Female Sexual Dysfunction

FSD can sometimes be difficult to diagnose and treat because there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration, but classic signs of the condition are problems with arousal, even if you want to have sex. Some women may experience problems reaching climax or even experience pain during sex. These symptoms can occur in women of all ages, and may only happen once in a while, but if the problem becomes persistent and is causing you distress, it is best to seek help.

Several factors may contribute to sexual dissatisfaction or dysfunction which could be physical, psychological or hormonal in nature. These factors tend to be interrelated. Many women with sexual concerns therefore seem to benefit from a combined treatment approach that addresses medical as well as emotional issues.

FDS may be a result of one or a combination of the following:

Physical causes

• Infections and growths in the vaginal area
• High blood pressure or diabetes
• Reactions to contraceptive devices
• Medications for treatment of high blood pressure, peptic ulcers, depression or anxiety and cancer
• Major surgery, such as a hysterectomy

Psychological causes

• Poor self-esteem
• Inadequate or ineffective foreplay
• Depression
• Fear of pregnancy
• Sexual abuse or incest
• Stress and fatigue

Hormonal causes

• Low oestrogen or testosterone
• Hormonal contraception
• Breastfeeding
• Childbirth

Sexual concerns can trouble women of all ages but may become more prevalent during hormonally vulnerable times, such as the postpartum period or the menopause. Sexual concerns may also occur with major illnesses, such as cancer.

Treatment may involve addressing the underlying medical or hormonal factors contributing to sexual dysfunction, as well as addressing emotional issues that may cause or contribute to the dysfunction. In some cases female sexual dysfunction can be treated by taking specially prescribed medications.

Counselling

Therapy can be helpful in exploring the emotional causes of your condition and you can choose to undertake it on your own or with your partner. A therapist may be able to help you deal with any deep rooted causes of your sexual problems, or even just provide advice on better foreplay methods or how to deal with stress, should you need it.

Hormone replacement therapy

Oestrogen is often recommended to women experiencing FSD alongside menopausal symptoms. The hormone can be administered in various different ways and can improve sexual arousal, pain and burning during sex as well as other symptoms associated with the menopause.

Intrinsa

Intrinsa is the name of a prescription treatment that was developed specifically to treat female sexual dysfunction. It was recommended to women who had had their womb and ovaries removed during a hysterectomy. Intrinsa contained testosterone and was a trandermal patch treatment. It released a small dose of testosterone in women who were experiencing a lack of the hormone testosterone, causing problems with arousal and libido.

Testosterone plays an important part in the female sex drive and cannot be produced by the body once the ovaries have been removed. In studies performed over a five-month period, women with a low libido who used the patches were reported to enjoy sexual intercourse an average of three times more often. More than 56% of them noticed an obvious increase in their desire for sex.

Unfortunately, these patches are no longer available in the UK and as such it is not possible to buy Intrinsa at OnlineClinic.