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| MS Sexual Dysfunction In Women |
Making a date for a non-sexual but sensual evening can enable partners to enjoy each other physically and engage in enjoyable sensual exploration of each other's bodies without the pressure of working toward sexual intercourse. In essence, sexuality has to be "relearned" when the central nervous system has compromised libido. Relearning one's sensual nature is a critical first step in the process.
The special person aspects of a relationship include all those behaviors that one engages in to show the other person that he or she is special and important. Loving gestures from an earlier, "romantic" phase of a relationship, such as unexpected flowers, a surprising note in a lunch bag, or a spontaneous, affectionate hug, tend to be forgotten amidst the pressures of raising children, developing careers, and coping with MS symptoms and disabilities. Restoring or increasing these special acts toward one another can help set the stage for increasing intimacy which can, in turn, stimulate new libido.
For the person without a current sexual partner, exploring one's sensual and erotic body zones is an important step in restoring libido. Combining enjoyable cerebral sexual stimulation (achieved via fantasy, sexually explicit videos, books, and so forth) with masturbation or sensual, physical self-exploration is sometimes helpful. Using a vibrator or other sexual toys may complement these efforts. Although beginning to work on restoring libido may feel like an unrewarding "'chore" when there is no intrinsic sex drive, working toward rekindling this vital aspect of "self" can be an important aspect of coping with MS.
Kegel exercises are sometimes prescribed to enhance female sexual responsiveness (although these exercises have not been tested in a clinical trial to determine whether they are helpful in MS). To perform the Kegel exercise, the woman alternately tightens and releases the pubococcygeus muscle (identifiable as the muscle that starts and stops the urine flow in midstream).
Exercising this muscle several times a day is recommended in an effort to enhance muscle tone and responsiveness. The rationale for Kegel exercises is that sensation from the muscles around the vagina is an important part of erotic sensation, and female orgasm consists of contractions in several of these muscles.
Currently there are no medicines available to treat loss of libido in women with MS, although there are several medicines in preclinical and phase 1 clinical trials that are being tested to see if they will enhance libido in women without MS. These medicines work by stimulating different pathways and structures in the brain that seem to be related to sexual drive and desire. However, it will take a number of years before it is known whether they are safe and effective.
Some men and women who have sustained loss of libido report that they continue to experience sexual enjoyment and orgasm even in the absence of sexual desire. They may initiate sexual activities without feeling sexually aroused, knowing that they will begin to experience sexual pleasure with sufficient emotional and physical stimulation. This adaptation requires developing new internal and external "signals" associated with wanting to participate in sexual activity. In other words, instead of experiencing libido or physical desire as an internal "signal" to initiate sexual behaviors, one can experience the anticipation of closeness or pleasure as an internal cue that may lead to initiating sexual behaviors and the subsequent enjoyment of sexual activity. To find out more, you can check out MS Sexual Dysfunction In Women.