Female Sexual Dysfunction

female sexual dysfunction in women is a complex problem that can have many different causes. It is estimated that up to 40% of women suffer from sexual dysfunction. This might be caused by physical illness, but is often linked to psychological factors. The symptoms of female sexual dysfunction can include lack of sexual desire, an inability to enjoy sex, insufficient vaginal lubrication, or, even if sexually aroused, a failure to achieve an orgasm.

Postmenopausal women who have female sexual dysfunction - a low level of sexual desire -- have a worse health-related quality of life than their counterparts who are happy with their sex lives, according to a new study. In fact, the researchers say, female sexual dysfunction can cause in impairments in well-being on par with those seen in chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis and asthma. The "persistent lack of sexual desire causing 'marked stress or interpersonal difficulties,'" is included in the Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which lists and defines mental illnesses widely accepted by the psychiatric establishment.

If you have persistent or recurrent problems with sexual response — and if female sexual dysfunction are making you distressed or straining your relationship with your partner — what you're experiencing is known medically as female sexual dysfunction. Female sexual dysfunction has many possible symptoms and causes. Fortunately, they're almost all treatable. Communicating your concerns and understanding your anatomy and your body's normal response to sexual activity are important steps toward gaining sexual satisfaction and avoiding female sexual dysfunction.

The success of treatment for female sexual dysfunction depends on the underlying cause of the problem. The outlook is good for dysfunction that is related to a treatable or reversible physical condition. Mild female sexual dysfunction that is related to stress, fear, or anxiety often can be successfully treated with counseling, education, and improved communication between partners.

female sexual dysfunction can have a physiological basis in the body (something is physically wrong), a psychological basis in the mind, or be the result of both underlying mental and physical problems. It can also be a matter of problems with technique: some women never fully experience sexual arousal and orgasm because they or their partners lack sexual knowledge. They may not understand how female sex organs respond or are stimulated, or don't use appropriate arousal techniques. In these cases, a lack of understanding of the function of the clitoris, the female sex organ producing orgasm, may be at the root of the problem.