Sexual health is as important as any other type of health, like physical health, mental health, spiritual health, or financial health.Because it enables people to take control of their reproductive health and the mental wellbeing associated with their interpersonal relationships, sexual health is significant. A sexually healthy person interacts with all genders in appropriate and respectful ways, and can freely talk about sexual activities with their partner before they occur, including limits and contraceptives. They avoid exploitative relationships, and accept the refusal of sex without hostility or feeling insulted.
Depression or anxiety, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, neurological conditions, gynecological conditions such as vulvovaginal atrophy, and psychological stress are among the major risk factors of sexual dysfunctions. Low testosterone levels in men can result in a lack of sexual desire, while hormonal changes and menopause can lower sexual desire in women. Certain medications, relationship problems, sexual inhibitions, and high blood pressure can also result in sexual dysfunction.
Reasons for sexual disorders
Your sexual health can be influenced due to many reasons like your upbringing, culture, societal expectations, and religion. There are many wellness conditions that may impede your sex life, like erectile dysfunction and reproductive tract infections (RTIs). The phases of the sexual response cycle are resolve, orgasm, plateau, and stimulation. Sexual disorders can occur due to a lack of desire for sex (desire disorder), around disorder wherein an individual becomes incapable of arousing physically during sexual activity, pain disorder that results in pain during intercourse, and orgasm disorder, characterized by delay or absence of climax.
Symptoms of sexual disorders
Symptoms of sexual dysfunctions may vary in men and women. Men may not be able to achieve a hard penis suitable for intercourse. They may experience retarded ejaculation despite enough sexual stimulation, or have premature ejaculation. A woman can lose her ability to achieve orgasm, or there couldn’t be sufficient vaginal lubrication before and during intercourse. She may also lose her ability to relax the vaginal muscles enough to allow intercourse.
Physical and psychological causes of sexual dysfunctions
Sexual dysfunctions may be caused due to physical or psychological causes. Health conditions like diabetes, hormonal imbalance, chronic diseases such as kidney or liver failure, and drug abuse can result in sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction can stem from psychological factors such as anxiety and stress at work, marital relationship issues, guilt, and body image issues.Inadequate lubrication and tense vaginal muscles can make penetration painful, while involuntary vaginal muscle spasms can make the intercourse hurtful.
Paraphilias is when a person has a persistent sexual interest in inanimate objects or activities. Pedophilic disorder is when you have a persistent sexual attraction toward a child. In voyeuristic disorder, the person feels a chronic urge to observe a person naked, undress, or engage in sexual activities without their consent. Someone suffering from sexual masochism disorder experiences sexual pleasure by inflicting extreme pain, suffering or humiliation of another person.
If you are on medications, you may experience medication-induced sexual dysfunction. Heavy alcohol can also reduce sexual arousal in both men and women. Antidepressants and blood pressure medications can also cause sexual dysfunction in the individuals taking these medications for a long.
Treating sexual disorders
Sexual dysfunction can be treated using medications. Men and women with hormone deficiencies may benefit from hormone shots or pills. For men, drugs including sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and avanafil (Stendra) may help in improving erectile dysfunction. Penile implants may help a man experiencing erectile dysfunction maintain an erection. Dilators may help women experiencing narrowing of the vagina. Sex therapists can address sexual dysfunction issues which cannot be treated by primary healthcare providers.