Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Don't Let Fibromyalgia Ruin Your Sex Life

For women with fibromyalgia, aching joints and chronic fatigue can dampen romance. But you don't have to live without sex and intimacy. Here's how to get your love life back…

If you have fibromyalgia, one of the first things to suffer may be your sex life. After all, it's hard to feel in the mood and sexy when you're tired and in pain.

And drugs that help manage the condition – including antidepressants and painkillers – can further dampen sex drive by affecting production of brain chemicals that influence libido.

"Your brain is the biggest, strongest, most sensitive sex organ," says Randy A. Fink, M.D., medical director of the Miami Center of Excellence for Obstetrics and Gynecology. "When it's focused on pain, it can't handle the task of igniting desire."

Even if you want sex, fibromyalgia symptoms ^[1] can include sensitize nerves, and even a graze of skin produces pain rather than pleasure.

"Women often find they're in the mood mentally, and may even feel aroused," Fink says. "But since the slightest touch can be painful, their body says 'not tonight.'"

Meanwhile, that lack of sex can make you feel isolated from your partner.

"Not being able to enjoy normal, healthy physical exchanges can be demoralizing," says Sylvia Gearing, Ph.D., a psychologist in Plano, Texas.

Luckily, there are ways to keep the fire burning. Try these expert tips to stop fibromyalgia from stealing your love life.