About Female Sexual Dysfunction

About Female Sexual Dysfunction

Many women suffer from Female Sexual Dysfunction or FSD. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, more than 43% of American women (about 40 million) experience some form of sexual disorder. Any woman can experience Female Sexual Dysfunction at some point in her life.

What is Female Sexual Dysfunction?
Physicians and other healthcare providers recognize Female Sexual Dysfunction as a medical condition. It includes a variety of disorders that are related to desire for sex, arousal during sexual activity, problems with orgasm or pain during sexual activity. If a woman’s sexual concerns are recurring in nature and cause her personal distress, she may indeed have female sexual dysfunction.

Specifically, Female Sexual Dysfunction is divided into categories related to desire, orgasm, arousal and pain. The medical definitions for the types of Female Sexual Dysfunction are found below. All of the disorders have a common component, namely, that the problem causes a woman personal distress.

SEXUAL DESIRE DISORDERS

  • HYPOACTIVE SEXUAL DESIRE DISORDER — The ongoing lack of sexual fantasies or thoughts. A woman with hypoactive sexual desire disorder does not have a desire for sex and is not interested in the sexual advances of her partner. This may also be called loss of libido.
  • SEXUAL AVERSION DISORDER – An ongoing severe fear or phobia of any sexual activity with a partner.

SEXUAL AROUSAL DISORDER — An ongoing problem staying sexually excited. A woman would like to have sex, but when she has sex it is not pleasurable. This may be due to decreased sensitivity in the genitals or lack of vaginal lubrication or wetness. Sexual arousal disorder may be caused by decreased blood flow to the vagina or clitoris.

ORGASMIC DISORDER — An ongoing problem related to having an orgasm. It may be difficult to have an orgasm or, if she does have an orgasm, it may take a long time. Some women describe their orgasms as muffled or not as intense as they once were. Other women may not be able to reach orgasm at all. This problem occurs even though she has been sexually stimulated and aroused.

SEXUAL PAIN DISORDERS

  • DYSPAREUNIA — Ongoing pain associated with sexual intercourse.
  • VAGINISUMUS — Ongoing spasm or tightening of the muscles of the vagina that makes the vagina difficult to enter or penetrate.
  • NON-COITAL SEXUAL PAIN — Ongoing pain in the genital area caused by sexual stimulation other than vaginal penetration.

 

 

 

What is F.S.A.D?
Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD) is a persistent or recurrent inability to attain, or to maintain until completion of the sexual activity, an adequate lubrication-swelling response of sexual excitement. This "response" involves vaginal lubrication, expansion of the vagina, and swelling of the external genitalia. The disturbance must cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty. The dysfunction is also not better accounted for by another problem and is not due exclusively to the direct physical effects of a substance (i.e. an illegal drug or prescription medication) or a medical condition.
As with all sexual disorders, FSAD can be classified as lifelong (existing for the entirety of the person’s adult life) or acquired (developed after a period of normal functioning). It can also be classified as generalized (occurring across all partners, sexual activities, and situations) or situational (limited to certain partners, sexual practices, or situations).  Women with F.S.A.D have sexual desire but for various reasons, have difficulty obtaining sexual satisfaction.  FSAD is a sub-category of the broader group of sexual problems experienced by women generally categorized within the overall category of Female Sexual Disorders..

What Causes Female Sexual Dysfunction?
Many women may think that Female Sexual Dysfunction is a normal consequence of childbirth, aging or menopause. This is not true. Women may have been told that the problem is "just in your head" which is also incorrect. Many times the primary cause of Female Sexual Dysfunction is physical in nature and is not psychological. However, due to the very personal nature of Female Sexual Dysfunction, psychological factors may become involved as well. For example, if a woman has decreased vaginal lubrication or wetness this may lead to painful intercourse. This in turn may become very distressing to both the woman and her partner and result in personal distress.

Some of the physical causes of Female Sexual Dysfunction are listed below.

  • Pelvic surgery or trauma including hysterectomy, pelvic fractures, difficult childbirth or straddle injuries (such as falling on a bicycle or balance beam).
  • Menopause
  • Arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries
  • Smoking
  • Loss of the hormones including both estrogen and testosterone
  • Diabetes
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Blood pressure medications
  • Some antidepressants
  • Birth control pills
  • Some seizure medications
  • Certain sedatives or tranquilizers

 

Psychological causes of Female Sexual Dysfunction include:

  • Depression
  • Stress
  • Sexual, emotional or physical abuse
  • Drug or alcohol abuse
  • Problems with self-esteem or body image
  • Problems in your relationship with your partner

 

 

How do I know if I have a problem?

Up to 70% of couples have a problem with sex at some time. Most women sometimes have sex that doesn't feel good. This doesn't mean you have a sexual problem.

If you don't want to have sex or it never feels good, you might have a sexual problem. The best person to decide if you have a sexual problem is you! Discuss your concerns with your doctor. Remember that anything you tell your doctor is private.

What can I do?

