Spark up a ‘merry and bright’ romance for the holidays and 2019!

Whether it’s the mistletoe, crackling fireplace, or bringing in the New Year …there’s something about the holidays that lends itself to romance.  But, for many women (48.2%…to be exact), female sexual dysfunction (the female equivalent of erectile dysfunction) is a barricade to a healthy sex life. 

A lot of times we chalk up our decreased libido to “a normal part of aging” or “being married a long time…losing that honeymoon feeling,”; however, if it’s bothering you and you wish that you could get that “spark” back…you can!

Lynn B., a 63 year old female, came to the office expressing concern about “decreased libido”.  She had been placed on hormone replacement therapy by previous providers and her lab values were within normal range; however, her libido had not improved and, in fact, it was affecting her relationship with her spouse and they had not had intercourse in over 6 months.  A physical exam revealed that she not only suffered from severe vaginal atrophy but also significant clitoral retraction. (The clitoris is the female sexual appendage and thereby the equivalent to the penis in a male. If a woman does not have clitoral stimulation then it  is often very difficult for her to achieve an orgasm.) A plan of care consisted of use of topical estrogens and testosterone vaginally. The patient was educated on how to apply this medication for 2 months and after 2 months the patient was happy to report that she is enjoying intercourse again with no further libido issue!

This is an extremely common scenario, but it definitely doesn’t stop there…other common problems include painful intercourse, inability to achieve orgasm, low/absent sexual arousal, and aversion to sex.  And, while having just one of these issues is more than enough to deal with, 23.2% of women surveyed had two or more forms of sexual dysfunction.  The great news is that we can address almost all of these issues successfully!

Many times, a simple plan of hormonal cream and exercises can fix the problem. Other times, trigger point injections are the key.  And, then, some cases are more complex ~ addressed through combination therapies, counseling, and/or surgery.  Many times, the treatment can be fully completed in the office, other times, we work in conjunction with a counselor and/or specialty surgeon. 

Above all, the main thing that I want women to remember is that you aren’t alone ~ whatever the problem may be, we are here to help and all patient care is completed privately and confidentially.

If you are experiencing any of the issues above, or any others that you are concerned about, I encourage you to call our office (941-926-4905) , come to our upcoming seminar, email us (info@therenewalpoint.com), or contact us through our website TheRenewalPoint.com. 

This holiday season and new year, let us help you bring the merry and bright back to your sex life! 

Source: Helena Williams, ARNP, MS, is a Board Certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner at The Renewal Point. With an extensive background in integrative medicine, Helena works together with her patients to create a holistic and individualized approach, in order to bring them to an optimal quality of life. Her specialties include Female Sexual Dysfunction, Bio-identical Hormone Balancing, Metabolic Weight Loss, Medical Aesthetics, IV Therapy, Nutritional Therapy, and NeuroAdrenal Balancing.

References:

Yale School of Medicine and Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Cleveland Clinic