A 1999 survey at the University of Chicago, Department of Sociology, on 3,000 American men and women aged 18 to 59 revealed that 31 percent of men and 43 percent of women experience some degree of sexual dysfunction. Some 22 percent of those women had low sexual desire, 14 percent had arousal or lubrication difficulties, and 7 percent complained of sexual pain. Sexual difficulties appeared to occur in the less educated, unmarried, and sexually abused women. Sexual dysfunction was associated with negative experiences in relationships, low rate of happiness, and overall well-being. These negative impacts appeared to be much more severe for women than for men due to the closer relationship between the physical and the psychosocial aspects of sexuality.

Up to 70% of couples have a problem with sex at some time in their relationships. Most women will have sex that doesn’t feel good at some point in her life. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have a sexual problem.

If you don’t want to have sex or it never feels good, you might have a sexual problem. Discuss your concerns with your doctor.

Stages that a woman goes thru to have sex!

A woman’s sexual cycle is usually divided in to four stages: desire, arousal (excitement), orgasm, and resolution.

Desire is the development of the energy that allows an individual to initiate sexual activity or respond to sexual stimuli. In both sexes desire originates in the limbic system of the brain primarily in the hippocampus and the preoptic nuclei. These areas are dopamine sensitive excitatory centers and serotonin sensitive inhibitory centers. Testosterone, the male hormone, maintains the responsiveness of these centers in both males and females. Desire is also affected and modulated by connections with other areas of the brain such as those involved in emotional closeness and intimacy. A total of these positive and negative influences generates neurological impulses that pass down the spinal cord to the reflex centers that govern excitement and orgasm.

The next stage, excitement or arousal, is caused by spinal cord release of parasympathetic nerve impulses traveling along the pelvic nerves to the uterovaginal plexus. The result is vascular engorgement of the clitoris, which results in lengthening and thickening of the clitoral organ, vasodilatation of the perivaginal blood supply causing transudation of fluid through the vaginal epithelium which appears to the partners as “wetness” or “lubrication.”

Estrogen is required for this transudation and results in lubrication by maintaining the health of the vaginal mucosa. Continued vasocongestion of the vagina causes blood sequester in the upper half of the vagina leading to ballooning of the distal portion and elevation of the uterus. The excitement phase also causes vasodilatation in the breasts leading to increased breast size, nipple erection, and engorgement of the surrounding areola. Pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rates increase and muscle tension throughout the body also increases. A sexual flush causing redness and erythema of the face, neck, chest, and frequently much of the body occurs in 75 percent of women. Pelvic and extragenital changes culminate in the “Plato phase” of the excitement stage where the clitoris retracts beneath its protective foreskin or hood. Vasocongestion occurs in the outer-third of the vagina with swelling to form the so called “orgasmic platform.”

Orgasm is characterized by maximum physical and emotional excitement. This is accompanied by a series of involuntary contractions of the rectal and urethral muscles as well as the uterus. Orgasm is a reflex and requires the woman to relinquish her sense of control and in addition for the orgasmic response to be activated stimulation primarily of the clitoris must be applied and must be of sufficient intensity and duration to reach the threshold for this reflex. Masters and Johnson showed that female orgasm almost always involves clitoral stimulation.

The last stage is resolution in which blood flow and pelvic congestion along with bodily tensions resolves within seconds unless the woman returns to orgasm. Females do not always fall back to the low excitement stage and many women are capable of returning to excitation with stimulation that can rapidly produce a repeat orgasm. Whether the orgasmic experience is multiple or single, resolution of all excitement phase changes may take one hour or longer in contrast to men.

What Is Female Sexual Dysfunction?

Female sexual dysfunction simply implies persistent or recurrent problems encountered in one or more of the stages of sexual response. It’s not considered a sexual disorder unless you’re distressed about it or it negatively affects your relationship with your partner. Female sexual dysfunction isn’t uncommon — many women experience problems with sexual function at some point in their lives. Female sexual dysfunction can be a lifelong problem, or it can happen later in life after you’ve experienced a period of satisfactory functioning, so female sexual dysfunction occurs in women of all ages.

So what are the symptoms of female sexual dysfunction?

