FAQ

Frequently asked questions that Dr. Gupta has been asked….

1. What is “ Hypoactive sexual desire”?

Hypo-active sexual desire (low libido) is common among women of all ages and lifestyles. Many women are reluctant to speak out about this severely distressing problem. They may feel inhibited by, social or cultural expectations. Sexual intimacy starts to take a back seat until the problem becomes overwhelming and starts to affect their relationships negatively.

2. Does Viagra help increase sexual desire in women?

There has been a proliferation of recent research and clinical interest in sexual pharmacology especially after the advent of Viagra. The launch of Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) for erectile dysfunction was a defining event in modern medicine. However, this did not help resolve the sexual problems that women experience.

3. Who is a “ Sex-therapist” and what is his /her role?

A sex therapist is a professional who, in addition to his/her basic training and qualifications, has extensive training in all aspects of human sexuality and the treatment of sexual dysfunctions and disorders. At FusionGYN, we believe that women who suffer from sexual dysfunction, of any kind, must be evaluated and treated in an environment that affords them the dignity and respect they deserve.

4. How are sexual problems treated in the modern age?

Modern approach to treating these issues includes focusing on desire during sex rather than just initiation of sex and desire for one’s partner rather than desire for sexual behavior. Sexual desire problems are highly responsive to treatment when solved with the right approach.

5. If a woman has painful sex, how can the problem be treated?

The first step is complete physical examination to rule out any physical causes of not wanting to have sex. The signs and symptoms pointing towards physical causes could be pain on entry, pain on penetration or deep-seated pain during intercourse. When a woman experiences pain, she obviously starts avoiding sex and this leads to a vicious cycle of pain, low desire, fear of sex and relationship tribulations.

6. How can a gynecologist help treat sexual dysfunction?

A Gynecologist has some great tools in his/ her armamentarium to help resolve some physical issues like vaginismus and vulvodynia. Each one of these problems involves a step-by-step broken down multi- factorial approach. With ensured compliance and adherence to medical treatment and supportive counseling, there is a high rate of success.

7. How does hormonal health play a role in sexual health?

To desire sex, along with a healthy genital area, a woman must be in good hormonal health. The hormones of desire (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone) must be in the right balance. The partners need to be aware of her erogenous zones and develop comfort in mutual exploration to enjoy health, happy and pain free sex.

8. I have no desire for sex but I try to force myself to engage because my partner wants it and I don’t want to put a damper on our relationship? Is it normal to feel this way?

One cannot simply “ will” oneself to desire for sex. It involves work from the affected person, their partner and the therapist or the physician. Some women will not seek help due to embarrassment. They may feel that guilty because of their inability to enjoy something that is supposed to be pleasurable. Instead of addressing the issue head on, they start avoiding all acts or conversations even remotely related to the sexual act. This affects the intimacy in the relationship and eventually shuts down the communication channels and makes it go down a fatal relationship spiral.

9. I am conflicted if I should always concede to my partners needs or demand attention to my own as well!

It is important to realize that sexual desire problems do not have a singular cause and do not affect only one person in the relationship. Schnarch, who developed a second generation approach to treatment of desire disorders emphasizes that “ high desire” and “ low desire” are two ends of the spectrum in almost every relationship and these positions are indicative of lack of “ differentiation” in a relationship. To simplify, they usually indicate lack of individuality in a relationship, where the person with low desire can knowingly or unknowingly control the nature and frequency of sex.

10. What is the “ sexual crucible approach”?

“Sexual crucible” approach is one of the newer approaches to sex therapy. This focuses on a process called differentiation, which entails maintaining a clear sense of self-while physically and emotionally being close to one’s significant other. Essential to this is the ability to regulate one own anxiety and to develop non-reactivity to other’s anxieties. It is easier for a person to say, “ I don’t like sex” than it is to say, “ I don’t like sex with you.” Once the false persona is in place, the anxiety of inability to set things straight sets in and sexual desire and intimacy typically decline. This is where the “post modern” approach to treatment of sexual desire problems comes into play. A skilled sex therapist can help bring clarity and help resolve the underlying issues.