Breaking the Silence
Talking about Painful Intercourse
Does pain prevent you from being intimate with your partner?
Do you dread the annual GYN visit for fear of pain?
Are you frustrated by the lack of solutions out there for you?
If this is you then keep reading as there is help out there…
First, let me say that I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to have pain in this area of the body, especially when it impacts your sexual intimacy - both as someone who has walked through dealing with pelvic pain and as a provider who has had the privilege to help patients overcome their pelvic pain.
Today on the blog I hope to share some screening tools and treatment options for you to help you overcome pelvic pain…
Step one is understanding when to seek help. If you are someone who experiences any of the following symptoms I’d like to encourage you to reach out to a pelvic health provider (aka OBGYN or Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist):
Difficulty inserting a tampon or menstrual cup
Pain or inability to tolerate a pelvic examination at your OBGYN both with and without the speculum
Chronic constipation or straining to empty your bowels or bladder
Pain during vaginal penetration
Pain before, during or after intercourse
Pain before, during, or after orgasm
Pain in the area of the tailbone
Pain with sitting for long periods of time
Step two is having the courage to seek help. Your OBGYN can be a great first screening tool to figure out why you may be experiencing these aggravating symptoms. One common cause of pain with intercourse can be pelvic floor dysfunction and this is where my profession comes in.
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles in the pelvis that support the rectum, bladder, and vaginal structures (in female bodied patients). Like any muscle in the body they can become tight, overactive, or develop points along the muscle that if touched can evoke pain during intercourse. The great news is, that like any other muscle in the body, you can fix these things.
As a pelvic floor physical therapist I am trained in the assessment and treatment of the muscles of the pelvic floor and have lots of tools in my toolbox to address pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. Some of those tools specifically used to address pain with intercourse include:
Diaphragmatic breathing and muscle relaxation strategies
Biofeedback
Manual therapy
Vaginal dilator therapy
Muscle coordination/retraining
Step three is giving us a call. If you are someone who is tired of letting pain get in the way of your pleasure with intercourse then give us a call today at 859-215-9125 and find out how we can help.
Written by: Kelsey Karnes PT, DPT