To every person or couple, sexual activity should bring satisfaction. However, several problems can be experienced and cause dissatisfaction from either person, male or female. Such conditions are referred to as sexual dysfunction and are more common to females than men. Many people find talking about the common problems that affect the sexual response cycle difficult, but you should not suffer alone. OB/GYN Patricia Nevils, MD of Vibrant Woman Health Center in Lafayette, understands your condition and is ready and willing to help you. As a Lafayette icon, Dr. Nevils can offer you the help you need.
Sexual dysfunction can be classified into four categories:
Arousal disorder
It occurs when you cannot be physically aroused or fail to feel excitement about sexual activity. Anxiety, menopause, or circulation issues can be blamed for this disorder.
Desire disorder
It is a situation where you feel no desire or interest in sex. Medical conditions, changes in hormones, or issues of depression and stress can cause low libido.
Orgasm disorders
It is when you do not experience the climax of sex, or it is delayed. It can be caused by some medication, hormonal changes, or low stimulation.
Pain disorders
This is when pain is experienced during intercourse, making it unpleasant. This may be caused by underlying issues on your reproductive organs or caused by sexually transmitted diseases.
Sexual dysfunction diagnosis
After you note several symptoms associated with sexual dysfunction, Dr. Nevils, through a compassionate strategy, thoroughly discusses the symptoms with you, looking into your sexual history and unveiling any concerns. Dr. Nevils also measures your hormone levels to determine if you need hormone balance, which can be done through BioTe® pellets therapy.
An examination of your attitudes towards sex can also be carried out. This is to identify some of the causes such as anxiety, trauma, abuse, fear, or relationship problems. All this is done to help conclude the appropriate treatment recommendations.
The ideal treatment for sexual dysfunction is a team’s effort rather than just one-way treatment. Dr. Nevils guides you on your role in identifying the dysfunction. This is because most sexual problems can be reversed through psychological therapy or treating an underlying physical condition.
The treatments may include the following:
Education
Information about human anatomy and sexual function can play a critical role in helping you overcome anxieties.
Distraction techniques
It includes guidance on using erotic fantasies such as music to increase relaxation during sexual activity. Other erotic materials, such as videos, can be used to enhance stimulation.
In reducing pain, different sexual positions may be encouraged to minimize the pain. Vaginal lubrication can also help reduce the pain that occurs due to friction. A warm bath before penetration can also be recommended to increase relaxation.
Some factors that affect female sexual dysfunction include:
Hormones
They are crucial in regulating sexual function and should be balanced. Hormonal imbalance may cause poor vaginal lubrication, decrease in genital sensation, and other sexual function changes, which can affect satisfaction.
Hysterectomy
When the uterus is surgically removed, changes in sexual activity can occur. You can experience loss of desire, poor virginal lubrication, and decreased genital sensation.
Menopause
It causes a reduction of estrogen levels, which affects your normal sexual functionality. It can cause emotional changes leading to loss of sexual interests and the inability to be sexually aroused.
Sexual dysfunction can be experienced from time to time, depending on several factors. However, these problems should not persist, as they can affect your relationships negatively. Dr. Nevils commits to helping women, as she believes no one should suffer in silence. You can contact the Vibrant Woman Health Center to book an appointment for evaluation and treatment.
