Dyspareunia Treatment in Charlottesville, VA

Find relief from pain during sexual intercourse.

What is Dyspareunia?

Dyspareunia is the medical term for persistent or recurrent pain during sexual intercourse. This pain can be felt in the genital area before, during, or after sex, and it can vary from mild discomfort to severe pain.

Dyspareunia can affect both your physical and emotional well-being, but with the right guidance, most cases can be treated to either eliminate the pain or manage symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Causes of Dyspareunia

There are many potential causes of dyspareunia, including both physical and emotional factors. Common causes include:

Vaginal dryness, often due to hormonal changes, birth control, or menopause
Vaginal, pelvic, or uterine infections
Pelvic floor dysfunction or muscle related pain
Endometriosis
Vulvodynia
Fibroids
Emotional factors such as past sexual trauma/sexual abuse

Our providers will identify the cause of your dyspareunia to create a treatment plan that addresses your specific needs.

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Risks of Untreated Dyspareunia

Untreated dyspareunia can lead to ongoing physical discomfort and emotional distress. It can also contribute to relationship strain and decreased intimacy. Over time, the pain might become more intense, affecting your overall quality of life and mental health. Patients with persistent dyspareunia or pelvic pain are more likely to experience depression and anxiety and anticipatory pain- expecting pain before you even feel anything. Addressing the issue early with the support of a gynecologist can help restore normal function and prevent further complications.

What To Expect During Your Appointment

During your appointment, your provider will perform a thorough physical examination to identify any physical causes of pain. Depending on the underlying cause, treatment options may include:

Topical or vaginal hormone creams to address vaginal dryness or vaginal atrophy, or symptoms caused by birth control pills.
Treatment for infections like yeast, bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas, and pelvic inflammatory disease
Pelvic floor physical therapy to address muscle dysfunction
Medications to reduce inflammation or pain
Additional treatment options for suspected endometriosis or fibroids.

Your gynecologist will work closely with you to create a personalized treatment plan, helping you find relief and regain comfort during sexual intercourse.

Why Choose The Center For Advanced Gynecology

The Center for Advanced Gynecology, established in 2018, is dedicated to improving your health by offering expertise in various areas, with a specific focus on gynecological care and advanced surgical techniques when surgery is needed.
Our team provides specialized expertise in non-surgical treatment of chronic pelvic pain, painful intercourse, pudendal neuralgia, and vaginal, vulvar, and bladder pain.

Since opening our doors, we have recognized the need in our community for more than just specialty care and have a growing practice in routine gynecologic care, cancer screening, Pap smears, menopausal management, hormonal imbalances, hormone replacement therapy, breast care, contraceptive care, urinary incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, vaginal dryness is a common cause of painful sexual intercourse, especially during menopause when estrogen levels decrease. Vaginal dryness can lead to friction during sex, causing discomfort or pain. Gynecologists often recommend topical lubricants or vaginal estrogen therapy to help relieve dryness and improve sexual comfort. In some patients, use of combined oral contraceptive pills (containing an estrogen and a progestin) can also lead to dryness or low localized levels of estrogen at the vaginal entrance.

Postpartum dyspareunia refers to painful intercourse after childbirth. This condition can occur due to hormonal changes, injury from childbirth, or pelvic floor muscle pain that develops after delivery. Many women experience this type of pain, and it can be addressed with a careful exam, diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

During a physical examination, your gynecologist will carefully assess your pelvic area to identify any physical causes of dyspareunia, such as infections, changes due to low hormone levels (‘vaginal atrophy’), muscular pain, or neuropathic pain. By pinpointing the source of pain, your gynecologist can determine the most appropriate treatment plan tailored to your symptoms and overall sexual health.

Deep pain during sexual intercourse can be caused by conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease (infection), previous pelvic surgery, and muscular causes. This type of pain often occurs when penetration is deeper, and it’s essential to seek care from a gynecologist who can diagnose the underlying cause and recommend appropriate treatments.

Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the reproductive organs (uterus, tubes, or ovaries) that can cause painful intercourse. If left untreated, PID can lead to scar tissue and inflammation in the pelvis, making sexual intercourse uncomfortable or even painful. A gynecologist can diagnose and treat PID to help prevent complications like chronic pain or infertility.

The pelvic floor muscles play an important role in supporting your pelvic organs and maintaining healthy sexual function. If these muscles are too tight and you have trouble releasing them, they can contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction, which may result in painful intercourse or sexual pain. Prolonged muscular high tone can also lead to tender muscles themselves. Muscle relaxation medication, Pelvic floor physical therapy and if needed pelvic floor trigger point injections can help release these muscles, allow you to regain control of them and improve comfort during sexual activity.