Better Libido Health
 
Libido means sex drive. The desire for sex varies enormously from one individual to the next, and even within the same individual depending on circumstances. For instance, most new couples experience a ‘honeymoon’ period of plenty of sex that settles down over time. Another example is childbirth, which may leave the new mother too sore or the couple too tired and preoccupied to think about sex. The normal frequency of sexual intercourse (or the desire for intercourse) ranges from every day to once a year or not at all, depending on your preferences. Unless you are concerned about your sex drive, or it is causing problems with your partner, there is no need to seek professional help.
 
The sexual response
The different phases of the sexual response include:
* Excitement phase - sexual excitement begins in the mind, with thoughts and desires for sex. In men, the penis becomes erect. In women, the vagina swells with blood, extends in length and starts secreting a lubricant. For both sexes, breathing becomes deeper, blood pressure rises and the heart rate accelerates.
* Plateau phase - arousal increases. In men, the penis becomes fully erect. In women, the vaginal entrance narrows and the clitoris retracts under its hood.
* Orgasm - for both sexes, the muscles in the pelvic floor start contracting rhythmically. Male orgasm is accompanied by ejaculation.
* Resolution phase - for both sexes, muscle tension dissipates, heart rate and breathing slow, and blood pressure drops back to normal.
 
Female sexual dysfunction
Some of the conditions that can cause changes in female sexual desire include:
* Menopause - the decline in sex hormones can affect a woman’s libido.
* Dyspareunia - painful sexual intercourse.
* Vaginismus - the involuntary (not under the woman’s conscious control) clamping of the vaginal muscles, which makes penetration difficult, if not impossible.
* Pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding - changes in hormones, and particularly the increase in prolactin, may decrease sexual desire.
* Infections - such as thrush or urinary tract infections.
* Orgasm problems - the woman is unable to reach orgasm or to reach it within a reasonable time.
 
Male sexual dysfunction
Some of the conditions that can cause a drop in male sexual desire include:
* Male menopause - as a man ages, his testosterone levels slowly decline. Some researchers believe that reduced sex hormones are linked to decreased libido.
* Impotence - the failure to achieve or sustain an erection sufficient for intercourse.
* Premature ejaculation - a lack of control over ejaculation so that it always happens sooner than the man or his partner would want.
* Retarded ejaculation - the inability to reach orgasm.
 
Other reasons for reduced libido
Some of the many factors that can reduce a person’s desire for sex include:
* Performance anxiety - if someone has experienced, for example, premature ejaculation or painful sex, they may avoid sex for fear of the problem being repeated.
* Fatigue - feeling too tired for sex is a common complaint.
* Lack of time - the demands of work and home life sometimes don’t leave sufficient time for intimacy and sex.
* Familiarity - generally, a couple’s appetite for sex tends to decline in time.
* Relationship problems - if the couple is experiencing difficulties in other areas of their relationship, their sex life may suffer.
* Sexual incompatibility - sexual desire can be affected if one partner continuously wants more sex than the other, or desires a type of intercourse the other isn’t comfortable with.
* Sexual turn-offs - desire for your partner may wane with certain changes in their physical appearance, such as excessive weight gain.
* Depression - marked by lethargy, lack of motivation, feeling sad and withdrawing from activities, including sex.
* Stress - researchers have discovered that stress hormones can dampen sexual desire and response.
* Certain diseases - including anaemia and diseases of the liver or kidneys.
* Certain drugs - including oral contraceptive pills, antidepressants, marijuana, excessive alcohol consumption and medications to control high blood pressure.
* Exercise - either too much or too little can decrease libido.
* Traumatic experience - such as sexual harassment, sexual abuse or rape.
 
Diagnosis methods
If your interest in sex has waned for reasons unknown, your doctor may investigate the condition with a variety of tests including:
    * Physical examination
    * Medical history
    * Blood tests
    * Urine tests
    * Hormone tests.
 
Treatment options
Treatment for reduced libido depends on the cause but may include:
    * Treatment for any underlying disorder
    * Hormone replacement therapy
    * Antidepressants (although a side effect of some antidepressants is reduced libido)
    * Stress management
    * Counselling.
 
Counselling options
If a couple is unsatisfied with their sex life, they can seek professional counselling. Some of the options may include:
    * Learning communication skills to improve the overall quality of the relationship.
    * The attempt to resolve any underlying issues of tension or resentment.
    * Attempts to increase intimacy and physical affection, without necessarily leading to sexual intercourse.
    * Education on different sexual techniques to try.
    * Discussing sexual desires and fantasies together.
    * Strategies to boost each individual’s libido, such as masturbation and fantasising.
 
Where to get help
   * Your doctor
    * Family Planning Victoria Tel. (03) 9257 0100
    * Sex therapist
    * Psychologist
    * Gynaecologist
    * Urologist.
 
Things to remember
    * The desire for sex varies enormously from one individual to the next, and even within the same individual depending on circumstances.
    * Some of the conditions that can cause changes in female sexual desire include menopause, vaginismus and urinary tract infections.
    * Some of the conditions that can cause changes in male sexual desire include impotence, ejaculation problems and the male menopause.
    * Other factors that can reduce a person’s desire for sex include fatigue, lack of time, sexual incompatibility and certain drugs.
    * Treatment options for reduced libido include drugs and counseling.
 
 
 
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