Painful Intercourse & Women's Health Physio

Painful intercourse, also known as dyspareunia, is a common problem that can affect women of all ages.

How can we help?

When your women's health Physio at our Sunshine Coast clinic, assesses you, we will ask for your full story so we can best determine when it started, what potential factors have caused or contributed to it, and how we can best help you to manage it.

If able to, a vaginal examination may be recommended by your Physio, which involves inspecting the vulva and perineum, pelvic floor muscle resting tone and how well these muscles can lengthen/relax. We will rule out any medical causes of painful intercourse such as; infections, oestrogen deficiency and skin disorders.

Treating painful sex is a complex process as pain is unique for each individual. As Women's Health Physio's we often start by educating ladies about pain and its processing to help them understand the underlying causes of their symptoms. To gradually build up a patient's tolerance to painful stimuli, we may use strategies and techniques such as; graded exposure with imagery, home exercises, dilator therapy and gradual reintroduction to intimacy with a partner.

It is important for women experiencing painful intercourse to speak with their healthcare provider to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment. Our goal is to help ladies to feel their best and have pain-free sex. Whilst treatment can take time, effective treatment can improve sexual function and quality of life.