Introduction to Female Sexual Dysfunctions

This article will take a look at sexual dysfunctions for women. It will begin by describing the most common sexual problems faced by women and what causes them. Secondly we will have a look at what specific areas we need to target to rectify these problems and what techniques or products can help resolve these problems.

Q. What are the most common sexual dysfunctions women experience

A. A recent study conducted by Laumann et al, University of Chicago, found that the most common dysfunction among women is hypoactive sexual desire disorder, HSDD. This is more commonly known as low sex drive or low libido. Roughly one third of women affected by a sexual dysfunction reported some form of HSDD. The second most frequent dysfunction was difficulty with orgasm with about a quarter of women surveyed reporting this. The third most common problem was pain during intercourse with about a seventh of women surveyed experiencing this, unlike the cases pain during intercourse was the only condition that was apparently dependant on age with far more younger women reporting experiencing it.

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder is an absence or lack of sexual desire or wanting of sexual activity. Only a vague definition of HSDD exists as the American Psychiatric association recognizes that sexual desire varies largely among women and their does not seem to exist a standard bar or level to judge as normal. Results of the survey found that about two fifths of women think about sex only a couple of times a month. It also found that about a third of women fantasise about sexual activity only 2 – 3 times per week. Women who thought about sex more were generally happier that those who thought less about it.

Difficulty with orgasm is the inability for a woman to achieve an orgasm during sexual intercourse, it can also be used to describe a case where there is extreme difficulty in reaching an orgasm. This definition is also somewhat vague as it allows for a variation in the number of orgasms women should achieve. Results from the survey show that nearly a quarter of all women have an orgasm every time they have sex with their partner and nearly a half are happy with their current partner.

These guidelines all take into account the broad range of accepted levels of sexual arousal and ability. There is no standard formulation of how much sexual activity or desire is deemed normal and what is insufficient. If a woman considers that an aspect of her sexual life is a problem this should be enough to convince her to speak to her doctor or an expert to get the best help in resolving these problems.

Q. What causes a decreased sexual desire in women.

A. Low sex drive can and is caused by a number of different factors. Different factors play a greater or smaller role depending on the physiological makeup of the woman and her specific expectations. Stress, tiredness and responsibility can all affect a woman sexual desire. Certain prescription medication and other aspects of health such as obesity or general illness can also affect a woman’s libido. Depression is often stated as the common culprit for sexual problems with woman, but many medicines used for treating depression are also known for the side effects they can have on libido. SSRIs medicines (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are known to have a negative affect on women’s libido.

Other medicines that can affect libido or sexual desire in women are birth control pills, mood stabilisers, sleeping medications and any other medicines associated with decreasing libido. If one notices a change in their sexual behaviour when starting to take a new treatment or medicine you should always consult your doctor before discontinuing use of that medicine. Stopping a course of medicine without consulting a professional is foolhardy and may cause even more problems for the user.

Sexual Arousal and Desire

Q. What is the difference between arousal and desire?

A. The terms sexual arousal and sexual desire are used a lot in this article, now I am going to give some clarification of what we are referring to when we use these terms. For most normally functioning women sexual libido and sexual desire are very related concepts. Firstly, libido is generally referred to as a woman’s general interest in sex, this can be thought of as her sexual appetite or what she deems her sexual requirements. For some women this is higher and for other women it can be much lower. Again there is no standard lever of sexual desire. Sexual arousal is a woman’s physical response to sexual stimulation or arousal. Women with a bigger or more prevalent libido generally have a bigger response to sexual stimulation. Signs of arousal are lubrication of the vaginal area and an increase in circulation to the vaginal area.

Q. In what way can we increase a woman’s sexual arousal?

A. One of the main affects of decreased sexual arousal in women is a decreased amount of natural lubrication released in the vaginal area. Many over the counter products are available to help treat this problem. Water based lubricants are recommended over oil based products. If the decrease in vaginal fluids has been caused by a woman beginning the menopause, hormone replacement treatment is the only recommended treatment that can be used to treat this disorder.

Another treatment that has shown to increase vaginal lubrication in women is Sildenafil more commonly known as Viagra. Phentolamine has been used to increase natural produced lubricants in response to sexual stimulation. It was also revealed after a study of viagra had taken place that although it can help with lubrication production in the vaginal area it does not necessarily lead to an increase in pleasure for the woman.

There are other more natural ways to treat a sexual arousal deficiency. These are largely based on a therapy situation. Behavioral therapy is aimed at enhancing a woman’s sexual fantasies and or helping her to focus on sexual stimulation. Therapists can also help the woman deal with any communication or relationship barriers she may be facing with her partner. This form of treatment is mainly prescribed where the problem is not being caused by a physiological component but is the affect of a mental process or personal scarring.

Q. How can we increase sexual desire in a woman?

A. Currently there are no known drugs for treating women with low sexual desire. Although in a recent study it has been shown that Wellbutrin has been used as a successful treatment for women suffering with low sexual desire. Almost one third of women who took the Wellbutrin showed an increase in their desire for sexual activity. Although these results look promising this study was merely preliminary and a more consistent study needs to be carried out before any definite links between sexual desire and this medicine is known.

Studies have also shown that in cases where women have had surgical removal of their ovaries for medical reasons that treatment with testosterone does have positive effects on increasing a women’s sexual libido and sexual arousal. It has also been shown that prolonged or extended use of testosterone treatment can lead to masculine side effects in women, this includes effects such as lowering the pitch of the voice, hair loss or deformation of the clitoris. It is recommended to speak to a health professional before taking part in any medical treatment for sexual dysfunctions.