Sexual arousal disorders

[Jessica]

Sexual arousal disorders involve a lack of response to sexual stimulation—mental or emotional (subjective), physical (such as swelling, tingling, or throbbing in the genital area or vaginal wetness), or both.

Depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, stress, and relationship problems can interfere with sexual arousal.
Improving the relationship and the settings for sexual activity and identifying what stimulates the woman sexually can help.

Usually, when women are sexually stimulated, they feel sexually excited mentally and emotionally. They may also be aware of certain physical changes. For example, the vagina releases secretions that provide lubrication (causing wetness). The tissues around the vaginal opening (labia) and the clitoris (which corresponds to the penis in men) swell, the breasts swell slightly, and these areas may tingle.
In sexual arousal disorders, the usual types of sexual stimulation (such as kissing, dancing, watching an erotic video, and touching the genitals) do not cause arousal—mentally or emotionally (subjectively), physically, or both.
Sometimes physical responses occur, but women do not notice them.
In genital arousal disorder (a type of sexual arousal disorder), stimulation that does not involve the genitals (such as watching an erotic video) makes women feel aroused, but when the genitals are stimulated (including during intercourse), women are unaware of any physical responses or physical pleasure. As a result, genital stimulation and sexual intercourse are unrewarding and possibly difficult and painful.