Body & health

Sexual dysfunction

Alsosexual difficultiessexual problemssexual health problemssex problems

Not yet reviewed by a clinician. This health entry was written from the public-health sources listed below and is general information only. It is not medical advice.

Definition

Sexual dysfunction is a broad term for persistent problems with desire, arousal, orgasm or pain that cause a person distress.

At a glance

  • Sexual dysfunction covers persistent problems with desire, arousal, orgasm or pain.
  • The key element is that the problem causes the person distress.
  • Examples include low desire, erectile dysfunction, early or delayed ejaculation and pain during sex.
  • These issues are very common at some point in life.
  • Causes can be physical, psychological and relational, and often overlap.

In detail

Examples include low desire, difficulty becoming aroused, erectile dysfunction, early or delayed ejaculation, difficulty reaching orgasm, and pain during sex. These issues are very common at some point in life and can have physical, psychological and relational causes that often overlap.

The key word is distress: having less sex than others, or a different pattern, is not a disorder in itself. Doctors, sexual health clinics and sex therapists can help identify causes, which may include medications, hormonal changes, chronic illness, stress or past trauma.

In a sentence

  • The clinic has a team that specialises in sexual dysfunction after cancer treatment.
  • The article explained that having less sex than others is not sexual dysfunction in itself.

Not to be confused with

  • Asexual

    Asexuality is a sexual orientation, not a dysfunction or a problem to be treated.

Common questions

Is having little sex a sexual dysfunction?

Not in itself. Having less sex than others, or a different pattern, is not a disorder. The term applies when a persistent problem with desire, arousal, orgasm or pain causes the person distress.

Who can help with sexual dysfunction?

Doctors, sexual health clinics and sex therapists can help identify causes, which may include medications, hormonal changes, chronic illness, stress or past trauma, and suggest suitable treatment.

Related terms

Sources

  1. Planned ParenthoodSexual Dysfunction
  2. MedlinePlusSexual Problems in Women
  3. MedlinePlusSexual Problems in Men