If you are reading this article, you may be trying to find some relief, some guidance, some answers as to why you are struggling with an issue that you may not yet know the name of. This umbrella term – female sexual dysfunction – encompasses a variety of issues that affect both the physical and psychological aspects of women around the world. And we’re here to help you figure out where to start.
Female sexual dysfunction is a general term for women who experience pain during sex, painful spasms or contractions, low libido, and issues with orgasm and arousal.
About 40% of women worldwide have some type of sexual dysfunction, according to the National Institutes of Health.
What is sexual dysfunction?
Sexual dysfunction can fall into these categories:
However, keep in mind that sexual dysfunction can be classified as something that does not fall under these points. It is a wide range of conditions and not limited to these few concerns.
What causes sexual dysfunction?
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of many of these conditions, which is why seeing a doctor is incredibly important because many different components can contribute to sexual dysfunction.
Sexual function and dysfunction are related to the mind and body connection. In fact, sex can actually improve cognition and the brain’s response to stress, which we also store in the body.
For example, while you may feel desire or have a high libido, you may have lubrication problems or be unable to achieve orgasm even though you want to. Something is wrong, the mind is telling the body what it wants. Or, another example, is that you don’t desire sex and your libido is low, yet you have persistent genital arousal disorder that leads to painful, near-constant orgasms or arousal. There may be a disconnection here and this link needs to be found again.
Typically, a practitioner will examine both the mind (psychological) and the body (physical) to assess an accurate diagnosis. But even this is difficult to decipher. Psychological elements can manifest physically and vice versa, meaning it can be a circular issue with a classic, “What came first? The egg or the chicken’, type diagnosis.
Psychologically, depression and anxiety can contribute to sexual dysfunction. Sometimes, if depression is treated, a person’s sexual dysfunction can improve. However, on the other hand, a person who starts taking antidepressants may notice a side effect such as low libido with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).
Body image, past trauma, past abuse, current abuse, rejection, grief, and other mental illnesses can also contribute to sexual dysfunction.
In addition, shame about sex or sexually transmitted infections can also contribute to your interest or desire to have sex. This can manifest itself in snoring, where your muscles contract involuntarily, due to psychological factors that associate sex with something negative.
In addition, contextual factors may contribute to sexual dysfunction. These are considered the current state of a person. For example, fertility problems, surgery, attraction to your partner, bedroom eroticism or work stress can all create sexual dysfunction.
Physically, hormones, medication and illegal drug use can all be factors in sexual dysfunction.
Menopausal women struggle with hormonal changes, which can cause vaginal dryness, changes in the urinary system and lack of libido. The walls of the vagina become thin during menopause, causing dryness and inelasticity due to decreased estrogen levels. This is something called vulvar atrophy and it makes intercourse incredibly painful. Often, women find relief in estrogen cream or lubrication.
Sometimes, chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, or interstitial cystitis can cause sexual dysfunction, such as vulvodynia, where women three times more likely one of these conditions must exist.
How is sexual dysfunction diagnosed?
If your condition has not resolved in six months, seeing the doctor is the main way to get a diagnosis of your sexual dysfunction. Your doctor will interview you, and sometimes your partner, and consider your concerns. There will often be a pelvic exam as well as a discussion of symptoms, other disorders, injuries to the pelvic area, sexual trauma, illicit drug use, partner relationship, mood, self-esteem, childhood trauma, past sexual experiences and mental health.
By visiting your doctor and having a pelvic exam, they can rule out any serious type of abnormalities, especially in internal organs such as the vulva, vagina and cervix.
Your doctor may then order blood tests to make sure nothing is seriously wrong such as cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
How do you deal with sexual dysfunction?
Treating sexual dysfunction is often difficult and painful, as doctors are not fully trained in the pelvic floor and often do not understand what the root of the condition is. On average, it takes a woman 10 years to be diagnosed with endometriosiscondition that causes painful sex and painful periods, among a list of other ailments. And that’s just one term. With a variety of issues at hand, a woman with sexual dysfunction could take quite some time to understand what is going on with her body.
However, this does not mean that it is not impossible. The first step is to get help.
Usually, a combination of drugs, pelvic floor physical therapy, Sex therapy or talk therapy can be used as a treatment.
For menopausal women, estrogen therapy is a popular form of treatment that can be inserted into the vagina as a cream, tablet, or ring. Prasterone is another vaginal suppository to relieve vaginal dryness.
When it comes to psychological treatments, many women seek out cognitive behavioral therapists who can address depression, anxiety, body image, and negative self-talk. Words of affirmation and attention are often used in therapy to address and observe disturbing thoughts that could interfere with their sex life. As therapy continues, the therapist can dive deeper into childhood, past relationships, abuse, or trauma that could be interfering with and contributing to any sex-related issues.
Another successful form of therapy is couples therapy, where communication and relationship issues are addressed in a setting with a mediator – AKA the therapist. While couples therapy is known for people who are struggling, it can also be a comfortable place to discuss new things you want to try in the bedroom or past traumas you may not have been able to discuss. A safe space is created for us to move forward as a solid partnership.
Other treatments include:
- Trigger point pressure, which is when you apply pressure to sensitive areas of the muscles.
- Natural libido enhancerslike food (think: ginseng, fenugreek and chocolate)
- Dilators, used to stretch to stretch the vaginal tissue.
- Bladder training for women who need to strengthen the muscles around the urethra and anus.
- Physiotherapy, where a professional reduces the pressure points of the pelvic muscles.
- Yoga can open the pelvic muscles, help them stretch and open the hips.
- Vibrators can be used to relax the body into the clitoris without full penetration.
In addition, there are also lifestyle changes that could benefit your health and reduce your condition.
- Avoid excessive alcohol
- Stop smoking
- Start the exercise
- Take time to relax
The bottom line here is that female sexual dysfunction can be complicated, but it is not incurable. Prioritizing your health, finding the best doctor for your needs, and working diligently can improve your life and give you back your sensuality.
