pain when a girl has intercourse for the first time. But it is not usually very bad.

My girlfriend wants to go on the pill. But is it safe for a woman of 22?

Very safe - especially if she is a non-smoker. In fact, it is safer for the health than being pregnant.

Send your medical questions and comments to our doctor at editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223; don't miss your doctor's visit in tomorrow's Outlook magazine in The Sunday Gleaner!