FEMALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION
Female sexual dysfunction has gained more social recognition over the last 1-2 decades and has garnered more science-based research to explore the prevalence and risk factors. According to research published from UptoDate, approximately 40 percent of women worldwide have reported sexual problems. Twelve percent (1 in 8 women) have reported that their sexual problems have caused both personal and interpersonal distress for them. Sexual dysfunction can impact both physical, psychological, and emotional wellbeing for women and their partners. As sexual dysfunction can worsen with age, it is important to address the issue with therapeutic treatments that meets the needs and concerns of women.
TYPES OF FEMALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION
There are various types of sexual dysfunction and women may experience one or multiple types. Sexual health is often dependent on a multitude of factors, including physiological, emotional, life experiences, lifestyle, personal beliefs, and intra/interpersonal relationships. Any disruption in these factors may impact one’s sexual health. The types of sexual dysfunction typically include:
- Lack of sexual desire – low to no interest, or desire, in engaging in sexual activity.
- Lack of sexual arousal – You may have the desire to have sex, but have difficulty achieving physical arousal, making sex difficult or even painful. An example of difficulties achieving physical arousal in women includes vaginal dryness.
- Difficulties achieving orgasm – Some women have difficulties achieving orgasm, either through masturbation or sexual intercourse. For some, they may have achieved orgasm in the past, but have lost the ability to achieve one in the present, or they may have never achieved one to date.
- Sexual pain – You experience pain associated with sexual arousal or intercourse.
FEMALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION: CAUSES AND RISKS
There are several physical, mental, and behavioral factors that can contribute to sexual dysfunction in women. Some of these factors include:
- Perimenopause or Menopause: Hormonal fluctuations or deficits (i.e. low estrogen or testosterone) can lead to female sexual dysfunction.
- Vaginal pain: Due to surgical scarring, low hormone levels, or structural problems (i.e. pelvic prolapse)
- Mental health/Trauma: Low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, abuse/trauma, stress, relationship problems all can affect sexual function.
- Substance abuse (i.e., alcohol, tobacco, illicit substances)
- Chronic illness (diabetes, hypertension)
- Medications (antidepressants, antihypertensive, anticonvulsants, etc.)
TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR FEMALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION
At Embodied Wellness, we take on a holistic approach to addressing your sexual health needs. We work with you in conducting a comprehensive health assessment in understanding your sexual health concerns. We work to get to the root cause of your ailments, and order necessary diagnostic lab work to identify the cause. We then help formulate a therapeutic treatment plan that is tailored to meet your needs.
Primary treatment options may include:
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapies (BHRT), such as estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, or even testosterone are the hallmark therapies for sexual dysfunction treatment. BHRT helps restore your body’s declining hormones to more youthful, productive levels. Estrogen, for example, is an important hormone that helps not only improve vaginal integrity and lubrication, but it also helps with sexual arousal, prevents painful sexual intercourse, and has also been implicated in improving mood and bone health.
Progesterone works with estrogen in balancing hormones, and aids in improving sexual desire, arousal, and balancing mood. DHEA, which is the precursor to sex hormones progesterone and testosterone, is a key player in sexual desire and arousal, and is often supplemented with women taking estrogen and progesterone for women who have all-around sexual dysfunction, including issues with desire, arousal, and difficulties achieving an orgasm.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapies are preferred over the more conventional synthetic hormone replacement therapies because of their nearly identical molecular structure to human sex hormones, and thus safer side effect profile. BHRT comes in a variety of formulations – creams, patches, oral pills – and can be used in women who are either in menopause or have premature ovarian insufficiency (also known as, premature ovarian insufficiency).
Peptide Therapy For Sexual Health
Peptides, which are the building blocks of proteins, are one of the most natural therapies in treating a wide variety of health issues and ailments. Naturally compounded peptides mimic the peptides your own body produces, and thus, can be used to selectively target certain areas of your body needed for functioning.
