female libido

Resolving Anorgasmia

4513 views

A 76-year-old woman was referred to me by her daughter for health and wellness. After a consultation about arthritis, a sleep issue, and some allergies, she shocked me by saying, “I’ve never had an orgasm. Can you fix that?”

“You have two grown children,” I replied in amazement, “and you’ve never had an orgasm?” “Yes,” she reiterated, “Never!”

Every once in a while, female patients would confide in me that they experienced pain with intercourse. My first question was always, “Have you ruled out any medical problems?” Or, “What does your gynecologist say?” Over the years, I’d had good results with eliminating this pain, but rarely had a woman told me she was unable to have an orgasm. It’s simply not part of the chiropractic routine…or it wasn’t, until now.

Dr. Ruth, I need you!

Anorgasmia is the inability to have orgasm, or regular difficulty reaching orgasm after ample sexual stimulation. Approximately 25% of women report difficulties with orgasm, and 10% have never had an orgasm. There are several medical causes for anorgasmia, including cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis; pelvic trauma (i.e. from a fall or accident); hormonal imbalances or menopause; surgeries or medical procedures (i.e. uterine embolization); childbirth trauma; vulvodynia; and the side effects of medication.

In addition, 40% of women have either complained about sexual dissatisfaction or experienced difficulty becoming sexually aroused at some point in their lives. However, the problem is often not of a physical nature. Men can be part of the problem; some are impatient and don’t realize the timing might be different for a woman; others simply don’t know how to satisfy their mate. In such cases, women often don’t say anything or may even fake orgasm to avoid hurting their partner’s feelings.

On the other hand, anorgasmia can also be caused by performance anxiety on the part of the woman. She may worry so much about the pleasure of her partner that she becomes anxious and unable to relax. This delays orgasm, which creates more anxiety, and so on. Then there is a cause that, when I hear of it, always makes me cringe.  It is when a woman tells me she was sexually abused as a child.

Some practitioners believe that inability to have orgasms is caused by an emotional or psychological issue, but my experience is that anorgasmia is a “subconscious energy block,” usually the result of traumatic past experiences. After my patient told me she knew of no medical cause for her problem, I suggested doing kinesiology, a form of muscle testing that I employ to communicate with the body and determine what’s going on. When there is no tangible explanation for a problem, muscle testing can be helpful. Sure enough, within a few minutes, I accessed her as having an energy block. I theorized that if this block was removed, she should no longer have difficulty reaching orgasm.

How do I do this? In my many years as a holistic practitioner, I have learned how to move energy without any force. I do chiropractic without manipulation. Similarly, the treatment for anorgasmia is an extremely gentle spinal tapping procedure called Arthrostim. It uses an electronic pulsing instrument that delivers hundreds of oscillating taps that releases stuck energy. I describe it as acupuncture without the needles.

After two sessions of healing energy, my patient’s wish came true. Her results are not an anomaly, either. Now, when a woman tells me, “I want to have sex, I like sex, but never reach an orgasm,” I first make sure their doctor has ruled out physical problems. If the answer is yes, I then feel comfortable doing this “healing energy” treatment. Usually after a few sessions, any woman can enjoy having orgasms.

To be clear, my approach is a physical release, not “talk it out therapy”; in fact, it rarely involves any discussion at all about what is inhibiting climax.  You don’t need medication, exploratory surgery, psychiatric care, mechanical devices, twelve weeks of kegel exercises, mindfulness training, nutritional supplements, or celery juice, which is all the rage these days, but may take a few years to detox the body. An energetic release, on the other hand, is immediate and specific to the area of the body that needs it.  If you experience discomfort when making love, or having a climax, just know there is a simple process that will quickly and painlessly put this problem to bed.

We Need Your Help

More people than ever are reading Hormones Matter, a testament to the need for independent voices in health and medicine. We are not funded and accept limited advertising. Unlike many health sites, we don’t force you to purchase a subscription. We believe health information should be open to all. If you read Hormones Matter, like it, please help support it. Contribute now.

Yes, I would like to support Hormones Matter.

