Months passed and she completely lost interest in sex, which had been a
once-a-week affair before she got busy. Soon she even stopped getting wet. When
she did try to go along with her lover, it was so painful, she bled. Then she
didn't bleed any more as her periods stopped. She was suffering from what's
called Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD), an ailment affecting a growing number
of women, especially those under enormous stress.
FSD is being used to describe the situation where women are unable to obtain
satisfaction from sex. Women are often in a passive situation when it comes to
sex, and many of those with FSD often have to engage in the act even when they
don't want to. FSD is often compared to impotence in men, but while the flaccid
fellas can be treated with a variety of drugs, physicians are having a hard
time dealing with FSD or even getting people to understand it.
Genichi Nozue, a doctor with the Japan Society of Sexual Science, says that FSD
follows three distinct stages: 1) decline of libido; 2) irregularities in blood
flowing to different tissues in the body; and 3) lack of orgasm. Vaginal spasms
are also common. Many FSD patients are rape victims or have suffered from some
other kind of sexual trauma.
Of these symptoms, the one causing most of the problems with understanding has
been the irregularities in blood flow. Normally, sexual stimulation gets blood
flowing to all sorts of places, which sparks hormonal discharges that prepare
the vagina for sex and allows for smooth intercourse. But when this doesn't
happen, sex can literally become a real pain in the you-know-where.
"Mental effects such as stress can be brought about really easily in women by
the effects of a partnership," Nozue tells AERA. "Each stage of a woman's
sexual reaction is far more complex than those stages are with men."
Seiko Kamano, a counselor for troubled couples, says sex can be tough for
women.
"Men can have sex any time they have desire," she says. "But women need to
understand and trust their partner before they can obtain any sort of sexual
satisfaction."
Nozue, meanwhile, argues that there may be some hope in store for FSD
sufferers.
"In our recent society meetings there have been reports of how Viagra has been
effective in improving the flow of blood in tissues within women's bodies," the
doctor tells AERA. "Many women may be thinking about whether FSD is really
something they should consult a physician about, but women need counseling
first. They shouldn't shut things up inside themselves, but instead talk to
someone else about their concerns."
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