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Just as with erectile dysfunction in men, lack of sexual function in women may be treated with hormonal patches or tablets to correct hormonal imbalances, clitoral vacuum pump devices and medication to improve blood flow, sexual sensation and arousal.
Many practitioners today treat both men and women who have SSRI-induced anorgasmia with sildenafil, more commonly known as Viagra. While this approach is known to work well in men with sexual dysfunction, it is only recently that the effectiveness of sildenafil in women with sexual dysfunction is coming to light. A recent study by H. G. Nurnberg et al. showed a complete or very significant reversal of their sexual dysfunction upon taking sildenafil one hour prior to sexual activity. In this study, eight out of the nine women required 50 mg of sildenafil while the 9th woman required 100 mg of sildenafil.
Another option for women who have SSRI-induced anorgasmia is the use of vardenafil. Vardenafil is a type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitor that facilitates muscle relaxation and improves penile erection in men. However, there is much controversy about the efficiency of the drug used in the reversal of female sexual dysfunction. Vardenafil is similar to sildenafil, but vardenafil is less expensive and may be covered under some insurance plans. A study by A.K. Ashton M.D. has shown that in the case of one particular woman, the effects of vardenafil as opposed to sildenafil have not only been comparable in the effectiveness, but that vardenafil is cheaper and reversal of sexual dysfunction requires a smaller dose. So far, vardenafil has been approved by the Food and Drug administration only for use in men.
The NIH states that yohimbine hydrochloride has been shown in human studies to be possibly effective in the treatment of male impotence resulting from erectile dysfunction or SSRI usage (e.g., anorgasmia). Published reports have shown it to be effective in the treatment of orgasmic dysfunction in men.
Cabergoline, an agonist of dopamine D₂ receptors which inhibits prolactin production, was found in a small study to fully restore orgasm in one third of anorgasmic subjects, and partially restore orgasm in another third. Limited data has shown that the drug amantadine may help to relieve SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction. Cyproheptadine, buspirone, stimulants such as amphetamines (including the antidepressant bupropion), nefazodone and yohimbine have been used to treat SSRI-induced anorgasmia. Reducing the SSRI dosage may also resolve anorgasmia problems.
Although there are no approved pharmaceuticals for addressing female sexual disorders, several are under investigation for their effectiveness. A vacuum device is the only approved medical device for arousal and orgasm disorders. It is designed to increase blood flow to the clitoris and external genitalia. Women experiencing pain with intercourse are often prescribed pain relievers or desensitizing agents. Others are prescribed lubricants and/or hormone therapy. Many patients with female sexual dysfunction are often also referred to a counselor or therapist for psychosocial counseling.
The PDE5 inhibitors sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis) are prescription drugs which are taken orally.
A cream combining alprostadil with the permeation enhancer DDAIP has been approved in Canada as a first line treatment for erectile dysfunction.
One of the following medications maybe injected into the penis: papaverine, phentolamine, and prostaglandin E1.
Treatment depends on the cause.
Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise during midlife is effective for preventing ED; exercise as a treatment is under investigation. For tobacco smokers, cessation results in a significant improvement.
Oral pharmacotherapy and vacuum erection devices are first-line treatments, followed by injections of drugs into the penis, and penile implants.
Estrogens are responsible for the maintenance of collagen, elastic fibers, and vasoculature of the urogenital tract, all of which are important in maintaining vaginal structure and functional integrity; they are also important for maintaining vaginal pH and moisture levels, both of which aid in keeping the tissues lubricated and protected. Prolonged estrogen deficiency leads to atrophy, fibrosis, and reduced blood flow to the urogenital tract, which is what causes menopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness and pain related to sexual activity and/or intercourse. It has been consistently demonstrated that women with lower sexual functioning have lower estradiol levels.
Androgen therapy for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) has a small benefit but its safety is not known. It is not approved as a treatment in the United States. If used it is more common among women who have had an oophorectomy or who are in a postmenopausal state. However, like most treatments, this is also controversial. One study found that after a 24-week trial, those women taking androgens had higher scores of sexual desire compared to a placebo group. As with all pharmacological drugs, there are side effects in using androgens, which include hirutism, acne, ploycythaemia, increased high-density lipoproteins, cardiovascular risks, and endometrial hyperplasia is a possibility in women without hysterectomy. Alternative treatments include topical estrogen creams and gels can be applied to the vulva or vagina area to treat vaginal dryness and atrophy.
