Women often begin the process of diagnosing a sexual problem by noticing an absence of sexual desire or satisfaction.

Your health professional will work with you to identify your symptoms and the history of those symptoms by:

• Asking questions about your complete medical history, including any history of childhood sexual abuse or adult sexual assault, and your current sexual activity.
• Doing a physical exam.

Your health professional will use the information from the history and examination to determine the cause of your sexual concerns.

Throughout the appointment and future treatment of a sexual problem, your health professional should establish an encouraging atmosphere for you to discuss your concerns. All of your communications about your sexual concerns should be maintained in a professional, confidential, and nonjudgmental manner. See a list of questions you might be asked by your health professional.

What to Think About

By definition, a sexual problem is a sex-related stressor for you and/or your relationship with a partner. If you have a symptom that you are not troubled by and that isn't causing a relationship problem, then it is not considered to be a problem.