Dyspareunia—Female
Condition
(Painful Sexual Intercourse)
Definition
Dyspareunia is repeated or lasting pain with sexual activity.
Causes
Some causes of dyspareunia are:
- Hormonal changes from giving birth or from menopause
- Infections, such as vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections
- Atrophic vaginitis —when vaginal tissues become thin, dry, and inflamed
- Endometriosis —when tissue that lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of it
- Herpes or genital warts
- Pelvic inflammatory disease —severe infection of the female pelvic organs
- Past trauma, such as sexual abuse
- Mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety
Risk Factors
The risk of dyspareunia is higher in women after menopause. The risk is also higher in women who have any of the causes listed above.
Other things that may raise the risk are:
- Taking medicines that result in vaginal dryness
- Prior vaginal surgery
Symptoms
A person who has pain during sex may feel:
- Pain during any or all phases of sexual contact
- Stabbing or aching pain
- Itching and burning
Pain may also be felt when placing a tampon.
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The doctor will ask about symptoms and health history. You will also be asked about your sexual history. A pelvic exam will be done. This is often enough to make the diagnosis.
Other tests may be done to look for a cause.
Treatment
The goal of treatment is to ease pain. To do this, the cause will need to be treated. Some choices are:
- Lubricants or estrogen to ease pain and dryness
- Stopping or changing medicines that are causing problems
- Mental health therapy
Prevention
The risk of dyspareunia may be lowered by managing chronic health problems, such as endometriosis .
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
The Canadian Women's Health Network
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
The Canadian Women's Health Network
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
References
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Committee on Practice Bulletins—Gynecology. Female Sexual Dysfunction: ACOG Practice Bulletin Clinical Management Guidelines for Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Number 213. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;134(1):e1-e18. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003324.
- Female sexual dysfunction. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/female-sexual-dysfunction.
Contributors
- Beverly Siegal, MD, FACOG
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