Drugs that increase serotonin signalling in the brain slow ejaculation and have been used successfully to treat PE. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as paroxetine or dapoxetine, as well as clomipramine. Ejaculatory delay typically begins within a week of beginning medication. The treatments increase the ejaculatory delay to 6–20 times greater than before medication. Men often report satisfaction with treatment by medication, and many discontinue it within a year. However, SSRIs can cause various types of sexual dysfunction such as anorgasmia, erectile dysfunction, and diminished libido.
Dapoxetine is a short-acting SSRI which appears to work when taken as needed for PE. It is generally well tolerated. Tramadol, an atypical oral analgesic, appears to be effective.
Desensitizing topical medications like lidocaine that are applied to the tip and shaft of the penis can also be used. These are applied "as needed", 10–15 minutes before sexual activity and have fewer potential systemic side effects as compared to pills. Use of topicals is sometimes disliked due to the reduction of sensation in the penis as well as for the partner (due to the medication rubbing onto the partner).
Several treatments have been tested for treating premature ejaculation. A combination of medication and non-medication treatments is often the most effective method.
Although erections are not necessary for satisfying sexual encounters, many men see them as important, and treating erectile dysfunction improves their relationships and quality of life. Whatever treatment is used, it works best in combination with talk-oriented therapy to help integrate it into the sex life.
Oral medications and mechanical devices are the first choice in treatment because they are less invasive, are often effective, and are well tolerated. Oral medications include sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra).
Penis pumps induce erections without the need for drugs or invasive treatments. To use a pump, the man inserts his penis into a cylinder, then pumps it to create a vacuum which draws blood into the penis, making it erect. He then slides a ring from the outside of the cylinder onto the base of the penis to hold the blood in and maintain the erection. A man who is able to get an erection but has trouble maintaining it for long enough can use a ring by itself. The ring cannot be left on for more than 30 minutes and cannot be used at the same time as anticoagulant medications.
If oral medications and mechanical treatments fail, the second choice is local injections: medications such as papaverine and prostaglandin that alter the blood flow and trigger erection are injected into the penis. This method is preferred for its effectiveness, but can cause pain and scarring.
Another option is to insert a small pellet of medication into the urethra, but this requires higher doses than injections and may not be as effective. Topical medications to dilate the blood vessels have been used, but are not very effective or well tolerated. Electrical stimulation of efferent nerves at the S2 level can be used to trigger an erection that lasts as long as the stimulation does.
Surgical implants, either of flexible rods or inflatable tubes, are reserved for when other methods fail because of the potential for serious complications, which occur in as many as 10% of cases. They carry the risk of eroding penile tissue (breaking through the skin). Although satisfaction among men who use them is high, if they do need to be removed implants make other methods such as injections and vacuum devices unusable due to tissue damage.
It is also possible for erectile dysfunction to exist not as a direct result of SCI but due to factors such as major depression, diabetes, or drugs such as those taken for spasticity. Finding and treating the root cause may alleviate the problem. For example, men who experience erectile problems as the result of a testosterone deficiency can receive androgen replacement therapy.
Compared with the options available for treating sexual dysfunction in men (for whom results are concretely observable), those available for women are limited. For example, PDE5 inhibitors, oral medications for treating erectile dysfunction in men, have been tested for their ability to increase sexual responses such as arousal and orgasm in women—but no controlled trials have been done in women with SCI, and trials in other women yielded only inconclusive results. In theory, women's sexual response could be improved using a vacuum device made to draw blood into the clitoris, but few studies on treatments for sexual function in women with SCI have been carried out. There is a particular paucity of information outside the area of reproduction.
The 5α-reductase inhibitors finasteride and dutasteride may also be used in men with BPH. These medications inhibit the 5α-reductase enzyme, which, in turn, inhibits production of DHT, a hormone responsible for enlarging the prostate. Effects may take longer to appear than alpha blockers, but they persist for many years. When used together with alpha blockers, no benefit was reported in short-term trials, but in a longer term study (3–4 years) there was a greater reduction in BPH progression to acute urinary retention and surgery than with either agent alone, especially in patients were more severe symptoms and larger prostates. Other trials have confirmed reductions in symptoms, within 6 months in one trial, an effect that was maintained after withdrawal of the alpha blocker. Side effects include decreased libido and ejaculatory or erectile dysfunction. The 5α-reductase inhibitors are contraindicated in pregnant women because of their teratogenicity due to interference with fetal testosterone metabolism, and as a precaution, pregnant women should not handle crushed or broken tablets.
Antimuscarinics such as tolterodine may also be used, especially in combination with alpha blockers. They act by decreasing acetylcholine effects on the smooth muscle of the bladder, thus helping control symptoms of an overactive bladder.
Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors such as sildenafil citrate show some symptomatic relief, suggesting a possible common cause with erectile dysfunction. Tadalafil was considered then rejected by NICE in the UK for the treatment of symptoms associated with BPH. In 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved tadalafil to treat the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and for the treatment of BPH and erectile dysfunction (ED), when the conditions occur simultaneously.
Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) with antiestrogenic actions in breast tissue and estrogenic actions in bone, has been found to be highly effective in preventing and reversing bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia in men. Moreover, in contrast to analogues (which also alleviate bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia), tamoxifen poses minimal risk of accelerated bone loss and osteoporosis. For reasons that are unclear, anastrozole, an aromatase inhibitor (or an inhibitor of estrogen biosynthesis), has been found to be much less effective in comparison to tamoxifen for treating bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia. A systematic review of -induced gynecomastia and breast tenderness concluded that tamoxifen (10–20 mg/day) and radiotherapy could effectively manage the side effect without relevant adverse effects, though with tamoxifen showing superior effectiveness. Surgical breast reduction may also be employed to correct bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia.
There is no standard method of treating or managing POIS. Patients need to be thoroughly examined in an attempt to find the causes of their POIS symptoms, which are often difficult to determine, and which vary across patients. Once a cause is hypothesized, an appropriate treatment can be attempted. At times, more than one treatment is attempted, until one that works is found.
Affected individuals typically avoid sexual activity, especially ejaculation, or schedule it for times when they can rest and recover for several days afterwards. In case post-coital tristesse (PCT) is suspected, patients could be treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Another patient, in whom POIS was suspected to be caused by cytokine release, was successfully treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) just prior to and for a day or two after ejaculation. The patient took diclofenac 75 mg 1 to 2 hours prior to sexual activity with orgasm, and continued twice daily for 24 to 48 hours.
One POIS patient with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation had much lower severity of symptoms on those occasions when he was able to maintain penile erection long enough to achieve vaginal penetration and ejaculate inside his partner. The patient took tadalafil to treat his erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. This increased the number of occasions on which he was able to ejaculate inside his partner, and decreased the number of occasions on which he experienced POIS symptoms. This patient is thought to have Dhat syndrome rather than true POIS.
In one patient, the POIS symptoms were so severe, that he decided to undergo castration in order to relieve them. The POIS symptoms were cured by the castration.
Two patients, in whom POIS was suspected to be caused by auto-immune reaction to their own semen, were successfully treated by allergen immunotherapy with their own autologous semen. They were given multiple subcutaneous injections of their own semen for three years. Treatment with autologous semen "might take 3 to 5 years before any clinically relevant symptom reduction would become manifest".
Treatments are not always successful, especially when the cause of POIS in a particular patient has not been determined. In one patient, all of whose routine laboratory tests were normal, the following were attempted, all without success: ibuprofen, 400 mg on demand; tramadol 50 mg one hour pre-coitally; and escitalopram 10 mg daily at bedtime for 3 months.
Combination of bicalutamide with medical (i.e., a analogue) or surgical castration modifies the side effect profile of bicalutamide. Some of its side effects, including breast pain/tenderness and gynecomastia, are far less likely to occur when the drug is combined with a analogue, while certain other side effects, including hot flashes, depression, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction, occur much more frequently in combination with a analogue. It is thought that this is due to the suppression of estrogen levels (in addition to androgen levels) by analogues, as estrogen may compensate for various negative central effects of androgen deprivation. If bicalutamide is combined with a analogue or surgical castration, the elevation of androgen and estrogen levels in men caused by bicalutamide will be prevented and the side effects of excessive estrogens, namely gynecomastia, will be reduced. However, due to the loss of estrogen, bone loss will accelerate and the risk of osteoporosis developing with long-term therapy will increase.
The FDA has approved one medication for the treatment of disorders of female libido, flibanserin.
