What is Dyspareunia?
Painful intercourse can occur for a variety of reasons — ranging from structural problems to psychological concerns. Many women experience painful intercourse at some point in their lives.
The medical term for painful intercourse is Dyspareunia (dis-puh-ROO-nee-uh) — which is defined as persistent or recurrent genital pain that occurs just before, during or after intercourse. Talk to your doctor if you're experiencing painful intercourse. Treatments focus on the underlying cause, and can help eliminate or reduce this common problem.
What does Dyspareunia feel like?
If you experience painful intercourse, you may feel:
- Pain only at sexual penetration (entry)
- Pain with every penetration, even while putting in a tampon
- New pain after previously pain-free intercourse
- Deep pain during thrusting
- Burning pain or aching pain
- Throbbing pain, lasting hours after intercourse
What is Dyspareunia caused by?
Pain during penetration may be associated with a range of factors, including:
- Insufficient lubrication. This is often the result of not enough foreplay. Insufficient lubrication is also commonly caused by a drop in estrogen levels after menopause, after childbirth or during breast-feeding.
- Certain medications are known to inhibit desire or arousal, which can decrease lubrication and make sex painful. These include antidepressants, high blood pressure medications, sedatives, antihistamines and certain birth control pills.
- Injury, trauma or irritation. This includes injury or irritation from an accident, pelvic surgery, female circumcision or a cut made during childbirth to enlarge the birth canal (episiotomy).
- Inflammation, infection or skin disorder. An infection in your genital area or urinary tract can cause painful intercourse. Eczema or other skin problems in your genital area also can be the problem.
- Vaginismus. Involuntary spasms of the muscles of the vaginal wall (vaginismus) can make attempts at penetration very painful.
- Congenital abnormality. A problem present at birth, such as the absence of a fully-formed vagina (vaginal agenesis) or development of a membrane that blocks the vaginal opening (imperforate hymen), could be the underlying cause of dyspareunia.
How can VuVa Magnetic Dilators can help?
When used appropriately, potential benefits of VuVa Magnetic Vaginal Dilator therapy can include:
- Improved physical comfort with sexual intercourse after pelvic floor surgery with scarring and narrowing and/or shortening of the vagina
- Allowing pain free sexual penetration by training pelvic floor muscle relaxation
- Reducing pelvic floor muscle tension or spasm with vaginismus
- Overcoming fear of vaginal penetration
- Prevention of adhesions/fibrosis from forming during and after pelvic radiotherapy
- Allowing for use of tampons
- Facilitating ease of gynecological examination.