Return to Sexual Problems - Overview

Four of 10 women and three of 10 men experience sexual problems, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The most common problems reported by women were low sexual desire (22 percent), problems with arousal (14 percent), and pain during intercourse (7 percent). Men most commonly reported problems with premature ejaculation (21 percent), erectile dysfunction (5 percent) and low desire (5 percent).

Other key findings include the following:

The prevalence of sexual problems in women tends to decrease with increasing age, except for those who report trouble lubricating. As men get older, however, they are more likely to experience sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction and lack of desire for sex.
Younger women are more likely to experience sexual problems, perhaps due to lack of experience and the greater likelihood that they’re not in a stable relationship (for example single as opposed to married).
Married women and men are at lower risk for sexual problems than their non-married counterparts.
Women and men with lower educational levels report less pleasurable sexual experience and raised levels of sexual anxiety.
Emotional or stress-related problems, as well as financial difficulties, are important risk factors for sexual problems.
Past sexual trauma such as forced sexual contact or sexual assault is associated with long-term sexual problems, whether the person was the victim or aggressor.
Sexual problems are associated with unsatisfying personal experiences and relationships, lack of physical and emotional satisfaction, and low feelings of happiness.
Of course, these results don’t apply to everyone in exactly the same way, but they do create a compelling profile of sexual problems. The authors of the study conclude there is a “strong association between sexual dysfunction and impaired quality of life,” and that sexual dysfunction “warrants recognition as a public health concern.”

Sexual Problems: Why Diagnosis Is Difficult

Return to Sexual Problems - Causes

There is no set definition of what a “normal” sex life is. Individuals and couples vary widely in terms of how often they have sex and what that encounter involves. For some couples, once a week or month or even a few times a year may be perfectly normal. A sexual encounter may not always include intercourse, and each partner may not have an orgasm every time. And nearly everyone goes through periods when interest in sex or the ability to perform is hindered. This lack of a clear standard can make it difficult to diagnose whether or not someone has a “problem.”

The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy uses three phrases that can be helpful in judging whether a difficulty you’re experiencing is actually a problem with sex:

Persistent or recurrent: It isn’t an isolated or occasional event but persists a long time.
Causes personal distress: It upsets you and causes unusual anxiety.
Causes interpersonal problems: It hurts your relationship with your sexual partner.
The latter two categories are the most important. Many people may experience levels of desire or changes in function that don’t cause distress and do not impact their relationships. These changes would not then be considered a problem. However, these same changes may be very stressful for other people or couples and would be considered a sexual problem. Problems vary from person to person.

Another complicating factor is that most sexual problems cannot be traced to one specific cause. Rather, they result from a combination of the physical and the psychological. Proper sexual functioning depends on the sexual response cycle, which includes:

An initial mindset or state of desire.
The flow of blood to the genital areas (erection in men and swelling and lubrication in women) in response to arousal.
Orgasm.
Resolution, or a general sense of pleasure and well-being.
A breakdown in one of the cycle’s phases can be responsible for a sexual problem, and that breakdown can stem from a variety of causes.

Role of diabetes, smoking and other problems

According to the American Medical Association, sexual problems often result from physical conditions such as:

Diabetes
Heart disease
Neurological disorders (such as stroke, brain or spinal cord injury, or multiple sclerosis)
Pelvic surgery or trauma
Side effects of medications
Chronic disease such as kidney or liver failure
Hormonal imbalances
Alcoholism and drug abuse
Heavy smoking
The effects of aging
Psychological causes might include:

Stress or anxiety at work
Concern about performance, marital or relationship problems
Underlying mental disorders such as depression and anxiety
Previous traumatic sexual experience
These sets of causes often “play off” one another. Certain illnesses or diseases can cause people to feel anxious about their sexual performance, which, in turn, can make the problem worse.

When doctors suspect a sexual problem, they usually run a series of diagnostic tests to see if there is any physical cause such as a certain medication, hormonal imbalance, neurological problem or other illness or some other mental disorder such as depression, anxiety or trauma. If any of these causes are found, then treatment will begin. If such underlying problems are ruled out, then the nature of the relationship between the two people must be considered. A sexual problem may be “situational.” That is, the issues are specific to encounters with a certain person in a particular situation. In such cases, therapy is usually recommended for the couple.

If you have suffered from a heart attack, stroke or life threatening arrhythmia (irregular heart rate,Buy Levitra Online) within the last 6 months you should discuss other options with your health professional. It is also advised to avoid these drugs if you have uncontrolled high or low blood pressure or if you experience chest pain with sex.

What Are the Side Effects of Cialis, Levitra and Viagra?
Side effects are not common but they can occur. Side effects can include: Headache, upset stomach or ‘heartburn’, flushing (feeling warm,Buy Levitra Online), nasal congestion, changes in vision (color, glare,Buy Levitra Online), back pain (with Cialis,Buy Levitra Online ).Call your health professional if you experience severe forms of these symptoms or if they do not go away after 4-8 hours.

Warning
Call your health professional or seek emergency treatment immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:rash, painful erection, prolonged erection (longer than 4 hours), fainting chest pain, itching or burning during urination Stop taking these medications and call a health professional or health care provider right away if you experience sudden or decreased vision loss in one or both eyes. A rare vision problem called NAION has been reported by a few men using these drugs. NAION (nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy) causes a sudden loss of eyesight because blood flow is blocked to the optic nerve. People who have a higher chance for NAION include those who: Are over 50 years old
Smoke, have heart diseases, have diabetes, have high blood pressure, have high cholesterol, have certain eye problems

How Should These Drugs Be Stored?
These drugs should be kept in its original container and out of reach of children. Store them away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom,Buy Levitra Online). Discard any medication that has expired or is no longer needed.

Patients taking Cialis, Levitra, or Viagra who experience sudden hearing loss should immediately stop taking the drug and seek prompt medical attention. Those using Revatio should continue taking their medication but should contact their health care provider for further evaluation. Because Revatio is used to treat a potentially life-threatening condition, the FDA does not recommend patients abruptly stop taking this medication but should consult their physician if they experience (buy levitra online) sudden problems with their hearing. A case report in the April 2007 issue of the Journal of Laryngology & Otology involving sudden hearing loss in a man taking Viagra prompted the FDA to search the FDA’s Adverse Events Reporting System for instances of hearing loss and PDE5 inhibitors. The FDA found a total of 29 postmarketing reports of sudden hearing loss, both with and without accompanying ringing in the ears, vertigo, or dizziness. In most of the cases, the hearing loss involved one ear. The hearing loss was either a partial or complete loss of usual hearing. In approximately one third of cases (buy levitra online), the event was temporary. In the remainder, the hearing loss was ongoing at the time of the report or the final outcome was not described.

Although no causal relationship has been demonstrated, the strong relationship between the use of these drugs and sudden hearing loss in these cases warrants revisions to the product labeling for this drug class.