Sexual Arousal Disorders

Subjective Sexual Arousal Disorder

• Absence of or markedly diminished feelings of sexual arousal (sexual excitement and sexual pleasure) from any type of sexual stimulation. Vaginal lubrication or other signs of physical response still occur.

Genital Sexual Arousal Disorder

• Absent or impaired genital sexual arousal. Self report may include minimal vulval swelling or vaginal lubrication from any type of sexual stimulation and reduced sexual sensations from caressing genitalia. Subjective sexual excitement still occurs from nongenital stimuli.

Combined Genital and Subjective Arousal Disorder

• Absence of or markedly diminished feelings of sexual arousal (sexual excitement and sexual pleasure) from any type of sexual stimulation as well as complaints of absent or impaired genital sexual arousal (vulval swelling, lubrication)

Whether or not these three sexual arousal disorders are distinct and how they may/may not overlap with sexual desire disorder is unclear and requires further research. Many women have a difficult time differentiating sexual desire from sexual arousal and this suggests that the separation of these phenomena by researchers and clinicians may be artificial.

In addition, there is a newly proposed condition, not currently in the DSM-IV, that has been described. There is insufficient scientific research on this condition but it has been described as:

Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder

• Spontaneous intrusive and unwanted genital arousal (e.g. tingling, throbbing, pulsating) in the absence of sexual interest and desire. Any awareness of subjective arousal is typically but not invariably unpleasant. The arousal is unrelieved by one or more orgasms and the feelings of arousal persist for hours or days.