PAINFUL SEXUAL INTERCOURSE

Painful sexual intercourse is mainly due to 2 conditions:

Vaginismus: permanent or repeated difficulty with finger/penis/object penetration of the vagina, despite the woman’s desire

Dyspareunia: permanent or occasional pain while attempting to penetrate the vagina or after sexual intercourse

The causes of the above conditions may be organic or psychological.

Organic causes include:

  • Endometriosis
  • Genital inflammations
  • Genital skin diseases
  • Menopause-associated vaginal atrophy

Psychological causes include:

  • The woman being fearful of vaginal penetration
  • Depression
  • Stress disorders
  • Low self-esteem
  • Relationship problems
  • Poor physical appearance