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Female sexual pain

Pain with sex is a common reason to attend a women's health physiotherapy session.

 

In this session, we will discuss your past sexual history, gynae history (chatting about

your menstrual cycle, contraception use, pad / tampon use, any surgeries etc),

musculoskeletal history, and social history, to help discover the cause of your pain.

In some women, dyspareunia (pain with sex) is primary (i.e. they have always had painful sex), while in others, it is secondary (initially they could have pain free sex but at a certain point in time it became painful).

There are numerous causes for sexual pain; ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
Overactive pelvic floor (due to endometriosis, previous trauma like falling onto a tailbone, chronic constipation etc) ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀
Prolapse (sensation of something being hit internally, like a thudding pain) ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
Endometriosis/adenomyosis (pain on deeper penetration, potentially into the bowel)⠀ ⠀ ⠀
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
Thrush (burning inside the vagina)⠀ ⠀ ⠀
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
Bladder pain / UTI ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
Low vaginal oestrogen (related to menopause, breastfeeding or chemotherapy treatment- dry sensation vaginally) ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
Scar pain post episiotomy / tearing during vaginal birth ⠀

⠀ ⠀ ⠀
Anxiety (possibly due to previous history of pain/trauma)

It is always best to consult with your GP / gynaecologist / women’s health Physio if you are experiencing any pain with sex- it isn’t something you have to live with and there is always something that can be done to help! 

Say it with me now! ❌.jpg
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