Introduction – Sexual Dysfunctions
Sexual dysfunctions have become more prevalent than ever; with common triggers being substance use, using explicit media for pleasuring oneself or emotional regulation, diabetes, social factors like marriage, and more.
The numbers do the talking; one report says women in urban areas has a range of prevalence from 33.3% to 73.2%, while from a national perspective, the range would exist between 22.2% and 76% of the population.
This is such a huge issue, and people are afraid to be vulnerable as a consequence of societal/cultural upbringing. This is why this ailment remains unrecognized in healthcare settings.
Types of Sexual Dysfunctions
Experts have categorized sexual dysfunctions on the basis of consecutive stages of sex, i.e., desire disorders, orgasm disorders, arousal disorders, and pain disorders.
1. Desire Disorders
This is commonly referred to as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). The disorder is signified by a considerable decrease in sexual desire or interest.
Some triggers could be certain medications (like antidepressants), relationship issues, psychological issues (like depression and anxiety), and hormonal changes (such as low estrogen or testosterone levels).
2. Arousal Disorders
People suffering from arousal disorders find it hard to get physically aroused during sexual activity despite having the desire for it.
Now, this type of sexual disorder manifests in both men and women, but differently.
- Men: This mainly appears as ED. He is a man who cannot attain or maintain an erection that is essentially required for sexual intercourse.
- Women: They are characterized either by failing to become physiologically responsive during sexual arousal or with inadequate vaginal lubrication.
Arousal disorders arise from issues like hormonal imbalances, psychological stress, and physical health problems.
3. Orgasm Disorders
Orgasm disorder is one condition where an individual fails to reach orgasm even with adequate sexual stimulation and arousal.
One such condition is anorgasmia, that is, persistent delays or absence of orgasm. If the person has never ever experienced orgasm, it would be termed primary orgasm dysfunction. Whereas, if they had previously experienced orgasm but can’t anymore, it is termed as secondary orgasm dysfunction.
4. Pain Disorders
It is more than obvious that any person affected with a disorder involving pain is thwarted in sexual satisfaction. This is because they typically undergo unusual pain or discomfort associated with their sexual activity.
A few examples include the following:
- Vaginismus: In this condition, a woman’s vagina involuntarily contracts, hence making the process of penetration painful.
- Dyspareunia: An ailment that results in painful intercourse, which may be a consequence of infections, inadequate lubrication, or other medical conditions.
In Men: Something like Peyronie’s disease can trigger pain during erections.
Again, pain disorders can be triggered by relationship issues, psychological factors, and hormonal changes (esp. during menopause).
Diagnostic Criteria for Sexual Dysfunctions
Sexual Disorder are mainly categorized into four major types such as disorders related to sexual desire, sexual arousal disorders, orgasmic disorders, and sexual pain disorders. The diagnostic characteristics of sexual disorder include the following criteria according to DSM-5:
- Duration: The sexual disorder should have existed for a period of at least six months. This will rule out transitory or situational difficulties from being classified as chronic dysfunctions.
- Severity: The disorder should cause the person concerned a serious level of distress and impairment that impacts that person’s overall well-being and mental health.
- No other causality: The disorder should not be better accounted for by other diseases, such as a medical condition, substance or medication-induced condition, or by another mental disorder.
For that reason, it is common for healthcare providers to carry out multidimensional evaluation while diagnosing sexual dysfunctions, especially since it speaks of exams related to medicine, psychology, as well as relationship assessments. Such dimensions are crucial to identifying and recognising the underlying causes of dysfunction. For example, bodily signs may indicate that the patient is suffering from depression or anxiety or some traumatic event happened sometime back. Of course, neither of these psychological conditions can be ignored while treating the condition. Doctors may also look for hormonal imbalances of any kind, whether it is a low testosterone level or estrogen or, for that matter, other health conditions like thyroid disorder or diabetes for which sexual performance may be impacted.
Sexual Dysfunction in Males
Male sexual dysfunction occurs most commonly in the following three forms:
- ED or Erectile Dysfunction: The inability to achieve or maintain an erection that is of a rigidity sufficient to allow satisfactory sexual activity.
- PE or Premature Ejaculation: Ejaculation that occurs consistently prior to a partner’s desire and often before or within a minute of intercourse penetration.
- Delayed Ejaculation: Failure to ejaculate or in order to maintain ejaculation even with extended sexual activity and adequate stimulation.
- Low Libido: Lesser or decreased sexual interest and desire, which can be psychogenic, medical, or a combination of the two.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is probably the most common form of dysfunction among males and may originate from a range of psychological and physical catalysts. The most typical causes are diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease, and then emotional stress, anxiety, or depression that usually leads to or worsens ED. Lifestyle factors like excessive alcohol use, smoking, or obesity play a great role in the appearance of ED. More often than not, some combination of the abovementioned factors is found, and treatment, therefore, has to consider the whole person instead of just the symptoms.
One of the earliest lines of treatment for ED is oral therapy with drugs such as PDE5 inhibitors; Viagra, and Cialis; by increasing blood flow to the penis, thus allowing an erection in response to sexual stimulation. Psychological interventions, like CBT or couples counseling, may be helpful if the dysfunction is worsened by relationship issues or performance anxiety.
Read More – Erectile Dysfunction Causes: 10 Unexpected Risk Factors For Erectile Dysfunction
Sexual Dysfunction in Females
Generally, female sexual dysfunction tends to be described by several conditions, including:
- Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD): Female sexual arousal disorder is characterized by the failure to attain or maintain an adequate lubricating response and other physical signs of arousal during sexual activity.
