Sex is undeniably one of the most enjoyable, and exciting action in your life. No amount of discomfort should come in the way of having a good sexual experience. Understanding, mental stability and cooperation between two individuals serve as the basis for a happy relationship. However, many face discomfort over sex and that can strain your relationship with your partner. Sexual dysfunction among people, increasingly females pose a threat to their relationship with their respective partners. While an emotional connection is considered to be necessary to retain a relationship, physical closeness is equally important. Studies suggest that most relationships suffer silently due to unspoken sexual problems between the couple.
What is sexual dysfunction?

In medical terms, recurrent sexual problems like lack of sexual desire, orgasm or pain during intercourse can be classified under female sexual dysfunction. These problems can occur during any phase of the sexual response cycle i.e the sequence of emotional and physical changes that a person encounters when sexually aroused. This restricts the couple from experiencing utmost satisfaction from sexual activity-something that they should enjoy variably.

Any woman can face it any age in their life. Sometimes, you may not know it, but it has already crept inside your mind. Sexual dysfunction can occur due to problems in the sexual response cycle and those include a complex interplay of psychological, emotions, experiences, lifestyle and relationships. Believe it or not, personal beliefs can also contribute a huge part in this.
Many consider it an embarrassing and private topic to discuss and hence, problems like these go unnoticed. Researches have found out that approximately 43% of women face sexual dysfunction while 31% of men have reported only some level of difficulty.

What causes sexual dysfunction?

Such issues mostly arise when the body’s hormones have gone astray i.e when you conceive a baby or during menopause. It can be due to psychological or physical problems. However, the following factors have a greater effect on sexual dysfunction:

Physical causes

Major illnesses like cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, bladder problems or any heart-related disease can also contribute to sexual dysfunction. Medication that comprises some antidepressants, blood pressure medications, antihistamines and chemotherapy drugs, can decrease your sexual desire and your body's ability to experience orgasm. So it advisable to strictly consult the doctor while taking these medicines.

Hormonal causes

During menopause, women’s bodies release lower estrogen levels that can change the genital tissues and alter sexual responsiveness. This results in decreased blood flow to the pelvic region which doesn’t give off much genital sensation, as well as the time to build arousal and reach orgasm. The vaginal lining can also possibly become thinner and less elastic if you're not sexually active. This can lead to painful intercourse, also known as dyspareunia. During birth or breast-feeding can also decrease hormonal levels and thus, there’s less sexual desire.

Psychological causes

Anxiety or depression are considered a major cause of sexual dysfunction, as it may involve extreme stress or a history of emotions or sexual abuse. Pregnant women often stress about giving birth and their rapid bodily changes also result in similar effects. If you have issues or frequent fights with your partner, chances are that you have less sexual activity between you both.

When to see a doctor?

When you realise that you and your partner fight over sexual problems, it’s a cue that you should check with the doctor right away. For some, it may not be a huge problem, but for some others, immediate medical and therapeutic treatment is required.

Medical treatment includes Estrogen Therapy, Ospemifene, Androgen Therapy and more. These are hormonal induced treatments that can improve the vaginal tone, increase elasticity and vaginal blood flow, enhance lubrication and increase sexual desire.

Therapitacil solutions like communication, maintenance of healthy lifestyle habits or visiting a sex therapist can be other options for women facing sexual dysfunction. You may feel embarrassed to come up and talk about your private problems but truth be told, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Why stop yourself from getting maximum pleasure?