Sex is a powerful force that is made to bring two people together. It also has benefits in regards to our general health, such as lowering blood pressure, helping to better the immune system, the heart and even our sleep just to name a few. But what happens to a female when both the mood and connection are just right, but their arousal is off?
What is female sexual dysfunction?
Female sexual dysfunction is more common than one might think as it actually affects about 41% of women who are in their child-bearing age. In females, sexual dysfunction is a little bit different than males because it emcompasses a collection of disorders which include: desire, arousal, orgasm and sexual pain.
- Disorder of sexual desire. Lack or loss of sexual desire, aversion and enjoyment.
- Disorder of arousal. Failure of vaginal lubrication with tumescence of the labia or basically meaning swelling of the clitoris.
- Disorder of the orgasm. Lack of reaching an orgasm during sexual activities.
- Sexual pain disorders. Can be divided into two pain types: dyspareunia and vaginismus.
- Dyspareunia is recurrent or persistent pain before, during or after sexual activity.
- Vaginismus is recurrent or persistent spasms or constriction of the muscles surrounding the vaginal outlet. This can be very severe and cause personal distress as women who experience this condition are not able to insert a tampon or even permit the insertion of a speculum for gynecological examinations.
Therefore complications of female sexual dysfunction can be an isssue for women physically, mentally and emotionally. This can not only affect women but also their partners and can ultimately lead to a dysfunction in relationships.
What can cause female sexual dysfunction?
There are several factors that can cause sexual dysfunction in females.
- Physical factors: conditions such as cancer, kidney failure, multiple sclerosis (MS), heart and bladder disease. Certain medications such as antidepressants and blood pressure drugs can also contribute.
- Hormonal factors: low estrogen levels is the main cause, especially after menopause.
- Psychological and social factors: both anxiety and depression can also play a factor in sexual dysfunction.
What is arousal cream and what are the components of it?
Ensuring that there is an actual attraction with their partner and that there are no other conditions that warrant medications or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), arousal cream might be an option for some women. Arousal cream, (also called female arousal cream, Oh Cream and Scream Cream) is a medication that enhances libido in women. Transdermal in nature, arousal cream is meant to be applied to or around the clitoris area before sexual activity.
There are several ingredients that are contained in arousal cream. Aminophylline, L-arginine, sildenafil (active ingredient in Viagra ®), pentoxifylline and occasionally testosterone can be added, to dilate and increase vaginal blood flow during stimulation which aids in the symptoms of sexual dysfunction. Usually the effects can last anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours.
What are the side effects and disadvantages of arousal cream?
Despite the name, arousal cream does NOT cause an orgasm to occur rather it enhances the sexual experience to help actually obtain an orgasm.
Arousal cream is used topically and does not easily absorb into the system. Side effects are minimal but may include: skin irritation, headache, dizziness, and restlessness. This medication has not been fully studied and approved and since it does have to be made at a compounding pharmacy, it may also not be covered by health insurances. Therefore patients will have to pay the normal rates at a compounding pharmacy.
Many people are aware of male sexual disorders as these are more common, widely recognizable and have immense treatment options, however it is important to be well informed of female sexual disorders as they do exists and can this can cause mental and emotional unrest for women. Being the most easily accessible healthcare professional, pharmacists should be both informed about female sexual dysfunction and empathetic while also understanding their causes and any possible treaments and fixes to ensure everyone has a fun, healthy and safe sexual experience.
References:
- Rao, T. S., & Nagaraj, A. K. (2015). Female sexuality. Indian journal of psychiatry, 57(Suppl 2), S296–S302. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.161496
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