At Embodied Wellness, we utilize specialized peptides to treat various forms of sexual dysfunction in women. Bremelanotide is one such peptide which has shown great efficacy in treating sexual dysfunction. It works by increasing vaginal lubrication, thus improving sexual arousal and satisfaction. Studies show that Bremelanotide can increase sexually satisfying experiences by up to 50% of women with sexual dysfunction. Bremelanotide comes in either a user-friendly injectable or a nasal spray and is simple to use. This peptide hormone can either be used alone or in conjunction with BHRT for enhancing sexual experiences in women.
Another peptide combination supplement, appropriately entitled, Scream Cream, has the potential to do exactly what the name implies when it comes to enhancing sexual experiences in women. This revolutionary product helps improve sexual arousal and orgasms by direct stimulation of the clitoris. Scream Cream has the following ingredients: l-Citrulline, Aminophylline, Ergoloid Mesylate, and Pentoxifylline. Together, these ingredients help increase vasodilation of the vagina and clitoris, which improves sensitivity, and thus, supports sexual arousal in women.
Studies show that approximately only 25% of women achieve orgasm, with a marginal increase to about 43% with clitoral stimulation. However, with Scream Cream, there is a chance to improve your ability towards achieving an orgasm, and thus, sexual satisfaction. Women who have used Scream Cream report substantial increased libido, intensity of orgasm, and increased vaginal lubrication. Additionally, because the cream is applied topically to a localized area of your body – the clitoris – there is little risk of systemic absorption, and thus, reduce chances of drug interactions or other concerning side effects.
Herbal Supplements
Herbal supplements may serve as a natural and holistic complement to improving your sexual health. Such herbs, like Maca, Red Clover, Tribulus, and Fenugreek, just to name a few, have all been implicated in treating troublesome symptoms of sexual dysfunction in women.
Maca (Lepidium) – Native to the Peruvian Centrals Andes of South America, Maca is an ancient herb that has been used for thousands of years to help improve fertility. It has recently gained recognition in the western world for improving sexual desire, balancing hormones, and increasing vaginal lubrication. Maca is also rich in Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, iron, and copper. Dosing typically includes taking 3 mg per day to improve sexual function.
Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense) – Red Clover is an isoflavones, meaning that it comes from a species of plants that have estrogen-like effects on the body, and thus, has been shown to help improve troublesome menopausal symptoms in some women. Red Clover may also help boost sex drive in some women. According to one article from Obstetrics and Gynecology International, post-menopausal women who took 80 mg of red clover over a 12-week period reported improvements in sexual libido, as well as mood and sleep quality. Red Clover may be a suitable alternative for some women who prefer an alternative to hormone replacement therapy.
Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris) – Nicknamed the “aphrodisiac plant”, Tribulus has been shown to treat all phases of sexual dysfunction, including sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, and decreasing vaginal pain through increasing vaginal lubrication. Tribulus is typically dosed as low as 7.5mg per day in pre-menopausal women and 750mg/day in post-menopausal women.
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) – Fenugreek has been shown to help improve sexual desire, arousal, and possibly orgasm by increasing both testosterone and estrogen hormones in women. Fenugreek is a popular and widely used supplement in both western and eastern cultures and has the added benefit of treating various other health concerns (typically used off-label), including promoting lactation, type II diabetes control, treating painful menstrual periods, and improving acid reflux. In regard to treating sexual dysfunction, dosing typically includes 300 mg twice a day.
Nutritional & Lifestyle Counseling
As the saying goes, You are what you eat! Certain unhealthy foods can not only lead to weight gain and inflammation but can also adversely affect your sex drive and contribute to sexual dysfunction. Such foods, including processed foods, sugary beverages, as well as alcohol and other chemical substances, can all create shifts in hormone levels or reduce blood flow to your sex organs, which may contribute to sexual dysfunction. At Embodied Wellness, we help support your sexual health journey through nutritional support and lifestyle changes for optimal results.
Sex Therapist
When appropriate, we may recommend working with a certified sex therapist who can work with you in discovering root causes to sexual dysfunction, which may not be explained by decreased hormone levels or other medical causes. General therapy may also be appropriate if there are other issues or concerns that impact your sexual function. Any one of these services may be the perfect complement to improving your sexual health.
Learn more about all the ways Embodied Wellness can help address your sexual health concerns. Give us a call today at 1-888-843-2038 and schedule your free consultation today.