The medical term for painful intercourse is dyspareunia (dis-puh-ROO-nee-uh), defined as persistent or recurrent genital pain that occurs just before, during or after intercourse. There can be many causes from Vaginismus, psychological issues, stress, surgeries or other medical conditions. I know from having a lick of Vaginismus, that it can be downright painful and debilitating. It can also be difficult from a self-worth standpoint. I know that I personally get a level of self confidence from satisfying my partner in bed and skipping or cutting sex short due to discomfort isn't my idea of a good time. One of our new readers agreed to do a question and answer session by email to discuss painful sex in her relationship and how she has come to terms with it. With no further ado, please welcome @eve.
Like I said in your forum, my husband and I have been together for 8 years and married for 5 years. He is a wonderful man and I am lucky to have him in my life. It was practically love at first sight when we were introduced by a friend. He is very handsome and our personalities are a very good fit for each other. I couldn't imagine experiencing life without my partner.
We get along quite nicely but recently we've been challenged on the sexual side of our partnership. Up until this point, sex has never really been a problem. Once sex becomes a problem for a couple, it can be devastating and tear even the closest of relationships apart. Distant and torn apart is a great way to describe how we began to feel.
I have a condition called Endometriosis or endo for short and that makes vaginal sex to be increasingly painful. Endo is a condition where the normally occurring endometrium from inside your uterus, grows outside and causes inflammation. This can happen in the ovaries, fallopian tubes or even in your bowels. For mine, this happens in my ovaries and fallopian tubes. Not everyone experiences painful sex and some of the symptoms are painful menstrual cramps, lower back pain, intestinal pain and very painful annual pelvic exams. If you experience any of those symptoms, please do some research and go see your doctor.
There is so much shame with anything female related. I even had a doctor tell me that the pain is all in my head and refused to continue prescribing pain medication for me to take during my periods.…
