Female Arousal Disorder: Causes and Treatments

As per a study conducted among 1749 women, 43% of women faced sexual dysfunction, which includes female arousal disorder, low desire, orgasmic difficulties, and dyspareunia. When it comes to female arousal disorders, there are different medical, biological, psychological conditions affecting them. There are primarily four classifications of female sexual arousal issues. They include:

Here, in this article, we will look into the causes of female arousal disorder and also its cures.

Stress and Anxiety as Causes of Female Arousal Disorder

Psychological concerns such as anxiety and stress can lower our genital sexual arousal. Daily chores, including household jobs and office work, cause stress in women. But, most women don't find significant life events to have an impact on their sexual arousal. However, it can vary from one person to another and is subjective.

Stress at work or home can create a challenge while enjoying sex. It is because of the increase in the hormone called cortisone, which could lower our sex drive. As per a research study by the FDA, stress, and anxiety are two main causes of female sexual disorder. It takes place because of the intrusion of negative thoughts while engaging in sex. 

Diseases and Medications Reduce Libido

Heart diseases, thyroid, and diabetes can impact our sexual arousal. It has a higher effect on middle-aged women.  As per a study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 80% of middle-aged women who were on insulin had troubles in attaining orgasm.

Women who have diabetes had vaginal dryness, which affects their sex life. Some of the medicines that can cause sexual issues are-

• Antidepressants- Medicines like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors can reduce our sex drive.
• Contraceptives- have a similar impact on our sex life. As per a study, 15% of women, who participated in it, faced a decrease in their sexual desire. 
• Allergy medicines- They can also affect your arousals for a short time. But, once we stop its intake, our sex drive would become as usual. 

Pelvic Issues and Body Image Concerns

Some women face an issue known as Pelvic Organ Prolapse. It refers to the dropping of a pelvic organ like our urinary bladder or uterus into the vaginal wall. When something like this happens, it will cause changes in our vagina. 

Along with that, it would cause body image issues in most women. Due to this, there would be a decrease in arousal and even result in pain while having intercourse. Another effect of prolapse is that it would result in infrequent orgasms. It can also impact our general well-being. 

Menopause as a Cause of Arousal Problem

As per a recent survey, arousal problems were the highest among women above 45 and 65 years. It was 7.5%. When it comes to women above 65 years, it was 6%. Among them, women who faced bothersome sexual arousal had surgical menopause. 

The reason why menopausal women face a decrease in sexual arousal is because of a loss of estrogen. It lowers the supply of blood to the vagina, which affects vaginal lubrication. It would, thus, result in dryness and affect sex life.

Many women are undergoing postmenopausal sexual arousal issues. But, there aren't any approved cures to help them. It shows there is a need to focus on the well-being of all groups of women. When there is a loss of libido, it can have a serious effect on relationships. 

Other Causes of Female Arousal Disorder

Female genital arousal disorder can have other causes as well. They include:

• Trauma caused due to events that took place in our childhood or past can impact our sex drive.
• Body image issues occur due to the stereotyping of the so-called "perfect body" image. They can affect our confidence and self-esteem.
• Emotional and relationship issues can impact our desire to have sex.
• When we lack an understanding of our body functions, it can cause problems in our sex life.
• Our inability to communicate our wants with our partners can have a similar impact.

Treatments For Female Genital Arousal Disorder

As of now, there are no specific FDA-approved treatments available. Recently, there have been attempts to make a female viagra. But, they have still not received any form of approval. Currently, sex therapy is an effective way to help women with female arousal disorder. As per the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine (2015), sex therapy is a method to improve our sex lives.

Many women are switching to self-medications, which can be harmful. It is best to inform a doctor while having any such concerns. By understanding the symptoms and by taking care, we can overcome female arousal issues. 

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