You can develop female sexual dysfunction at any age, but many times it is the result of hormonal imbalance and that can happen at any age but it is most predominant in people as they get older. Sexual concerns may also occur with major illness, such as cancer or cardiovascular disease.

Types of female sexual dysfunction:

Doctors and sex therapists generally divide sexual dysfunction in women into four categories. These are:

Low Sexual Desire
You have poor libido, or lack of sex drive. This is the most common type of sexual disorder among women.

Sexual Arousale Disorder
Your desire for sex might be intact, but you’re unable to become aroused or maintain arousal during sexual activity.

Orgasm Disorder
You have persistent or recurrent difficulty in achieving orgasm after sufficient sexual arousal and ongoing stimulation.

Sexual Pain
You have pain associated with sexual stimulation or vaginal contact.

Causes Of Female Sexual Dysfunction

A few factors that may cause or contribute to female sexual dysfunction:

Physical
Physical conditions that may cause or contribute to sexual problems include arthritis, urinary or bowel difficulties, pelvic surgery and trauma, fatigue, headaches, neurologic disorders such as multiple sclerosis, and untreated pain syndromes.

Depression
Depression is a serious disease that affects twice as many women as men, usually between the ages of 18 and 44. It can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, severe stress, grief, family history, emotional conflict or any combination of these factors. Depression often causes a loss of interest in sex as well as function.

Hormones
Menopause can affect women’s sexual functioning during midlife. Estrogen deficiency after menopause may lead to changes in your genitals and in your sexual response.

FemXL For A Better Sex Life
FemXL was formulated not to help women suffering from FSD, but for all women that are looking for a better overall sexual experience. Regardless of whether you suffer from FSD or not, if you wish to have a better overall sex life, then FemXL is the right product for you.

In a previous post we talked about understanding female sexual dysfunction, the stages that a woman goes thru the sexual cycle and on another post we talked about the different types of female sexual dysfunction, their causes and in this post we will talk about some of the things we can do to remedy female sexual dysfunction!

If desire is the problem, try changing your usual routine. Try having sex at different times of the day, or try a different sexual position.

Arousal disorders can often be helped if you use a vaginal cream or sexual lubricant for dryness. If you have gone through menopause, talk to your doctor about taking estrogen or using an estrogen cream.

If you have a problem having an orgasm, you may not be getting enough foreplay or stimulation before actual intercourse begins. Extra stimulation (before you have sex with your partner) with a vibrator may be helpful. You might need rubbing or stimulation for up to an hour before having sex. Many women don’t have an orgasm during intercourse. If you want an orgasm with intercourse, you or your partner may want to gently stroke your clitoris. Masturbation may also be helpful, as it can help you learn what techniques work best for you.

If you’re having pain during sex, try different positions. When you are on top, you have more control over penetration and movement. Emptying your bladder before you have sex, using extra lubrication or taking a warm bath before sex all may help. If you still have pain during sex, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you find the cause of your pain and decide what treatment is best for you.

What else can I do?
Learn more about your body and how it works. Ask your doctor about how medicines, illnesses, surgery, age, pregnancy or menopause can affect sex.

Practice “sensate focus” exercises where one partner gives a massage, while the other partner says what feels good and requests changes (example: “lighter,” “faster,” etc.). Fantasizing may increase your desire. Squeezing the muscles of your vagina tightly (called Kegel exercises) and then relaxing them may also increase your arousal. Try sexual activity other than intercourse, such as massage, oral sex or masturbation.

What about my partner?
Talk with your partner about what each of you like and dislike, or what you might want to try. Ask for your partner’s help. Remember that your partner may not want to do some things you want to try, and you may not want to try what your partner wants. You should respect each other’s comforts and discomforts. This helps you and your partner have a good sexual relationship. If you feel you can’t talk to your partner, your doctor or a counselor may be able to help you.

If you feel like your partner is abusing you, tell your doctor.

A Better Sex Life With FemXL
FemXL was formulated not to help women suffering from FSD, but for all women that are looking for a better overall sexual experience. Regardless of whether you suffer from FSD or not, if you wish to have a better overall sex life, then FemXL is the right product for you.