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Dyspareunia, Vaginismus and Vulvodynia: What do the terms mean?
Dyspareunia
Dyspareunia is defined as painful sexual intercourse, and it can have a medical or psychological cause. Although men can experience this problem, in practice almost all patients that present complaining of dyspareunia are women. It is often be treated successfully, but sometimes residual pain can remain even after the original cause has been overcome.
Dyspareunia usually begins with a physical cause and is generally thought to be a physical rather than an emotional problem.
It can be difficult to separate dyspareunia from vaginismus, since vaginismus may occur following a history of dyspareunia, and mild vaginismus is often accompanied by dyspareunia. Dyspareunia can be permanently present, or maybe emerge at any stage of life. It can occur during every sexual contact, or only in certains situations. It can be felt only around the opening of the vagina or deep within it.
Treatments can include sex therapy, the use of plentiful lubrication, and physical therapies such as progressive dilation, massage and learning to relax the muscles.
Vaginismus
Vaginismus occurs when the pelvic floor muscles contract involuntarily to prevent vaginal penetration, making sexual intercourse painful or impossible.
Vaginismus can be described as primary (that is, a woman has never been able to engage in any activity that involved vaginal penetration) or secondary (where the problem has developed, perhaps in response to painful or difficult earlier experiences).
Although there have been few controlled trials for the treatment of vaginismus, a number of uncontrolled studies have shown that psychological and physical treatments can be helpful. Studies have achieved success rates of 90% and over when using desensitisation techniques such as vaginal dilators of increasing size.
Amielle Comfort Vaginal Dilators have been the specific subject of two such studies. (Smith, Murina)
Vulvodynia
Vulvodynia is the specifc term for vulvar pain, and is used when other possible physical causes (such as yeast infections or sexually transmitted infections) have been ruled out. It can occur in women of any age, and the process of diagnosis involves discounting other conditions until vulvodynia is the only possible diagnosis.
Treatments can include drugs, changes in hygiene, self-care and diet, surgery, and physical therapies such as the use of vaginal dilators and massage.
Remember that you should always consult your health practitioner before embarking on a course of self-help, in order to ensure that the cause of your pain has been fully investigated and appropriately diagnosed.
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