Female Sexual Dysfunction Questions and Answers

Female sexual dysfunction affects a large number of women and covers a broad range of issues regarding sexual activity. Some of these issues include a persistent or recurrent lack of sex drive, aversion to sex, difficulty achieving an orgasm, and regularly experiencing pain during intercourse. There are also many possible causes of female sexual dysfunction, including medical or physical conditions, hormonal imbalances, mental health or emotional issues, or alcohol, drug, or medication use.

Treatment for female sexual dysfunction varies according to the specific problem you are having and the cause of that problem. That being said, possible treatments for female sexual dysfunction could include any of the following:

● Kegel exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles and achieve stronger orgasm
● Hormone therapy, including androgen or estrogen therapy
● Medications, such as ospemifene (Osphena) for vulvovaginal atrophy, flibanserin (Addyi) or bremelanotide (Vyleesi) for low sexual desire in premenopausal women,
● Patient education
● Vaginal lubrication
● And more!

In general, there are four types of female sexual dysfunction, namely, 1) desire disorders, 2) arousal disorders, 3) orgasm disorders, and 4) pain disorders. As such, some of the common signs and symptoms of female sexual dysfunction include the following:

● Difficulty or inability to become sexually aroused or maintain arousal
● Inability to have an orgasm or a persistent or recurrent difficulty in achieving orgasm
● Little or no sexual desire
● Moderate to severe pain associated with vaginal contact or penetration on a regular basis

There are many possible causes and explanations for why you or a person you care about is not sexually active or lacks sexual desire. While female sexual dysfunction appears more frequently in women who are between 40 and 50 years of age, it is also relatively common in women who are in their 20s and 30s. As such, although age can be a factor in female sexual dysfunction, there are generally other conditions involved that cause a lack of sexual desire or other issues pertaining to sexual activity. These causes and conditions can range from physical conditions and medications to mental illness or negative sexual experiences. Some potential causes could include any of the following:

● Alcohol or drug use
● Anxiety or depression
● Diabetes
● Fatigue
● Heart disease
● Hormonal changes during pregnancy, after childbirth, while breastfeeding, or due to menopause
● Hormonal imbalances
● Kidney or liver failure
● Medications, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, cancer, epilepsy, or high blood pressure medication, or steroids
● Multiple sclerosis (MS)
● Neurological disorders
● Past sexual abuse or trauma
● Scarring from surgery
● Stress
● Thyroid disease
● Vaginal dryness or scarring
● Vulvovaginal atrophy

For more information on possible sexual dysfunction treatments, come to Dr. Beyerlein’s office today, or feel free to call us!