Study Shows that Deep Dyspareunia can Improve with Interdisciplinary Treatment

There is good news for women who are suffering from Deep Dyspareunia! Dyspareunia is the fancy medical term for painful sex, and can be categorized two ways: superficial (affecting just the entrance of the vagina or vulva), or deep (pain during deep penetration).

In a recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers had 278 women self-report pain scores related to their Dyspareunia symptoms on an 11-point scale. The women and their physicians decided which treatment options to pursue, including “minimally invasive surgery, hormone therapy, pain education, physiotherapy, or psychological therapy” (ISSM). This is what is considered an “interdisciplinary approach,” since treatments were not limited to one course of action.

After a year, researchers followed up with the women who participated in the study and found that the 28% of women who had reported absent or mild pain had increased to 45% of women, the 17% who rated their pain as moderate increased to 25%, and the 55% of women who said they were experiencing severe pain decreased to 30% of women. These are great results and should give hope to women who are still experiencing painful sex!

It should be noted that having depression and being at a younger age were considered predictors for having continuing deep dyspareunia after a year, because depression can also “affect the sexual response cycle, pelvic floor function, relationships with partners, and emotional aspects of pain” (ISSM). More research needs to be done about how depression can affect deep dyspareunia, but the authors of the study recommend treating your depression first and foremost should you be suffering from it, as your other symptoms can improve with that treatment.
Because the women and their doctors chose different plans of action to treat the symptoms, we can’t be sure exactly which treatments were most effective, but the bottom line is that after only a year your symptoms can improve if you are able to attack the problem holistically. That’s where we come in. IntimMedicine Specialists are well-known for our holistic, tailored approach towards treating our patients. If you are experiencing painful sex, give us a call, or e-mail us! Our experts here in Washington, DC would love to discuss which options to try with you to start treating your pain and improve your sex life and beyond!