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What is intimacy / sexual pain?
Intimacy / sexual pain (dyspareunia) is pain that is experienced in the vulva, vagina or around the pelvis during intercourse, this pain may or may not be accompanied by the inability to tolerate any vaginal penetration including inserting a tampon. The fear and anticipation of pain can result in the tightening of your pelvic floor muscles which adds to the difficulty with penetration during sex.
Signs and symptoms?
- Do you experience pain in and around the vulva, vagina or pelvis during intercourse?
- Do you have trouble inserting a tampon
- Do you experience anxiety around sexual intimacy?
- Do you feel like there is a physical barrier that you cannot get past?
Contributing factors to Intimacy / Sexual pain (Dyspareunia)?
- Overactive pelvic floor muscles. This occurs when the pelvic floor muscles are constantly contracted, and they do not relax between each contraction
- When the pelvic floor muscles fail to relax, they can create muscle spasms and tension, and they can therefore become painful just like any other muscle in our body
- Hormonal changes including menopause or breastfeeding
- Vulval skin disorders
- Your emotions like anxiety, stress or a fear of pain
- Relationship problems
- Medications that reduce sexual desire
- Physical trauma like childbirth or surgery
How can we help?
Physiotherapy for intimacy / sexual pain (dyspareunia)?
Your physiotherapist may treat you as part of a healthcare team along with a sex therapist or psychologist. Treatment for Dyspareunia may include
- Pelvic Floor muscle relaxation techniques
- stretches to help relax the muscles around the pelvis, hips and pelvic floor
- Touch Desensitisation
- Dry needling to tight muscles
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to help calm the overactive nerves in the area
- Vaginal dilators - progress in size
- Vaginal vibrators to reduce touch sensitivity
- Advise around vaginal moisturisers and lubricants right for you
Other Pelvic Pain conditions
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Our team
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live, the Bunurong and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.