Sexual dysfunction in women is usually due to pain. The root of the pain can be due to conditions such as vaginismus, vulvodynia, and trauma from childbirth.
What is Vaginismus?
Vaginismus is the body’s automatic response to the fear of vaginal penetration, in which the pelvic floor muscles tighten/contract and cause pain with penetration. This condition can make sexual intercourse painful, difficult, and sometimes impossible to partake in.
What is Vulvodynia?
Vulvodynia is a chronic pain condition of the vulva (outer female genitals). It usually lasts more than 3 months and the cause is unknown.
Trauma from childbirth that would cause painful sex is usually when an episiotomy or vaginal tear occurs. Scars resulting from childbirth (vaginal tearing, or episiotomy) can become painful when adhesions form beneath them, which in many cases will cause pain with sex (dyspareunia).
How can pelvic floor physical therapy help?
Your pelvic physical therapist can use various techniques such as down training the central nervous system, stretching, soft tissue manual work, and dilator training to treat the above conditions.
