The pain is in her vagina
» Sexual Health
The great cliché is that women's sexual problems are more complicated than men's. A novel variation on the sexism of putting women on a pedestal. And perhaps the research has been driven buy a pharmaceutical industry run by men. The wealth brought by Viagra insures that more money – and more scams – will be directed at curing female sexual dysfunction.
Although the disorder is complicated, it's not unsolvable. This is particularly true for many sexual dysfunction patients who complain of pain during sex, said Clifford Penner, a clinical psychologist and co-author of The Gift of Sex, with his wife, Joyce Penner.
"People think, 'The pain is in her head.' No, it's in her vagina. It needs to be taken seriously," Clifford Penner said. "It could have something to do with the urinary system or something being off chemically."
Doctors suggest complexity has little to do with misunderstandings and underestimations of women's sexual dysfunction.
"The studies are driven by the male population," said Dr. Karen Noblett, director of urogynecology and pelvic reconstructive surgery at University of California Irvine Medical Center.
But the market for drugs to help women is driving a change.
Studies focus on sexual disorders among females