women s health issues
Overview of Sexual Function and Dysfunction in Women
Introduction
Sexual dysfunction in women includes pain during intercourse, involuntary painful contractions (spasms) of the muscles around the vagina (vaginismus), lack of interest in sex (low libido), and problems with arousal or orgasm. For a sexual dysfunction disorder to be diagnosed, these problems must cause distress to the woman. Sexual problems in women may have physical causes, psychological causes, or often a combination, with each impacting the other. To diagnose sexual issues, doctors often talk with the woman and, sometimes, her partner; a pelvic examination is often necessary when the woman has pain or problems with orgasm. Treatment of sexual problems in women varies by cause but may include education about sexual function, medications, pelvic physical therapy, or psychotherapy or sex therapy. Women commonly have concerns about sexual function. If the problems are severe enough to cause distress, they may be considered sexual dysfunction. Approximately 12% of women in the United States have sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction can be described and diagnosed in terms of specific problems, such as the following: Lack of interest in sexual activity and/or difficulty becoming aroused (called Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder ) Involuntary tightening of the muscles around the vagina or pain during sexual activity (called Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder ) Difficulty reaching orgasm despite normal interest in sexual activity (called Orgasmic Disorder in Women ) Substance/medication–induced sexual dysfunction Other sexual dysfunction (doctors refer to this as "other specified and unspecified sexual dysfunction") Insubstance/medication–induced sexual dysfunction,sexual dysfunction is related to initiation, change in dose, or stopping of a substance (including illicit drugs) or medication. Other sexual dysfunctionincludes sexual dysfunction that does not fit in the other categories. It includes sexual dysfunction that has no identifiable cause or that does not precisely meet the criteria for a specific sexual dysfunction disorder. Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder None Often, women with sexual dysfunction have features of more than one specific issue. For example, women who have pain during sex or have difficulty becoming aroused usually enjoy sex less and may have difficulty reaching orgasm. A woman’s sexual response is strongly influenced by her mental health and by the quality of her relationship with her partner. Initial desire typically lessens with age but increases with a new partner at any age. 