- Female Orgasmic Disorder (FOD): It has been frequently reported in association with a delay, infrequency, or absence of orgasm despite adequate sexual stimulation.
- Vaginismus: The involuntary contraction of the vaginal muscles during intercourse to make penetration painful or impossible.
- Low Sexual Desire: A persistent or recurrent lack of interest in sexual activity that results in personal distress or interpersonal difficulty.
For many women, sexual dysfunction is intrinsically associated with hormonal changes, such as when a woman is pregnant, during the menopausal age, or postpartum. Thus, estrogen levels significantly fluctuate and, therefore, differ in their effect on sexual desire and arousal. For example, most of the women have passed the phase of menopause and generally experience painful intercourse due to vaginal dryness. Pelvic floor dysfunction resulting from childbirth or age may contribute to painful intercourse or complicated orgasms.
Female sexual dysfunction is usually treated with a variety of treatments, depending on the patient. HRT, or hormone replacement therapy, is given to women entering menopause and helps in overcoming symptoms of dryness of the vagina and low libido. Psychological counseling, like sex therapy, is also imparted to couples for better communication with their partner and to remove any mental block that may be preventing them from sex activity. Vaginismus can be treated by using vaginal dilators to relax the muscles during sexual cohabitation and reduce pain.
Read More – Female Sexual Problems: Understanding Vaginal Dryness And Its Treatment
Common Causes of Sexual Dysfunctions
Sexual dysfunction can be due to psychological and physical causes, either in men or women. Physical health-related causes include the following:
- Chronic diseases: Diabetes, heart disease, neurological diseases, and even obesity may lead to sexual dysfunction. Hormonal imbalances, particularly in testosterone or estrogen, decrease one’s sexual interest or modify their physical response to sexual activity.
- Medications: The list includes many of the most commonly consumed medications, such as antidepressants, antihypertensives, and drugs to treat BPH, among others, which have side effects on sexual and intimate life. For instance, anorgasmia or decreased sex drive in both genders is an example for anyone on SSRIs.
- Psychological Factors: Some of the psychological causes of sexual dysfunction include stress, anxiety, depression, and even past trauma that occurs in a person. These can be functional and take the form of physical symptoms such as an inability to attain arousal or even orgasm.
- Lifestyle Factors: Alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction, and a sedentary lifestyle are well-recognised contributors to sexual dysfunction. Healthy living is a critical factor of total sexual health.
Diagnosis of Sexual Dysfunctions
Possible tests one would look into are:
- Physical Exam: One would have to check for a history of underlying health conditions that could impair sexual performance, such as hormonal imbalance, diabetes, or neurological disorders. It may even be a glance at abnormalities in the genital areas or even a pelvic exam in females.
- Psychological Assessment: As psychological and mental health play an important role in sexuality, a psychologist or psychiatrist may assess depression, anxiety, and relationship patterns, among many other conditions, which could be the etiology of sexual dysfunction.
- Blood Tests: These will help gauge the levels of hormones, levels of blood sugar, and cholesterol levels to check if there are any medical conditions that may be leading to or contributing to the dysfunction.
- Specialized Tests: Penile rigidity tests and nocturnal penile tumescence tests may be recommended for men. Other women may be recommended to undergo pelvic ultrasounds or other imaging tests to detect anatomical defects.
Treatment of Sexual Dysfunctions
Treatment depends on its root cause and the particular situation.
- Medication: The treatment men usually get is medication, such as Viagra, Cialis, or testosterone therapy. Women are administered hormones like creams with estrogen or testosterone supplements to overcome the condition according to the cause of the dysfunction.
- Therapy: It can include cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) or sex therapy and so on to treat the possible psychological basis of the problem. It will remove emotional conflict from the couple’s life, encourage bonding, and remove performance anxiety or psychological trauma.
- Changes in Lifestyle: Daily habits of lifestyle are changed drastically to improve sexual functioning. Positive lifestyle habits, including regular exercise or diet and avoidance of smoking or alcohol, can be useful. Exercise causes a spike in blood flow, which enhances arousal and coitus.
How To Cope With Sexual Disorder
Sexual disorder is a very distressing condition, especially if it means low self-esteem and even relationships. Coping mechanisms may be as follows:
- Open Communication: Talk over your feelings or concerns with your partner. If there is mutual understanding, it can reduce stress and anxiety.
- Counselling: Individual therapy or couples therapy can help you deal emotionally.
- Patience and Understanding: Healing sexual dysfunction requires time. Hence, it is crucial to be patient and refrain from rushing the healing process.
- Focus on General Wellbeing: Reducing stress, an active lifestyle, and balanced eating are some ways to ensure improved sexual health.
Read More – Importance Of Communication In Sexual Relationships
FAQs : Sexual Dysfunctions: Causes and Treatments
1. Is Sexual Dysfunction Eradicable?
Yes, with high frequency. Proper diagnosis and treatment may allow a person full control over sexual dysfunction. Depending on the cause, treatment can be effective.
2. How prevalent is Sexual Dysfunction?
Much more common than you might think: 31% of men and 43% of women suffer from this issue.
3. Which lifestyle changes might be helpful for Sexual Dysfunction?
Quit smoking, lower alcohol intake, be at ideal weight, and use stress management techniques to enhance sexual functioning.
4. Does stress and anxiety cause Sexual Dysfunction?
Yes. Psychological factors like stress and anxiety are the most common reasons for sexual dysfunction to occur.
5. Can non-medical therapy heal Sexual Dysfunction?
Yes. Some of these include cognitive-behavioural therapy, sex therapy, and couples counseling.
This helps sexual dysfunction patients start recovering their sexuality and sexual well-being directly from the source of their problems.