Vaginismus is a condition in which the vaginal muscles involuntarily contract, making penetration painful and sometimes impossible. When we first see a vaginismus patient at the Center, we do a psychosocial assessment as well as a medical one. Frequently, though women are told that the condition is all in their heads or the result of …
Continue ReadingTalking during sex — a two part blog entry.
I often hear of couples who seem mismatched when it comes to talking during sex. One of them really enjoys verbal interchanges when they are going at it. Others seem to prefer total silence. And then there is the mismatch in terms of what and how people want to talk. Some people want to use …
Continue ReadingTestosterone treatment.
At the Center, we often treat women with low desire by giving them testosterone. Whether a woman is 24 or 54, they generally fear that testosterone will “turn them into a man”. Though high enough doses can have masculinizing side effects, we use such small doses that we rarely see them. Women make testosterone just …
Continue ReadingFantasies.
Most women don’t feel comfortable sharing their sexual fantasies. In fact, many say they don’t even have them. There is some notion that one should fantasize about their boyfriend or husband only, and that fantasies should be fairly tame and not involve anything out of the ordinary. In fact, the beauty of a fantasy is …
Continue ReadingGender differences.
In a recent article by Fisher and Alexander, the researchers posit that the differences between the sexes (in terms of sexual beliefs and practices) are really differences in perception rather than in actuality. The differences exist primarily in terms of “ gender norms” that society has created rather than in actual differences. The authors state …
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