DIABETES AND SEXUAL DISORDERS 1

Diabetes, in either of two types, occurs within the first 10 years after diagnosis, sexual dysfunction in about half of patients, and as the disease progresses the number increases. Sexual disorders mainly affect the excitement phase and cause arousal difficulties and lubrication in women and erectile dysfunction in men. This impairment of sexual excitement in people with diabetes is progressive and severe than with other diseases, and throughout its evolution are associated disorders of desire and orgasm. A negative action of diabetes on sexual function adds the other diseases that are often simultaneous as hypertension, high cholesterol and even taking some drugs.In women with diabetes they have been checked desire disorders, difficulties in vaginal lubrication and anorgasmia. The decrease or absence of libido or desire can have a psychological origin (unsatisfactory relationships, anxiety, feelings of inferiority, shame, low self-esteem), but often is related to the disease, because the high glucose levels can cause severe fatigue, leading to decreased desire. The most common sexual problem is the difficulty in obtaining adequate lubrication by affecting the excitement associated with a lack of vaginal expansion, which leads to some irritable and painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) and often result in decreased desire and even rejection sex. Anorgasmia, or inability to achieve orgasm caused by lack of lubrication and painful intercourse. An added factor multiplying sexual rejection is the frequent occurrence of vaginal infeccione s, favored by the high levels of glucose, which cause discomfort (odor, itching, unclean feeling).Psychological factors about how diabetes live and how life adapts to disease significantly affect the way sexual relationship. Diabetes can have an impact on self-esteem and self-image, promote negative feelings of insecurity, of being different, of having lost appeal and capacity of seduction and fear of rejection. All this favors behaviors that avoid sexual activity for fear of intimate contact.In some women the fear of an unwanted pregnancy, with all that that entails (fear of possible consequences on the fetus and health itself) causes anxiety states favoring sexual disinterest and, if carried into effect, to adopt a tense attitude that scares any pleasurable sensation.In Type I diabetes sexual disorders appear later so and are less severe than in Type II diabetes, among other reasons because the type I usually associated to a lesser degree to diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia and circulatory problems, which also affect sexual function.Treatment of these diabetes-induced sexual dysfunction is primarily tracking the underlying disease. It is essential to comply properly with the diet, taking regular medication (oral antidiabetics or insulin), the practice of regular exercise and correction of other factors that can aggravate sexual dysfunction (depression, high blood pressure, cholesterol high, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, intake of some drugs).Sexual disorders in people with diabetes may need sex therapy and specific drugs, such as erectile dysfunction or vaginal dryness, they have proved effective