Female Sexual Dysfunction
Anorgasmia and lack of sexual desire
Female sexual dysfunction is a complicated subject to analyse. It is estimated that around 50% of women suffer from some kind of sexual dysfunction at some time in their lives. Whilst it is possible that this dysfunction has a physical cause, it can often be caused by psychological factors, or even ignorance of one's own body or inadequate or ineffective stimulation by one's partner.
A woman is suffering from sexual dysfunction if she has any of the following symptoms:
- A lack of sexual desire
- Vaginal dryness
- An inability to enjoy sex or a dislike of sex
- An inability to orgasm, even when aroused
The official name of the female equivalent of erectile dysfunction in men is Female Sexual Arousal Disorder, or FSAD.
For both men and women, sexual arousal leads to a number of physiological changes. One of these changes is an increased blood supply to the genitals, causing them to become engorged. In women, these changes include:
- Enlargement and erection the clitoris. This process is analogous to the erection of the penis.
- Increased lubrication of the vagina, and relaxation of the vaginal entrance to allow insertion of the penis.
To be diagnosed with FSAD, a woman should desire sex but appear unresponsive for the aforementioned physiological changes when properly stimulated.
FSAD can be caused by physical or psychological factors. Physical causes can include:
- Underlying medical conditions, including infections, high blood pressure, diabetes.
- Painful intercourse (dysparenuia), caused by a variety of conditions including ovarian cysts, endometriosis and scarring as a result of giving birth.
- Medications, such as certain cancer treatments and antidepressants
- Pregnancy and breast feeding, although many women feel sexier when pregnant than at any other time. Breast feeding is a natural contraceptive - when a baby is fully breast fed and no solids have been introduced, and no feeds are missed, a woman is unlikely to get pregnant. It could also be that during this time sexual desire is diminished. More likely, however, is that a woman with a small baby is just too tired to think about sex and the last thing she wants is for her engorged breasts to be messed with by an over exuberant partner.
Psychological, or non-physical, causes of sexual dysfunction are more common. These can include:
- Inadequate foreplay or poor technique, including lack of knowledge of a woman's anatomy by her partner
- Low self esteem
- Previous sexual abuse or rape
- Feelings of guilt
- Tiredness
- Depression or stress
- Not finding her partner attractive.
- Not trusting her partner.
Anorgasmia
Anorgasmia is the inability of a women to have an orgasm. This is also called Female Orgasmic Disorder, or FOD. About 10% of women never experience orgasm. The best way to overcome this problem is to experiment with your own body, and find out what works for you. Find your clitoris (see the adjacent diagram of the position of the clitoris if you don't know where to look) - and experiment with different ways of stimulating it. This could include using a lubricated finger, experimenting with a sex toy, or trying massage oils and creams designed for topical application to the clitoris to increase its sensitivity.
ShytoBuy is a UK site with a range of products to treat female sexual dysfunction and anorgasmia. A US site also offers a product called V-Cream, which is described as being a female orgasm enhancer to make orgasms easier, more frequent and of an increased intensity.
A pharmaceutical product currently being marketed for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction is a product called Intrinsa Patches. Intrinsa patches contain testosterone, which is known to increase libido, and are only suitable for menopausal women who have had their uterus and ovaries removed. You can find more information about them here. Note that many women should not take Intrinsa, including any women who have suffered from hormone related cancer or those suffering from heart, liver or kidney disease or diabetes.
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