Dyspareunia Meaning
Dyspareunia is a complaint that arises when someone has sex. This complaint is in the form of pain that occurs continuously, or at any time in the genital area. This pain can occur before, during, or after sex. Dyspareunia or painful intercourse can occur in both men and women. However, dyspareunia is more common in women than men.
In women, dyspareunia is divided into two types based on the location of the pain that occurs, namely:
- Entry pain ( intraorbital or superficial dyspareunia ): This pain is felt at the entrance to the vagina during initial penetration. Some factors associated with entry pain can include lack of lubrication, injury, or infection.
- Deep pain or ( collision dyspareunia ): This is pain that occurs with deep penetration and may be worse in certain sexual positions. People with dyspareunia will feel this pain in the cervix or lower abdomen. Medical conditions or previous surgeries usually cause deeper sexual pain.
Symptoms of Dyspareunia
When someone experiences dyspareunia, the symptoms that arise can vary. Here are the symptoms that sufferers may experience:
- A burning or painful sensation in the genitals.
- Pain occurs when penetration begins.
- Pain that occurs every time penetration occurs, even when inserting a tampon into the vagina.
- The pain that occurs internally when pushing during sexual intercourse.
- A throbbing pain that persists for hours after sexual intercourse.
Causes of Dyspareunia
As previously explained, dyspareunia can be experienced by both men and women. However, most cases of dyspareunia are more common in women. In women, a person can experience pain during sex if there is not enough vaginal lubrication. In this case, the pain can be overcome if a woman becomes more relaxed, increases foreplay, or uses sexual lubricants.
However, there are several serious health conditions that can cause dyspareunia, including:
- Vaginal atrophy: the vaginal lining can lose its normal moisture and thickness and become dry, thin, and inflamed. This can be caused by medications, menopause, or other hormonal changes.
- Vaginal infections: these are common and include yeast infections.
- Problems with the cervix (opening to the uterus): the penis can reach the cervix at maximum penetration. Therefore, problems with the cervix (such as infection) can cause pain during deep penetration.
- Problems with the uterus: these may include fibroids which can cause pain during intercourse.
- Problems with the ovaries: these problems may include ovarian cysts.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease: the tissues deep inside become severely inflamed, and the pressure of sexual intercourse causes deep pain.
- Ectopic pregnancy: a pregnancy in which the fertilized egg develops outside the uterus.
- Having sex too soon after surgery or childbirth.
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): these may include genital warts, herpes sores, or other STIs.
- Vulvodynia: Causes chronic pain in the vulva area.
- Injury to the vulva or vagina: these injuries may include tearing during childbirth or from a cut (episiotomy) in the perineum (the area of skin between the vagina and anus) made during childbirth.
- A skin disorder affecting the genitals.
Meanwhile, in men, dyspareunia can also be caused by several penile disorders, such as:
- Foreskin damage: damage to the foreskin (the skin covering the head of the penis) caused by friction or tearing can cause pain.
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): yeast infections or infections under the foreskin, as well as common STIs such as genital herpes or gonorrhea, can make sex painful.
- Penile deformities: Peyronie’s disease or other penile deformities can cause painful intercourse.
- Painful erections: a condition such as priapism can cause persistent and painful erections.
Risk Factors for Dyspareunia
There are several factors that can increase the risk of dyspareunia, including:
- Not maintaining intimate organ hygiene can trigger infections.
- Psychological problems such as depression, stress, and trauma due to experiencing sexual harassment or sexual violence.
- Vaginismus: a disorder in which the muscles around the vagina tighten spontaneously during sexual penetration.
- Certain diseases or conditions such as endometriosis.
- Certain surgeries or medical procedures, such as pelvic inflammatory disease surgery or medical treatments for cancer such as radiation and chemotherapy.
Dyspareunia Diagnosis
Usually, the diagnosis of dyspareunia can be made with several types of examinations, such as:
- A thorough medical history interview. The doctor will ask when, where, and how the pain of dyspareunia began. In addition, the doctor may also ask about sexual history, surgical history, and childbirth history.
- Physical (pelvic) exam. During a pelvic exam, your doctor can check for signs of skin irritation, infection, or anatomical problems. In addition, your doctor may also try to find pain by applying gentle pressure to the genitals and pelvic muscles of the person with dyspareunia.
- Visual examination of the vagina. This examination is done using an instrument called a speculum to separate the vaginal walls.
- Other supporting tests. If the doctor suspects a specific cause of painful intercourse, then other supporting tests will also be performed. For example, such as urine tests, allergy tests, or vaginal fluid culture tests.
Complications of Dyspareunia
In general, dyspareunia that is left untreated can cause changes in sexual function. For example, desire, arousal, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction. In cases that are getting worse, dyspareunia can also cause wounds in the vaginal area to vaginal discharge.
Dyspareunia Treatment
Treatment for dyspareunia will vary, depending on the cause. Therefore, a diagnosis to determine the cause of dyspareunia is very important. Here are some treatments that doctors can recommend to overcome it, including:
1. Use of Drugs
The use of drugs to treat dyspareunia will depend on the cause. For example, antibiotics if the cause of dyspareunia is a bacterial infection, or the use of antifungal drugs if dyspareunia is caused by a fungal infection. In addition, the doctor may also prescribe vaginal estrogen cream if the cause of this condition is due to low estrogen levels.
2. Therapy
Several types of non-drug therapies can also help with dyspareunia. Here are some of these therapies, including:
- Desensitization therapy. Learning vaginal relaxation exercises that can reduce pain.
- Counseling or sex therapy. Aims to overcome negative emotions that trigger dyspareunia. In addition, sex therapy also aims to rebuild intimacy, and improve communication between patients and their partners.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy. Aims to change negative behavior and thought patterns that can trigger dyspareunia.
3. Home Care
Dyspareunia sufferers can also do some home treatments to relieve the pain that occurs during intercourse. Here is a description of some of these home treatments, including:
- Using a water-based or silicone-based lubricant can help with vaginal dryness.
- Trying sexual activities or positions that don’t cause pain.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever before sex.
- Find time to relax and de-stress before having sex.
- Apply an ice pack to the vulva after sexual intercourse.
Dyspareunia Prevention
There are several efforts that can be done to prevent dyspareunia. For example, maintaining cleanliness and health of intimate organs if dyspareunia is caused by physical factors. Meanwhile, there are also ways to prevent dyspareunia caused by psychological factors. For example:
- Creating a supportive intimate relationship atmosphere.
- Build good mutual communication between couples.
- Sexual health counseling and therapy, to identify risk factors.
- Using lubricants, to overcome vaginal dryness due to atrophic vaginitis.
- Wipe the genital area from front to back after urinating and after having sex, to prevent infection.
- Avoiding casual sex by changing sexual partners.
- Use a condom every time you have sex if your partner’s health history is questionable or unknown.
- Wear cotton clothing that is not too tight.
- Maintain cleanliness by frequently changing clothes when sweating or swimming, and bathing regularly.
- Avoiding deep penetration or having sex two weeks before menstruation can reduce pain, especially for endometriosis sufferers.
