Tag: stress

A Peak into Female Sexual Function

Posted on by Dr. Erin Lush

This is not as routine as getting a blood test. And it’s definitely not something that happens at your regular check-up. It’s not something that is the same for everyone. It IS dependent on what each person WANTS and FEELS. This can be vastly different.

 

So how do we measure it?

 

Sexual function is a tricky thing. There are so many different factors that contribute to it. It is not black and white or about engaging (or not engaging) in sexual activity solely. There is a Physical, Mental, Emotional, Sensual and Relationship aspect to it. Then we consider your overall health too; like your hormonal balance, your stress response, how you’re sleeping and what your energy looks like throughout the day.

 

Let’s look at the breakdown:

 

  • Sexual Desire
  • Sexual Satisfaction
  • Emotional Relationship with Sex
  • Emotional Relationship with your Body
  • Relationship Satisfaction (with a partner or yourself)
  • Overall Health

 

Have you been thinking about your Sexual Wellness? Are you looking for something more or someone to discuss it with? Book an appointment to see how I can help get you to living your most satisfied life!

There’s More Than One Reason for Pelvic Pain

Posted on by Dr. Erin Lush

How do these relate?
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The official definition of pain is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.”
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Did you catch that?
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Pain has an emotional connection. Does this mean that your pain is all in your head? ABSOLUTELY NOT. But pain does not always provide accurate information on the health of your tissues. If your pain has been persistent for over 3 months, your central nervous system (CNS) may be playing a big part in your pain response.
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The CNS and the sensation of pain
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This weekend I’ve been taking my Pelvic Floor Therapist Level 3 course to learn more about all the different types of pelvic pain, including pain with sex, to help my patients. We’ve spent a lot of time discussing the role of the central nervous system and how pain lives in the body. One of the main takeaways of this was the role of central sensitization which is the amplification of your nerve signals within your CNS which is causing your hypersensitivity to pain. In basic terms, your nerves are firing when they shouldn’t be or sending more signals than they should.
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If you’re living with chronic pelvic pain, please know you don’t have to! There are so many things you can do to fix this. Set up an appointment with me so we can get to the root of your pain and get you back to enjoying your life the way you want to!

You Should Masturbate

Posted on by Dr. Erin Lush

Masturbation is normal and healthy. ?
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Masturbation leads to having an orgasm which is quite important. It has numerous health benefits on your body. Let’s start with its ability to improve your immune system, decrease your stress levels, improve your relationship with your body and provide pain relief.

 

Should every woman be doing it?

 

YES. Masturbation is not for men only. It is for everyone. Forget the shame associated with it and embrace it. You will thank yourself later.

 

How orgasms make your immune system stronger

 

Orgasms increase your levels of IgA. IgA is an immunoglobin that is your body’s first line of defense against infection. It stops bacteria and viruses from sticking to your mucosal surfaces which are mostly found in your respiratory, gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts. This is big if you don’t want to get sick especially with cold and flu season around the corner. A study done in college age adults found that having an orgasm 1-2 per week increased their IgA levels by 30 percent.

 

The stress-orgasm connection

 

You know that feeling you get when you are on edge and everything is bothering you? You don’t want to be touched, your anxious and everything is overwhelming? This is when you need to masturbate. Trust me. This is your remedy to relax. Your body releases a mass dose of oxytocin right as you climax. This is your natural anti-stress antidote. As your oxytocin levels increase, your cortisol (stress hormone) and blood pressure fall, helping you bliss out.

 

DOI: 10.2466/pr0.94.3.839-844

The Need to Knows of Vaginismus

Posted on by Dr. Erin Lush

Have you heard of VAGINISMUS? This is a pain that you do not have to live with.

 

This is the umbrella term for the involuntary contraction of the pelvic floor when something tries to enter your vagina. This could be a tampon or a penis or anything in between. The pain experienced by those suffering from this also has a range from slight discomfort or tightness to a stabbing sensation that you can’t get through. This can lead women to avoid sexual intercourse out of fear, pain or failure of previous attempts.

 

What causes it?

 

The limbic system in our brains is responsible for perceiving our sensory information (touch) and controlling reactive bodily functions. In the case of vaginismus, the involuntary tightening of the pelvic floor muscles is due to an overreaction of the limbic system. This in turn can cause hypertonic (tight) pelvic floor muscles that are unable to relax to allow an object inside or hypersensitive nerve endings that become too stimulated upon touch.

 

As a Naturopath and a Pelvic Floor Therapist, I take a full body approach, assessing your pelvic floor muscles for dysfunction as well as looking for internal sources of inflammation and working with you on your emotional reaction to touch to get you back to enjoying your sex life or using a tampon, whichever is your goal!

Stress and your Libido

Posted on by Dr. Erin Lush

Is stress lowering your libido?

 

Cortisol is one of our bodies main stress hormones, it gets produced when our body is reacting to a threat – real or not. This is great in times of actual danger giving you the best chance to think clearly and move fast.

 

But when you’re stressed due to your day to day you don’t need it. Cortisol turns down all ‘non-essential’ responses in the body – the reproductive system being one of them. Not feeling turned on when you’re stressed? This could be why.

 

Although stress can be unavoidable, the way we deal with it is not. Make an appointment to find out ways you can manage your stress to get you back to living the life you want.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is not intended to be medical advice, and should not be treated as such. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your ND, MD or other professional healthcare provider.

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