The Facts About Female Sexual Arousal Disorder - Sexual Health Center - Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Sexual Health The Facts About Female Sexual Arousal Disorder Does the thought of sex leave you worried instead of worked up? You may be one of the millions of women who experience female sexual arousal disorder, which involves a stubborn libido and trouble becoming aroused. Here are the signs. By Marie SuszynskiMedically Reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPHReviewed: June 29, 2011Medically ReviewedThe average American adult has sex 120 times a year (that’s 2.3 times per week!), according to the recent “Sex Census,” a national survey taken by the condom maker Trojan. Still, the survey found that 63 percent of Americans wish they were having even more sex. For some women, however, having more sex isn’t as easy as it sounds. In a recent study of 3,005 Americans age 57 and older — 1,550 of them women, half of the women surveyed said they dealt with at least one sexual problem. Low sexual desire was most common, but problems with vaginal lubrication came in second, reported by 39 percent of respondents. Another survey found that about 20 percent of women say they don’t have enough vaginal lubrication when they’re having sex. What’s the deal? Women who have trouble getting sexually aroused may have a condition called female sexual arousal disorder. The hallmarks of this sex disorder include low libido and difficulty experiencing the physical sensations of sexual arousal, says psychologist and sex therapist Stephanie Buehler, PsyD, author of Sex, Love, & Mental Illness: A Couple’s Guide to Staying Connected and director of the Buehler Institute in Irvine, Calif. But a lack of female arousal is not something you have to live with, and you shouldn’t be too embarrassed to discuss it with your doctor. If you’re having problems becoming aroused, your first step is to find out what could be causing this sex disorder so you can resolve it. Female Sexual Arousal Disorder Basics The medical definition of female sexual arousal disorder is usually described as a lack of genital swelling and lubrication before and during sex or being unable to maintain swelling and lubrication. Under normal circumstances, sexual stimulation leads to an increase in blood flow to the genitals, which makes the labia and vaginal wall swell and the vagina to become lubricated; the vagina also gets bigger in order to accommodate a penis. Several neurotransmitters and hormones are released to allow blood to flow to the genitals and help female arousal along. The brain plays a key role — sexually charged images in the brain cause several neurochemicals to be released, including serotonin and dopamine. The brain is so powerful that sexual images alone — outside of physical stimulation, — can make some women reach orgasm. It’s this complicated interplay that makes it hard to diagnose and treat female arousal disorders. A variety of physical, emotional, and cultural issues can inhibit arousal, along with difficulties with your relationship. Because female sexual arousal disorder overlaps with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, psychiatrists are considering combining the two disorders into one called female interest/arousal disorder, Buehler says. Why Women Are Affected by Sexual Arousal Disorder The hormonal changes that occur during menopause (which can cause vaginal dryness and other symptoms), medications like chemotherapy, and medical conditions can all cause problems with arousal. Since arousal is also a psychological, subjective experience, Buehler says that the biggest reasons women have arousal problems are because they don’t understand how their bodies work, they can’t communicate what they want to their partners, and their partners aren’t very good at arousing them. “Many women don’t realize that their body needs foreplay in order to feel sexual excitement,” she says. Instead, some women think moving forward with intercourse is all they need to become aroused and have an orgasm. Men also operate under this kind of thinking. “The biggest complaint from women about men, in my office, is that their partner has poor lovemaking technique,” Buehler says — their partner is not helping them become aroused. There are other psychological issues that may be stopping a woman from becoming aroused, Buehler says, such as:Sexual abuse or other trauma in her past (which makes her physically numb)A strict religious upbringing that causes her to have negative thoughts about being sexualA negative body image or feeling embarrassed by expressing sexual pleasureA mental illness such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and alcoholism, among others Female Sexual Arousal Disorder: What the Future Holds Drug makers have been trying to find a “female Viagra,” a pill that could help raise a woman’s libido and help with arousal the way Viagra helps men with erectile dysfunction. One drug manufacturer proposed that a depression medication called flibanserin be approved for women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. But a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel recently ruled that its benefits weren’t enough strong enough to overcome concerns about side effects. “In women, these problems are rarely caused by a brain dysfunction,” adds Buehler. While the approval of a female arousal pill may not be on the horizon, there is help available in the form of sex therapy. Once you’ve ruled out physical causes, seeing a certified sex therapist should be a key part of your treatment, Buehler says. When you work on the issues, you may find that sexual arousal is not so elusive after all. Learn more in the Everyday Health Sexual Health Center. NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Sexual Health Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The Latest in Sexual Health The Four Best At-Home STD Tests of 2022 At-home STD tests offer accurate results, and in some cases post-diagnosis care, without the need to leave your home. 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