Sexual disorders form part and parcel of the community today. Many men and women in the world over are struggling to get over the consequences of this terrible menace threatening the existence of humanity. Many divorce cases have been as a result of the inability of a partner in a relationship to rise to the occasion when expected to perform bedroom obligations. One of the major types of sexual disorders is the sexual arousal disorder. In this case, the disorder is characterized by starvation or absence of sexual fantasies. In females, the disorder is commonly referred to as female sexual arousal disorder whereas in their male counterparts, the defect is usually referred to as erectile dysfunction (ED). The disorder is the inability to reach or to maintain responses to sexual arousal. The condition should, however, not be confused with sexual desire disorder which is a disorder resulting from a lack of desire for sexual activities. This paper seeks to in-depth analysis of the causes, diagnosis as well as treatment of this disorder.
In males, the disorder is exhibited by inability to maintain an erect and lubricated male sexual organ during sexual a stimulation activity. More often than not, the organ may fail to maintain the turgidity for the time it is needed to take. In females, however, the disorder is displayed by the recurrent inability of the women to maintain to completion of the sexual activity, a lubrication-swelling response during sexual stimulation and or activity. The case of sexual arousal disorder is closely related to other disorders like orgasmic disorder, sexual pain disorders, as well as sexual desire disorders. However, the various cases of the disorder, though similar as it may look, are quite different in experience and signs.
Today, reports point out a worrying trend where it is said that at least every individual has at some point in life struggled with one or more sexual disorders. Sexual arousal disorder is mostly dominant among women with almost twenty percent of the women surveyed have had sexual arousal issue during their lifetime. The figure is more reduced in the males, with only a negligible figure having reported having had arousal and maintenance of the feeling. It goes without saying that men are easily aroused sexually as compared to women because the latter are not psychologically prepared when it comes to sexual stimulation as compared to the former.
The most common symptom of sexual arousal disorder in women include; among others, lack of vaginal lubrication during sexual activity, lowered levels of nipple and genital sensation, decreased swelling in the genital as a result of an arousal, lack of vaginal lengthening. However, uncertainty clouds whether or not physiological arousal forms part of sexual arousal disorder or not. Varied reactions as to the same have been put forward by various doctors and other specialists. Of importance is the fact that research show that women with a sexual arousal deficit, as well as women without the deficit, can both show equivalent responses during experience with erotic stimuli. The obvious consequence of a defect in women is that they will never have an experience of the female orgasm.
Men on the other side exhibit the following symptoms of sexual arousal deficit; recurrent difficulty and or lack of achieving an erection, inability to maintain an a sufficient erection that is adequate for sexual intercourse, delay in ejaculation even after sessions of adequate stimulation, and inability to control the proper timing of ejaculation. The obvious consequence of the disorder in men is that the men will be unable to perform the conjugal obligation as men. Moreover, they will find it extremely difficult to handle their sexual relationships. Research has it that sexual arousal disorder is one of the major contributors of impotence in men. Men who suffer from sexual arousal disorders are more likely to suffer from impotency. The experience is as traumatizing as it is a stressful experience.
A lot of dictums have been propagated as to explain the possible causes of sexual arousal disorder. The most outstanding of them all is the belief that lack of sexual arousal causes this disorder. The mentioned notion is not always the case. Various psychological, as well as emotional factors have been pushed forward as possible causes of the defect. Some of the most dominant factors revolving around sexual arousal disorder include; stress, depression, anger, personal relationship issues such as conflicts, medical factors such as lack of hormones that induce the feeling, and depleted blood flow to certain regions in the body and the nerves. Furthermore, it may be due to the general lack of sexual desires to the partner or a stranger.
A national survey reveals that there is, however slight it may be, a correlation between the person that one is having with sexual relations and sexual arousal. According to Bancroft (2009), many women are not easily sexually attracted to strange men in comparison to sexual attraction of men. Only a mere one percent of the women interviewed said that they would have sex with strangers; whereas a whopping five percent of the men participating in the study said that they would not mind having sex with a total stranger. Prof W. B. White, a renowned psychiatrist, says that sexual arousal begins from the mind. That is to say; one is only sexually stimulated as the mind deems it perfect. This forms the basis of injuries in the genitals of a female victim in the unfortunate event of a rape case. In most cases, the victims are almost always unprepared psychologically for sexual intercourse. In such a case, the victim ends up with tears in the private areas because of inadequate lubrication in the genitalia. Low sexual desire (sexual arousal disorder) may be as a result of the above-mentioned factors or in some instances, general lack of sexual arousal. It may be acquired as one develops in life or may be an inborn, inherited from the parents.
An elaborate diagnosis measure has not yet been established by scientists. However, psychologist may be of invaluable assistance when it comes to the diagnosis of sexual arousal disorder. They will consider if there are any psychological or emotional challenges plaguing the victim before they can go ahead to understand the possible problem facing the victim. Medical doctors also have a critical role to perform when it comes to detecting that one is impotent or if the person is well off sexually. Another individual who may be in a state to diagnose a person suffering from relationship issues thus affecting his or her relationships with others is a psychiatrist. Moreover, doctors can also give a medical reason for the cause the disorder.
Several treatment options are available for victims with sexual arousal disorder. The treatment options are dependent on the cause of the disorder. In most cases, Viagra may be appropriate in boosting the flow of the blood to the penile tissues of a man. However, this form of medication is not always recommended as it is believed that it has got a number of medical side-effects. Bremelanotide, which was formerly known as PT-141, is at the moment on laboratory tests and if approved, will be used in enhancing sexual arousal and desire in women. The preliminary research done on the treatment option showed a positive results. According to Laan, Van and Van (2008), the release of the drug into the market was thwarted because its tests led to excessive bleeding among subjects used in testing for the efficacy of the treatment. The drug was finally launched in 2009 by Palatine that is the company that came up with the drug, announced positive results of the drug devoid of any side-effects.
In conclusion, both men and women equally suffer from sexual arousal defect. In women, the disorder is characterized by lack of lubrication and swelling in her genitals whereas in men the disorder results to a recurrent situation where a man cannot maintain an erection during sexual activity. Psychological factors are the largest contributors of the disorder in victims. Such factors include anger, boredom, and depression. Medical personnel, psychiatrists and psychologists all have a key role in the diagnosis of sexual arousal disorder. There are several sexual disorders; sexual arousal disorder being just one of them. The treatment for this disorder involves administering such drugs like Viagra and Bremelanotide. The former is mostly used by men to boost blood flow to their organ whereas the latter is meant to be used by women.
References
Bancroft, John. Human Sexuality and Its Problems. Amsterdam: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2009.
Laan, E, Driel EL Van and Lunsen RHW Van. "Genital Responsiveness to Healthy Women With and Without Sexual Arousal Disorder." Journal of Sexual Medicine (2008): 1424- 1435.
