Low Sex Drive in Women: Urology’s Role and Treatment Options
More than 5 million women live in Michigan. On any given day, roughly one million of them may experience a low sex drive.
The reason might not be sexual, but urological.
Health conditions that affect the urinary tract, including the bladder, ureters, and urethra, can result in low sex drive in women because many of the symptoms cause discomfort and embarrassment. This may contribute to why just 42% of women who experience sexual problems seek treatment, according to the AARP. That compares with 62% of men.
Yet these related conditions are not uncommon. Researchers estimate that low sex drive occurs in more than 20% of women at some point. If your libido goes missing frequently and/or for long periods of time, you might be suffering from a urogynecology disorder.
Read on to learn how to tell if a urogynecology illness is interfering with your libido, and how a urologist or urogynecologist can help.
The Relationship Between the Urinary System and Sex Drive
Your urinary tract is in the pelvis, very close to your sex organs. Your urethra, which carries urine from the bladder, is part of your genitalia.
So, while the two systems operate separately, one could affect the other. A urinary infection, for example, can cause enough discomfort to make a woman avoid sex.
Key symptoms of low sex drive in women include:
- Few or no sexual urges (low libido).
- Trouble getting aroused when trying.
- Painful intercourse.
- Feeling distressed about your lack of sexual desire.
- An absence of sexual fantasies.
- Inability to enjoy sex or orgasm.
Urogynecology and Low Sex Drive in Women: 4 Causes
Several pelvic floor disorders bring about symptoms that can make a woman want to avoid sex. Here are those conditions in four categories.
Pain During Intercourse
When women reach their 40s and 50s, they begin to enter menopause. During this transition, their ovaries produce less of the female hormone estrogen, which lubricates the vaginal walls. Without this lubrication and elasticity, sex can be painful. In time, the vaginal walls can atrophy, becoming thinner and dryer.
How it can be treated: Vaginal relaxation exercises (including Kegel squeezes), along with lubricants, can ease painful symptoms. Your doctor also might suggest topical vaginal estrogen. For outpatient care, ask about MonaLisa Touch, a laser treatment that stimulates collagen production, available at our Redeem Sexual Wellness and Aesthetics Center.
Pelvic Prolapse
Your pelvic muscles hold your bladder, uterus, and other lower organs in place. If these muscles weaken, those body parts can drop into the vagina. Key risk factors include childbirth, obesity, and advanced age. It’s estimated that nearly 50% of women ages 50 to 79 have pelvic floor prolapse.
How it can be treated: Regular Kegel exercises will help your pelvic muscles regain their strength, and pessaries (small, disk-shaped devices) can be placed in the top of the vagina to hold things in place. Surgical options include lifting the organs back and rebuilding the pelvic floor using your own vaginal tissue or synthetic mesh.
Bladder Pain
Women are more prone than men to urinary tract infections (UTIs) and interstitial cystitis (IC), both of which can cause pelvic discomfort. UTIs are bacterial infections characterized by burning urination and needing to go more frequently. IC, also called painful bladder syndrome, can occur when the bladder lining weakens, allowing urinary toxins to penetrate and irritate the bladder, making sex painful.
How it can be treated: Antibiotics, cranberry supplements, and estrogen creams can reduce symptoms of UTIs. IC’s symptom-based treatments include medications (often combined), bladder training, biofeedback, and Botox injections.
Urinary Leakage
Many women who experience urinary incontinence fear having an “accident” during sex.Incontinence takes three forms: overactive bladder (OAB), an urgent and frequent need to go due to involuntary bladder contractions; stress incontinence, triggered by sudden abdominal movements such as sneezing, coughing, and athletic activities; and overflow incontinence, when the bladder leaks because it doesn’t fully empty.
How it can be treated: In addition to Kegel exercises, several medications, including Botox injections (for OAB), can strengthen the bladder and urethra. Other options include nerve stimulation and the Emsella Chair, a special seat that delivers pelvic-strengthening electromagnetic currents.
Non-Urogynecologic Reasons for Low Sex Drive in Women
Side effects of medication – Prescriptions for conditions including cancer, depression, and seizures can throw off your hormone levels and sex drive. Ask about reduced dosages or other drug options.
Your state of mind – Stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem can make sex daunting or just unappealing for women. Ask your doctor about therapy, including sex therapy.
Lifestyle routines – Too much alcohol can contribute to a low sex drive in women. Instead of another cocktail, engage in partner activities. Exercise can enhance your mood, body image, and libido.
You Can Recover Your Sex Drive, If You Want
If you are among the estimated one million Michigan women who may experience low sex drive, and have any of the above symptoms, you can find relief from a urogynecologist. Our specialists discuss and treat low sex drive in women every day, to help you feel like one in a million.
Interested in learning more? Visit our urogynecology page to read about the conditions we treat. You can request an appointment with one of our specialists at a preferred location online.
