Sexual Arousal Disorder

disorder has a great many more factors than just biological ones. Relationship difficulties and social factors have taken a back seat to the physiological bases for the disorder.

SEXUAL AROUSAL DISORDER

Sexual arousal disorder is different from hypoactive sexual desire disorder and is basically the female equivalent of male erectile dysfunction. It involves having a lack of sexual fantasies and a low desire for sex even when in a situation that should cause sexual arousal. The symptoms include a lack of vaginal dilation or lengthening, decreased vaginal lubrication, decreased nipple or genital sensation, and decreased genital swelling. While the problem seems to have physiological implications, these women may actually have relatively normal responses to erotic stimuli.

The problem has many underlying causes. The taking of SSRI drugs can cause the disorder when taken for depression and there can be hormonal problems, decreased blood flow to the genitals, nerve damage, or concurrent drug use. Psychological problems include anger, depression, relationship issues, stress, poor past experiences with sex, or some other type of psychological conflict. The disorder must be present for six months with both psychological problems and lack of physiological responsiveness to erotic stimuli also being factors necessary to diagnose the disease.

The problem is likely physiological in 30 to 80 percent of cases and includes blood vessel and nerve-related issues. This is similar to the issues related to erectile dysfunction in men. In addition, lack of education about sexuality, anxiety or guilt around sex, communication failures, and performance anxiety can play a role in a woman having this problem. Like HSDD, the problem can be lifelong, generalized or situational in nature.

The treatments involve hormonal therapy to enhance blood flow, such as Viagra, which can be used in women as well as men, bremelanotide, which is being developed for women to increase their sexual desire, and treating other underlying causes. Testosterone has been used as an off-label treatment for this problem.