Testosterone has been used to successfully treat undervirilization in some but not all men with PAIS, despite having supraphysiological levels of testosterone to start with. Treatment options include transdermal gels or patches, oral or injectable testosterone undecanoate, other injectable testosterone esters, testosterone pellets, or buccal testosterone systems. Supraphysiological doses may be required to achieve the desired physiological effect, which may be difficult to achieve using non-injectable testosterone preparations. Exogenous testosterone supplementation in unaffected men can produce various unwanted side effects, including prostatic hypertrophy, polycythemia, gynecomastia, hair loss, acne, and the suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, resulting in the reduction of gonadotropins (i.e., luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone) and spermatogenic defect. These effects may not manifest at all in men with AIS, or might only manifest at a much higher concentration of testosterone, depending on the degree of androgen insensitivity. Those undergoing high dose androgen therapy should be monitored for safety and efficacy of treatment, possibly including regular breast and prostate examinations. Some individuals with PAIS have a sufficiently high sperm count to father children; at least one case report has been published that describes fertile men who fit the criteria for grade 2 PAIS (micropenis, penile hypospadias, and gynecomastia). Several publications have indicated that testosterone treatment can correct low sperm counts in men with MAIS. At least one case report has been published that documents the efficacy of treating a low sperm-count with tamoxifen in an individual with PAIS.
A number of medications can be used to treat this disorder. Alpha blockers and/or antibiotics appear to be the most effective with NSAIDs such as ibuprofen providing lesser benefit.
- Treatment with antibiotics is controversial. Some have found benefits in symptoms while others have questioned the utility of a trial of antibiotics. Antibiotics are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and this has been suggested as an explanation for their partial efficacy in treating CPPS. Antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides have direct anti-inflammatory properties in the absence of infection, blocking inflammatory chemical signals (cytokines) such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which coincidentally are the same cytokines found to be elevated in the semen and EPS of men with chronic prostatitis.
- The effectiveness of alpha blockers (tamsulosin, alfuzosin) is questionable in men with CPPS. A 2006 meta-analysis found that they are moderately beneficial when the duration of therapy was at least 3 months.
- An estrogen reabsorption inhibitor such as mepartricin improves voiding, reduces urological pain and improves quality of life in patients with chronic non-bacterial prostatitis.
- Therapies that have not been properly evaluated in clinical trials although there is supportive anecdotal evidence include gabapentin, benzodiazepines, and amitriptyline.
The condition is sometimes classified as a psychiatric disorder. However, it can also be caused by medical problems such as diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, genital mutilation, complications from genital surgery, pelvic trauma (such as from a straddle injury caused by falling on the bars of a climbing frame, bicycle or gymnastics beam), hormonal imbalances, total hysterectomy, spinal cord injury, cauda equina syndrome, uterine embolisation, childbirth trauma (vaginal tearing through the use of forceps or suction or a large or unclosed episiotomy), vulvodynia and cardiovascular disease.
A common cause of situational anorgasmia, in both men and women, is the use of anti-depressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Though reporting of anorgasmia as a side effect of SSRIs is not precise, studies have found that 17–41% of users of such medications are affected by some form of sexual dysfunction.
Another cause of anorgasmia is opiate addiction, particularly to heroin.
About 15% of women report difficulties with orgasm, and as many as 10% of women in the United States have never climaxed. Only 29% of women always have orgasms with their partner.
Transurethral needle ablation of the prostate (TUNA) has been shown to be ineffective in trials.
Genitoplasty, unlike gender assignment, can be irreversible, and there is no guarantee that adult gender identity will develop as assigned despite surgical intervention. Some aspects of genitoplasty are still being debated; a variety of different opinions have been presented by professionals, self-help groups, and patients over the last few decades. Points of consideration include what conditions justify genitoplasty, the extent and type of genitoplasty that should be employed, when genitoplasty should be performed, and what the goals of genitoplasty should be. Gender assignment itself does not predicate the need for immediate genitoplasty; in some cases, surgical intervention can be delayed to allow the affected child to reach an age and maturity sufficient to have a role in such decisions. Some studies suggest that early surgeries can still produce satisfactory outcomes, while others suggest it to be unlikely. Even surgeries that are planned as one-stage procedures often require further major surgery. Scarring and tissue loss that result from repeated surgical procedures are of particular concern, due to the presumed negative impact on sexual function.
While it is thought that feminizing genitoplasty typically requires fewer surgeries to achieve an acceptable result and results in fewer urologic difficulties, there is no evidence that feminizing surgery results in a better psychosocial outcome. In one study, individuals with grade 3 PAIS who were raised male rated their body image and sexual function similarly to those who were raised female, even though they were more likely to have genitalia that were abnormal in size and appearance; more than half of the male participants had a stretched penile length that was below 2.5 standard deviations of the mean, while only 6% of female participants presented with a short vagina in adulthood, and participating physicians gave a lower cosmetic rating to the surgical results of the men than the women. Both male and female participants cited the appearance of their genitalia as being the greatest contributing factor to their dissatisfaction with their body image. In two larger studies, the common predictor of gender reassignment was stigmatization related to having an intersex condition.