Sex in a Bottle: the Latest Drugs for Female Sexual Desire

23434 views

The 21st century quest for female sexual satisfaction comes not from romance, courting or even Kama Sutra type sexual prowess, but from the lab. Forget passion, forget lithe bodies moving rhythmically, forget needing to woo a woman, forget having any skill whatsoever in bed; why bother with any of that when you can get sex in a bottle. Every man’s dream right? Apparently, not. Sexual moirés what they are, there is nothing more frightening than a sexually hungry woman. With the newest, and dare I say, pharmacologically most interesting female desire drugs in clinical trials, concern over the potential explosion of female nymphomania is palpable. According to the New York Times reporter covering the story:

“…what if, in trials, a medicine proved too effective?” laments one scientist … and the FDA rejects “an application out of concern that a chemical would lead to female excesses, crazed binges of infidelity, societal splintering.”  

“You want your effects to be good but not too good,” says Andrew Goldstein, who is conducting the study in Washington. “There was a lot of discussion about it by the experts in the room,” he said, recalling his involvement with the development of Flibanserin, “the need to show that you’re not turning women into nymphomaniacs.”

And women, well, they’re not sure whether to jump for joy about the new drugs or bear arms against the 18th century misogynist perspective of female sexuality. I’m pretty certain no one worried about turning men into sex-crazed cads, the 8-hour Viagra induced erections or the potential blindness from said erections. (Fun fact: the same erection promoting enzyme blocked by erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra, Cialis, Levitra is also found in the retina and when blocked excessively can cause blindness). When all was said and done, a good, solid erection was considered beneficial in and of itself, no matter the cost. Lo, get those women going and watch out. Sex crazed and hysterical, they might upset generations of cultural oppression. Unless, of course, it’s used to maintain the monogamy and monotony of marriage, then by all means pop a libido pill.

The Quest for Female Sexual Desire in a Bottle

Sexual politics aside, these new sexual arousal drugs portend great things for the bedrooms of many. Though developed for women, I suspect they will be cross-marketed to men, almost immediately.

Called Lybrido and Lybridos, the two compounds address sexual desire both above and below the belt. These drugs combine a sexy mix of peppermint coated, testosterone to make you horny, coupled with the erection promoting, genital-blood-flow increasing Viagra (Lybrido), plus a boost of adrenaline with an indirect dopamine kicker (Lybridos). If that isn’t a chemical cocktail to promote copulation, I’m not sure what is. It is Lybridos that intrigues me most and here is why.

Motivating the Brain to Want Sex

Sex begins in the brain and there dopamine is king. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter released with all pleasurable activities, licit and illicit. Our brains are hardwired to seek pleasure via the dopamine reward system. Experience a little pleasure, get a boost of dopamine. Get too much dopamine and addictive behavior or psychosis ensue. Too little dopamine and there is no pleasure and no motivation to seek pleasure.

Adding a bit of dopamine to a hormonally primed and engorged sexual response system would seem to facilitate not only the pleasure response associated with the sexual act itself, but would likely increase the chances that future goal directed behavior would be initiated to sustain or repeat the sexual activity – and to take the drug again. And that is why this drug is so cool, but also, potentially addictive.

A Sex Drug and Sex Addiction

Though the crude and frankly misogynist comments about inducing nymphomania warrant scorn, there is a very real possibility that this cocktail could be addictive. Think about it, combining the pleasure of sex with a boost of dopamine is the perfect addiction. Really, who wouldn’t want to have hot sex, repeatedly. And if taking a small dose of the drug increases sexual pleasure to certain degree, then would taking more of the drug increase the pleasure to a greater degree? Can someone overdose on these drugs? (You know someone will try). Conversely, if one takes the drug repeatedly, does the dose necessarily have to increase to maintain the same level of pleasure?

Because Lybridos enhances sex, a pleasurable, dopamine and endorphin releasing activity in its own right, by increasing dopamine while simultaneously enhancing libido and genital sensitivity, the possibilities for addiction are high. Therein lies the rub. Not only could this be the perfect combination of behavioral and pharmacological addiction, but pleasurable sex threatens every puritanically ingrained, social moire we have, for men and women. Create a drug that makes sex more pleasurable, make that drug and that behavior addicting and social structures will change. Perhaps, not such a bad thing.