Genital arousal disorder adversely impacts women's lives

New research shows that women suffering from Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD), a condition marked by unprovoked, intrusive and persistent sensations of genital arousal that are unrelieved by one or several orgasms, are likely to experience a variety of associated psychological conditions.

Women who have this rare and often distressing condition often experience related depression, anxiety, panic attacks and frequently show a past history of sexual victimization. The condition is accompanied by frustration, guilt, anxiety and distress for the sufferer. The first-ever study on PGAD appears in the current issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Although exact prevalence figures are unknown, the condition may not be as rare as initially believed. To date, hundreds of women around the world have completed a comprehensive web-based survey posted on a variety of women’s health-related websites, inviting women who experienced symptoms of persistent genital arousal to respond. Information concerning the correlating psychological, medical and pharmacological factors was thus able to be identified.

“The complaint of persistent genital arousal deserves serious research attention since it is accompanied by a considerable amount of psychological distress, and yet the cause and treatment remain undefined,” says Sandra Leiblum, Ph.D., senior author of the study and former President of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health.

Results from this study suggest that a majority of women who suffer from PGAD also have pre-existing stress related illnesses. However, “PGAD is most certainly not ‘all in the mind,’ and these women should be assessed thoroughly with empathy and careful attention to their symptoms and history,” says David Goldmeier, M.D., co-author of the study. “Although no physical illness or medication showed up as a cause of PGAD in this study, I would urge women to initially consult a sympathetic physician.”

Irwin Goldstein, Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, observed, “Women of all ages, ranging from teens to menopause, currently suffer from this obtrusive sexual problem. More research efforts to better understand and treat this unusual under-inhibited sexual condition are strongly needed."

Source: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

   

• quantum_flux - Nov 16, 2007
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  Isn't this what Graham Crackers were originally intended for?
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• Keter - Nov 17, 2007
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  @quantum flux - Huh?
  
  I would almost say "where do I sign up?" ;o) There are a lot more women out there who have the opposite problem who would be happy to trade disorders.
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• AlejoHausner - Nov 17, 2007
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  I'm always suspicious of conveniently-named syndromes, especially acronyms, that appear in press releases such as this one. They're usually invented by drug company marketing departments, and are usually matched to a specific drug the company wants to sell the public. The DSM (a manual of psychiatric illness) is full of such syndromes and sub-syndromes, each one targetd to one particular set of drugs.
  
  I'm not trying to trivialize the problems some people face, but it pays to be very skeptical of medical press releases.
  
  
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• johannavante - Nov 18, 2007
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  I totally disagree with this article and the outcome of this so called "scientific research"!!!
  
  I suffer from PGAD myself and lead a support group in the Netherlands. These women, who are suffering from this horrible condition, do NOT and I repeat, do NOT recognize themselves in this article. This research is based on the outcome of an Internet survey. You, I and god knows who else, might have participate in this survey. Even my drunk neighbour could fill in this form!! That is in my opinion not very scientifically!
  
  Johanna Vante
  http://www.psas.nl
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• speak_slow - Nov 18, 2007
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  @quantum flux - Huh?
  
  I would almost say "where do I sign up?" ;o) There are a lot more women out there who have the opposite problem who would be happy to trade disorders.

  
  
  I guarantee you would want to trade back after experiencing it.
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