Sexual Dysfunction Specialist

What is sexual dysfunction?

Sexual dysfunction means having problems with intercourse that affect your ability to participate or limit your enjoyment of sex.

Both women and men can experience sexual dysfunction. Some issues, like reduced libido, affect both men and women, while others are specific to one sex or the other.

What male sexual dysfunctions are there?

Some of the more common types of male sexual dysfunction include:

Premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is the experience of being unable to prevent yourself from ejaculating too quickly. This can happen very soon after penetration or even before.

Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or keep an erection when you want to have sex.

Priapism

Priapism is when you have an erection that won’t go down, which can become painful.

Peyronie’s disease

Peyronie’s disease develops when scar tissue called plaque is in your penis, making it curve when you have an erection.

What female sexual dysfunctions are there?

One of the most common problems affecting women is painful sex. This could be due to issues like:

• Lack of arousal
• Vaginal dryness
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Women can also have a condition called vaginismus that causes the vagina to squeeze shut or go into spasm before intercourse.

Women can also suffer from orgasmic disorders. These make it difficult and sometimes impossible to reach a satisfying climax. You might even experience pain when having an orgasm.

What causes sexual dysfunction?

Sexual dysfunction has multiple causes. Some are psychological because your mind plays a vital role in arousal and enjoyment of sex. Others are physical.

Both men and women can have hormonal imbalances that result in sexual dysfunction. Men can experience a drop in testosterone levels, sometimes known as andropause. Women can suffer fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels during their reproductive years, and changes in libido during menopause, when hormone levels fall permanently.

Although they have significantly lower levels of testosterone than men, women can also suffer problems if their levels are too low. Other causes of sexual dysfunction include:

• Antidepressant medication
• High blood pressure and/or medicine for its treatment
• Poor overall health
• Blood vessel disorders
• Nerve damage
• Alcohol and drug use
• Depression
• Stress and anxiety
• Diabetes
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• Incontinence
• Dystonia

Whatever the cause of your sexual dysfunction, the experts at the Center for Female and Male Sexual Medicine can recommend a suitable treatment program.

The first step is to diagnose the problem, which could involve having blood tests and physical and psychological assessments. You might need to undergo procedures such as diagnostic imaging tests or a prostate exam (men) or colposcopy (women) to check for signs of physical disorders.

How are sexual dysfunctions treated?

Treatments available at the Center for Female and Male Sexual Medicine for male sexual dysfunction include:

• Medication
• Sex therapy
• Erectile dysfunction (ED) therapy
• Xiaflex® for Peyronie’s disease
• Penile prosthesis
• Shockwave therapy for ED

Shockwave therapy is a noninvasive in-house treatment that uses no needles or medication and causes no pain.

Women can benefit from treatments such as:

• Urogynecological rehabilitation
• Medication (female Viagra®)
• Sex therapy
• O-Shot®

Both men and women can benefit from hormone therapy if their sexual dysfunction is due to a hormone imbalance.

If you’re experiencing any form of sexual dysfunction, call the Center for Female and Male Sexual Medicine today or book an appointment online.