Male and female sexual dysfunction can be a really serious problem, affecting the wellness and wellbeing of otherwise perfectly healthy people. In men, it can include things like impotence or erectile dysfunction (being unable to get or maintain an erection) or something like premature ejaculation, where a man ejaculates far more quickly than would normally be expected. It usually means that he comes/ejaculates within two minutes of penetration and can be linked to being very aroused but can also be a problem when it becomes a regular thing.
Male sexual dysfunction can be caused by various things, including diabetes, drugs and alcohol, raised cholesterol, psychological problems around sex and low testosterone. Men who are worried about sexual dysfunction should see their GP asap or go to a sexual health clinic to undergo testing for underlying causes. If there are no physical causes found, they may need to seek some form of sexual counselling.
Female sexual dysfunction is just as common in women and generally includes things like a loss of sexual desire, lack of orgasm during sex, pain during sex or a loss of arousal during sex. Problems get worse as women get older, and can also be linked to excessive drug and alcohol use. In addition, women can have sexual problems as a result of depression, problems within the relationship, heart disease, disorders of the hormones, traumatic previous sexual experiences or a natural drop in testosterone levels.
Women who are experiencing sexual dysfunction should also visit their GP or a sexual health clinic, where they can undergo testing to find out if there are any underlying medical conditions that are causing the problems.
Treatment can involve hormone replacement therapy, the treatment of other conditions (such as depression, heart disease or diabetes) and also sex therapy, if the problem is not a physical one.
