Sexual Dysfunction

What is a normal sex life? Is your sex life normal? These are questions that many women ask themselves daily due to problems with sexual dysfunction.

Plain and simple — no one likes to talk about their sexual problems, but 40% of women in the United States report experiencing difficulty with arousal, desire, and pain during intercourse. The first step is talking with your healthcare provider.

What, Why, How?

Sexual dysfunction is a general term for a problem with interest in or responses to sex. Sex doesn’t always start with desire leading to arousal then an orgasm. Sometimes, the physical desire to have sex does not occur in women until after the sexual activity has started. There are multiple reasons why women experience problems with desire, arousal, orgasms or sexual pain including:

• Aging
• Hormonal changes due to menopause, pregnancy, or menstrual cycle
• Cardiovascular disease
• Neurological conditions
• Certain medications
• Stress, anxiety, or depression
• Chronic pain or headaches
• Smoking, alcohol and drugs can affect sexual responses

If Sexual dysfunction is causing you distress, disrupting your well-being, or your relationship with your partner, these self-help tips may help:

• Communicate with your partner
• Change positions
• Increase foreplay
• Use lubricants
• Practice a healthy lifestyle that includes lots of rest, exercise, healthy foods, and stress reduction techniques like yoga, and meditation