Decreased Sexual Sensation

“Miranda’s last giant fake orgasm just cracked me up! Wasn’t it hysterical?” laughed Brenda, referring to the previous night’s episode of Sex in the City in which one of the characters repeatedly fakes orgasms to please her lover.

Tonya, a 34-year-old mother of two, walked with Brenda down the jogging path and didn’t respond right away. Tonya was silent for a moment, and then, with a quiver in her voice, said, “Well, I wish it were funny. I have to admit, I sort of fake it all the time. I wish I didn’t have to. I never did before I had my babies!”

Sensing that Tonya was near tears, Brenda immediately stopped walking and said, “Oh honey, don’t cry. Women fake it all the time. And I’m not surprised that you’re having some issues in the bedroom after your babies. I know I did and so did lots of my friends. It’s pretty normal. Listen, I got this great physical therapist you gotta meet …”

As they continued to walk and talk, Tonya realized that her condition wasn’t totally hopeless and that many other women had recovered from the same problem. She couldn’t wait to meet the physical therapist Brenda recommended.

What if sex isn’t as good as it used to be? What if it was never as good as it could be? Then you may be suffering from pelvic floor weakness. Decreased sexual sensation is a common symptom and can be the result of vaginal deliveries, aging, obesity, stress, and other factors. But some women also experience decreased sexual sensation for no particular reason other than lack of pelvic floor tone. Studies show that 10% of women have never had an orgasm and only 30% of women ever achieve orgasm during intercourse. The good news is that research indicates that increasing pelvic floor fitness can and does improve sexual satisfaction for most women.

You experience any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty achieving a satisfactory sexual response
• Low sex drive
• Decreased pleasurable sensation during sex
• Pain during intercourse
• Urinary incontinence (an accompanying symptom)