If desire is the problem, try changing your usual routine. Try having sex at different times of the day, or try a different sexual position.

Arousal disorders can often be helped if you use a vaginal cream for dryness. If you have gone through menopause, talk to your doctor about taking estrogen or using an estrogen cream.

If you have a problem having an orgasm, masturbation can help you. Extra stimulation (before you have sex with your partner) with a vibrator may be helpful. You might need rubbing or stimulation for up to an hour before having sex. Many women don't have an orgasm during intercourse. If you want an orgasm with intercourse, you or your partner may want to gently stroke your clitoris.

If you're having pain during sex, try different positions. When you are on top, you have more control over penetration and movement. Emptying your bladder before you have sex, using extra creams or taking a warm bath before sex all can help. If you still have pain during sex, talk to your doctor. If you have a tight vagina, you can try using something like a tampon to help you get used to relaxing your vagina. Your doctor can tell you more about this.

Can medicine help?

If you have gone through menopause or have had your uterus and/or ovaries removed, taking the hormone estrogen may help with sexual problems. If you're not already taking estrogen, ask your doctor if this is an option for you.

You may have heard that taking sildenafil (Viagra) or the male hormone testosterone can help women with sexual problems. There have not been many studies on the effects of Viagra or testosterone on women, so doctors don't know whether these things can help or not. Both Viagra and testosterone can have serious side effects, so using them is probably not worth the risk.

 

 

 

What else can I do?

Learn more about your body and how it works. Ask your doctor about how medicines, illnesses, surgery, age, pregnancy or menopause can affect sex.

Practice "sensate focus" exercises where one partner gives a massage, while the other partner says what feels good and requests changes (example: "lighter," "faster," etc.). Fantasizing may increase your desire. Squeezing the muscles of your vagina tightly and then relaxing them may increase your arousal. Try sexual activity other than intercourse, such as massage, oral sex or masturbation.

What about my partner?

Talk with your partner about what you each like and dislike, or what you might want to try. Ask for your partner's help. Remember that your partner may not want to do some things you want to try. Or you may not want to try what your partner wants. You should respect each other's comforts and discomforts. This helps you and your partner have a good sexual relationship. If you can't talk to your partner, your doctor or a counselor may be able to help you.

If you feel like a partner is abusing you, tell your doctor.

How can my doctor help?

Your doctor can also give you ideas about treating your sexual problems or can refer you to a sex therapist or counselor if it is needed.

 



She’s Cream is a new non-prescription application for potential relief of  FASD symptoms and some types of Female Sexual Dysfunction.  Severe problems may require medical
intervention.  If symptoms persist or seem severe, consult with a health professional. 
 These statements have not been evaluated by the Ministry of  Health of Malaysia ..   This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE - SEXUAL RESEARCH

SUMMARIES OF CLINICAL TRIALS

One study on L-Arginine was conducted on post-menopausal women with Female Sexual Arousal Disorder or FSAD. The study was designed to determine the effects on vaginal blood flow and sexual arousal of the Nitric Oxide-precursor L-Arginine (as well as other substances) on physiological responses to erotic stimuli in post -menopausal women who had experienced FSAD for at least 6 months.  This is the same L-Arginine found in the She’s formula for women.

The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-way crossover clinical trial. Patients were 23 post-menopausal women who met DSM IV criteria for FSAD. The physiological sexual arousal of the subjects was measured by changes in vaginal pulse amplitude using a method called Vaginal Photoplethysmography.

The subjects were shown a neutral (non-sexual movie) as well as a film with sexual content. The degree of each subject's sexual reaction to the neutral as well as to the sexual movie was measured by the Vaginal Photoplethysmography technology. Subjective sexual arousal was also gauged by using a Self-Report Questionnaire that was standardized for all woman involved in the trial.

The results of the Vaginal Photoplethysmography showed a rapid and significant increase in Vaginal Pulse Amplitude Response (meaning the subject's degree of sexual stimulation) to the erotic film after the L-Arginine was administered as compared to the placebo group. The Self-Report Questionnaire yielded similar results. The research study demonstrated   that the mechanism responsible for the increase in sexual arousal was the body's enhanced production of Nitric Oxide due to the administration of L-Arginine.

The increased Nitric Oxide release caused the women who were given L-Arginine to be significantly more stimulated by the erotic content of the sexual film as opposed to those subjects who received the placebo.

The results of another clinical study of L-Arginine were presented at the Ninth Annual Congress on Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine in Washington, D.C. The study indicated significant improvement in women's sexual desire and overall satisfaction. In this double-blind placebo-controlled study, 93 women, ages 22-73, enrolled as participants lacking in sexual desire or self diagnosed with FASD.

Of the 93 women involved, 46 received L-Arginine and 47 received a placebo. The participants used a Female Sexual Function Index Questionnaire to rate their level of sexual health before starting the study and after taking either a placebo or the L-Arginine.

At the end of four weeks, 62 percent of the active group of women reported significantly improved satisfaction with their overall sex life and 64 percent reported an improvement in their overall level and intensity of sexual desire