Dyspareunia or Pain with Intercourse

Unfortunately, one in four women will suffer from pelvic pain at some point in their life. Dyspareunia, or pain with intercourse, is a common symptom among women that suffer from pelvic pain. Dyspareunia can be a symptom of several pelvic pain syndromes. Most women with vulvar vestibulitis and vulvodynia will have dyspareunia due to pelvic floor muscle hypertonus and/or myofasical trigger points and tissue hypersensitivity. In addition, some women will experience dyspareunia after gynecological surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy or laparoscopy or after childbirth. Post-operative or post vaginal delivery can result in tissue hypersensitivity around the incision or episiotomy scar as well as create myofascial trigger points in traumatized muscle in and around the pelvis. A specialized physical therapist can normalize pelvic floor muscle tone, eliminate myofascial trigger points and decrease tissue hypersensitivity with manual techniques that will successfully resolve dyspareunia.