Featured
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Diagnosis
In addition to asking you questions about your medical and sexual history, your doctor may also ask the following:
Perform a pelvic exam. During a pelvic exam, your doctor can
check for signs of physical changes contributing to low sexual desire, such as
thinning of your genital tissues, vaginal dryness or pain-triggering spots.
Recommend testing. Hormone levels and check for thyroid
problems, diabetes, high cholesterol and liver disorders.
Refer you to a specialist. A specialized counsellor or sex
therapist may be able to evaluate better emotional and relationship factors that
can cause low sex drive.
More Information
pelvic exam
treatment
Most women benefit from a treatment approach aimed at the many causes of this condition. Recommendations may include sex education, counselling, and sometimes medication and hormone therapy.
Sex education and counselling
Talking with a sex therapist or counsellor skilled in addressing sexual concerns can help with low sex drive. Therapy often includes education about sexual response and techniques. Your therapist or counsellor will likely provide recommendations for reading materials or couples exercises. Couples counselling that addresses relationship issues may also help increase feelings of intimacy and desire.
medications
Your doctor will want to review the medications you're already taking to see if any of them tend to cause sexual side effects. For example, antidepressants such as paroxetine (Paxil) and fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) may lower sex drive. Switching to bupropion (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL) — a different type of antidepressant — usually improves sex drive and is sometimes prescribed for women with sexual interest/arousal disorder.
Along with counselling, your doctor may prescribe a medication to boost your libido. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved options for premenopausal women include:
Flibanserin (Addyi) is a pill you take once daily at
bedtime. Side effects include low blood pressure, dizziness, nausea and
fatigue. Drinking alcohol or taking fluconazole (Diflucan), a common medication
to treat vaginal yeast infections, can worsen these side effects.
Bremelanotide (Vyleesi) is an injection you give yourself
just under the skin in the belly or thigh before anticipated sexual activity.
Some women experience nausea, which is more common after the first injection
but tends to improve with the second injection. Other side effects include
vomiting, flushing, headache and a skin reaction at the injection site.
These medications aren't FDA-approved for use in postmenopausal women.
hormone therapy
Dryness or shrinking of the vagina, one of the hallmark signs of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), might make sex uncomfortable and, in turn, reduce your desire. Certain hormone medications that aim to relieve GSM symptoms could help make sex more comfortable. And being more comfortable during sex may improve your appetite.
Possible hormone therapies include:
Estrogen. Estrogen is available in many forms, including
pills, patches, sprays and gels. Smaller doses of estrogen are found in vaginal
creams and a slow-releasing suppository or ring. Your doctor can help you understand
the risks and benefits of each form. But, estrogen won't improve sexual
functioning related to hypoactive sexual desire disorder.
Testosterone. The male hormone testosterone plays an essential
role in female sexual function, even though testosterone occurs in much lower
amounts in women. The use of testosterone in women is controversial. Taking it
can cause acne, excess body hair, and mood or personality changes. The FDA disapproves
testosterone for sexual dysfunction in women, but sometimes it's prescribed
off-label to help lift a lagging libido.
Prasterone (Intrarosa). This vaginal insert delivers the
hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) directly to the vagina to help ease
painful sex. You use this medication nightly to relieve
Ospemifene (Osphena). Taken daily, this pill can help
relieve painful sex symptoms in women with moderate to severe GSM. This
medication is not approved for women who have had breast cancer or have a high
risk of developing breast cancer. Read More. digitalfitnessworld
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Popular Posts
Recipes for Delectable Steak and Eggs with Nutrition Information
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps