To understand how physical therapy can help with dyspareunia, it’s essential to first understand what dyspareunia is and its underlying causes.
One symptom of dyspareunia may be sharp or burning pain during penetration, while another may be deep, dull discomfort during thrusting, and still others may be described as throbbing or aching pain after intercourse or muscle spasms just before attempting intercourse. Your symptoms are your own.
If you have pain or discomfort with sexual activities, you are experiencing dyspareunia in Bethesda. Call Bethesda Physiocare today to schedule your appointment at (301) 656-5613.
Dyspareunia Without Sexual Activity
What if I’m not sexually active? Even if you’re not sexually active, meaning you haven’t or are not having intercourse, you may still be experiencing dyspareunia if inserting a tampon or a Pap smear causes pain.
The Role of Pelvic Floor Muscles (PFMs)
The pelvic floor muscles (PFM) are like any other skeletal muscle (e.g., biceps) in that they need to both contract (shorten) and relax (lengthen). When you’re experiencing symptoms of dyspareunia, the PFMs are in a shortened state and/or have an increased tone (tension at rest).
Why Do PFMs Become Tight or Overactive?
You may be starting to ask yourself WHY? Well, the PFMs have a lot more responsibility than most skeletal muscles. In addition to their role in sexual function, the PFMs also play a role in urinary and bowel function, provide structural support for the bladder, uterus/prostate, and rectum, core and hip stability, and serve as a sump pump for lymphatic drainage. It’s a lot!
Mechanical Causes
From a mechanical standpoint, there are a lot of reasons the PFMs might become shortened or hypertonic. If in standing, you find stability by gripping or squeezing your glutes, you are placing extra stress on your pelvic floor. If you brace or hold in your abdominals all day to find support or to achieve a flat belly, you are placing extra stress on your pelvic floor.
Other Potential Causes
But dyspareunia may be related to other root causes as well. In addition to mechanical dysfunction, dyspareunia could also be due to infection (e.g., yeast, bacterial vaginosis), inflammation (e.g., lichen sclerosus, endometriosis), trauma (e.g., fall on the tailbone, episiotomy), or a combination of these.
How a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist Can Help
To understand why YOU may be experiencing dyspareunia, your pelvic floor physical therapist will perform a comprehensive evaluation. Evaluating your posture and movement gives the therapist insight into the amount of stress or tension your pelvic floor may be experiencing day to day.
During your evaluation, your therapist will also ask about your daily habits. Do you spend a lot of your day sitting at a desk? Lastly, your therapist should gather details from your past. Have you ever experienced a fall on your tailbone? The more information you can provide, the clearer the picture will be for your therapist.
A clear picture means more insight into YOUR particular why and helps the therapist direct care that is based on your personal needs.
There’s no need to continue to suffer with symptoms of dyspareunia. Contact Bethesda Physiocare today at (301) 656-5613!