259 - Women's sexual health: Why it matters, what can go wrong, and how to fix it

Summary

In this podcast episode titled "Women's Sexual Health: Why it matters, what can go wrong, and how to fix it," the importance of sexual health for overall well-being is emphasized. Sexual health affects the quality of life and is often underestimated. Legitimizing the issue enables women to embrace and address their sexual health concerns across various stages of life, including puberty, menopause, and postmenopause, which affect sexual function, desire, and comfort.

The show discusses the impact of childbirth on women's sexual health and the relationship between metabolic and vascular health and sexual health. Common sexual health concerns for women, such as low sexual desire, inability to have an orgasm, and discomfort or pain, are also covered. The importance of understanding, counseling, and providing targeted therapies for women experiencing sexual health concerns is stressed, with a focus on addressing and managing various sexual health issues.

The conversation delves into the role of testosterone in women, the use of medications to treat low sexual desire, and the effects of hormonal therapy on menopausal women. Solutions such as hormone replacement therapy, using lubricants, vaginal moisturizers, and dilators, or considering changes in stimulation are suggested.

The podcast highlights the need for education about sexual health and function across a woman's life cycle and the various stages involved. The effects of stress, anxiety, and depression on sexual function and the importance of understanding the connection between hormonal changes, aging, and sexual functioning and overall health are also emphasized.

The discussion also addresses ageism in menopausal and sexual health and suggests where wo.men can find specialized care professionals like sex therapists and pelvic floor physical therapists. The goal is to encourage individuals to speak more openly with their doctors and seek specialized care from experts in sexual medicine.