The outcome of masculinizing genitoplasty is dependent on the amount of erectile tissue and the extent of hypospadias. Procedures include correction of penile curvature and chordee, reconstruction of the urethra, hypospadias correction, orchidopexy, and Müllerian remnant removal to prevent infection and pseudo-incontinence. Erectile prosthesis may be inserted in cases of successful neophalloplasty in adulthood, although it has a high morbidity. Additional surgeries may be required to correct postsurgical complications such as stenosis of the anastomosis between the native urethra and the graft, urethral fistulas, and posterior displacement of the balanic meatus. Successful masculinizing genitoplasty performed on individuals with grade 3 PAIS often requires multiple surgeries.
If feminizing genitoplasty is performed in infancy, the result will need to be refined at puberty through additional surgery. Procedures include clitoral reduction / recession, labiaplasty, repair of the common urogenital sinus, vaginoplasty, and vaginal dilation through non-surgical pressure methods. Clitoral reduction / recession surgery carries with it the risk of necrosis as well as the risk of impairing the sexual function of the genitalia, and thus should not be performed for less severe clitoromegaly. Clitoral surgery should be focused on function rather than appearance, with care being taken to spare the erectile function and innervation of the clitoris. If PAIS presents with a common urogenital sinus, the American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that surgery to separate the urethra from the vagina be performed at an early age. As is the case for CAIS, vaginal dilation using pressure dilation methods should be attempted before the surgical creation of a neovagina is considered, and neither should be performed before puberty. Complications of feminizing genitoplasty can include vaginal stenosis, meatal stenosis, vaginourethral fistula, female hypospadias, urinary tract injuries, and recurrent clitoromegaly. Successful feminizing genitoplasty performed on individuals with grade 3 PAIS often requires multiple surgeries, although more surgeries are typically required for successful masculinizing genitoplasty in this population.
Many surgical procedures have been developed to create a neovagina, as none of them is ideal. Surgical intervention should be considered only after non-surgical pressure dilation methods have failed to produce a satisfactory result. Neovaginoplasty can be performed using skin grafts, a segment of bowel, ileum, peritoneum, , buccal mucosa, amnion, or dura mater. Success of such methods should be determined by sexual function, and not by vaginal length alone, as has been done in the past. Ileal or cecal segments may be problematic because of a shorter mesentery, which may produce tension on the neovagina, leading to stenosis. The sigmoid neovagina is thought to be self-lubricating, without the excess mucus production associated with segments of small bowel. Vaginoplasty may create scarring at the introitus (the vaginal opening), requiring additional surgery to correct. Vaginal dilators are required postoperatively to prevent vaginal stenosis from scarring. Other complications include bladder and bowel injuries. Yearly exams are required, as neovaginoplasty carries a risk of carcinoma, although carcinoma of the neovagina is uncommon. Neither neovaginoplasty nor vaginal dilation should be performed before puberty.
There are no treatments which increase prolactin levels in humans. Treatment differs based on the reason for diagnosis. Women who are diagnosed with hypoprolactinemia following lactation failure are typically advised to formula feed, although treatment with metoclopramide has been shown to increase milk supply in clinical studies. For subfertility, treatment may include clomiphene citrate or gonadotropins.
Minoxidil, applied topically, is widely used for the treatment of hair loss. It may be effective in helping promote hair growth in both men and women with androgenic alopecia. About 40% of men experience hair regrowth after 3–6 months. It is the only topical product that is FDA approved in America for androgenic hair loss. However, increased hair loss has been reported.
Treatments for the various forms of hair loss have only moderate success. Three medications have evidence to support their use in male pattern hair loss: finasteride, dutasteride and minoxidil. They typically work better to prevent further hair loss than to regrow lost hair.
They may be used together when hair loss is progressive or further regrowth is desired after 12 months. Other medications include ketoconazole, and in female androgenic alopecia spironolactone and flutamide. Combinations of finasteride, minoxidil and ketoconazole are more effective than individual use.
Surgery, such as the "Nesbit operation" (which is named after Reed M. Nesbit (1898–1979), an American urologist at University of Michigan), is considered a last resort and should only be performed by highly skilled urological surgeons knowledgeable in specialized corrective surgical techniques. A penile prosthesis may be appropriate in advanced cases.
Treatment is usually medication with dopamine agonists such as cabergoline, bromocriptine (often preferred when pregnancy is possible), and less frequently lisuride. A new drug in use is norprolac with the active ingredient quinagolide. Terguride is also used.
"Vitex agnus-castus" extract can be tried in cases of mild hyperprolactinaemia.