What is your sexual experience like? Do you experience persistent and recurring pain during and after sexual intercourse? Your doctor can describe this condition as dyspareunia, a more prevalent condition in women. Painful intercourse may lead to negative emotions and affect intimacy between you and your partner.
As part of your women’s health Boca Raton, your doctor can recommend treatments to help you manage pain symptoms and improve intimacy. Treatment aims to restore your sexual wellness and improve your self-confidence. Read the following discussion to learn about the different treatment options to help you improve your symptoms.
Medications
Your doctor may recommend medications if your dyspareunia symptoms result from an infection causing your pain. You may also need to change medications that cause lubrication issues to help eliminate your symptoms. Usually, dyspareunia results from inadequate lubrication.
Often, your doctor can treat this lubrication issue with topical estrogen that you apply directly to your vagina. Your doctor may also recommend Ospemifene to treat severe dyspareunia symptoms, which acts like estrogen on your vaginal lining to help with lubrication issues. However, you may have hot flashes and an increased risk of endometrial cancer and stroke.
Non-Medication Therapies
Your doctor may recommend therapies to help with your symptoms. First, you may learn desensitization therapy to help you learn vaginal relaxation exercises to reduce pain. Secondly, you may need counseling therapy to help you deal with your negative emotional response to sexual stimulation even after treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy may especially help change negative sexual behaviors and partners and can also help you improve communication with your partner to increase intimacy.
Sexual Modifications
Your doctor can recommend trying different modifications at home to help manage your pain during sexual intercourse. You can use personal lubricants to make intimacy more comfortable by providing the necessary lubrication. Your doctor may also recommend changing positions, especially if pain results from specific intimacy positions. Also, you can communicate with your partner about what feels good and what you find painful.
Vaginal Rejuvenation
You can make a good candidate for vaginal rejuvenation if you are experiencing painful intercourse. Your doctor may recommend treatment with ThermiVa, which uses radiofrequency energy to improve lubrication and lower the effects of painful intercourse. Radiofrequency energy from this treatment may also slightly injure your vaginal tissue, stimulating new collagen production and restoring vaginal health.
How Do You Talk To Your Doctor About Dyspareunia?
During your consultation session, you must discuss your pain during sexual intercourse. Your doctor will ask you questions, including where the pain occurs, the frequency, and how long you have been having painful sexual intercourse. Your doctor will also ask about what the pain feels like, your medications, and any previous surgeries to treat the area.
Painful intercourse can cause physical discomfort and lead to negative emotions that may cause loss of intimacy. Usually, you cannot do anything to reduce your risk for dyspareunia because it is something you cannot control. If you are experiencing painful sex, you can call your doctor to help discuss your symptoms and recommend necessary treatments for the underlying cause.
You may feel embarrassed about discussing your sex life with your doctor, but talking about it can help diagnose and recommend the right treatment. Treating the cause of your painful intercourse can help improve your sex life and intimacy.
