Dyspareunia

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The Center for Growth, Inc.
also known as
Sex Therapy in Philadelphia
233 S. 6th Street, Suite C-33
Philadelphia PA 19106
New Clients (267) 324 - 9564
Existing Clients (215) 922-5683
Fax (215) 922-6302

Dyspareunia

Sex Therapy in Philadelphia

written by Staff at The Center For Growth

Dyspareunia, is defined as recurrent and persistent genital pain that occurs before, during or after intercourse. This pain can be sharp, dull, brief or long lasting. Diagnosis typically occures when it is determined that the pain is not caused by anatomical, physiological or pharmaceutical reasons. If the above symptoms are something that you are experiencing, then you are not alone. Up to sixty percent of all women will experience painful intercourse at some point in their life. If you are worried, you should make an appointment with your gynecologist to make sure that nothing is wrong.

Causes of dyspareunia:

Inadequate lubrication
Inflamation
Infection: such as bacterial or yeast infections of PID (Pelvic inflammatory disease)
Smoking
Tipped or reverted uterus: pain can occur when the tip of the penis hits the cervix and / or the tip of the uterus
Endometriosis
Fibroids
Pelvic floor myalgia: in other words your pelvic floor has muscle spasms.
Vaginismus
Vulvar Vestibulitis
Vulvodynia: the vulva is super sensitive to touch. Research by Berman & Berman (2000) indicates that avoiding chocolate, citrus fruits, nuts and alcoholic beverages decreases vulvodynia.
Side effects of medications: many medications for used to treat high blood pressure, allergies and depression may also cause you to experience a decrease in lubrication.
Illnesses
Physical problems: sometimes having had a baby can change the anatomy of a woman, scar tissue from surgeries, or simply you could be born that way.
Emotional issues: for example, you were sexually abused as a child, you and your partner have been fighting a lot or you have difficulty explaining to your partner what turns you on in bed.

Does your partner know what you are experiencing? If not, share with your partner the answers to the following questions:

Have you always had painful intercourse? Or has sex only recently become painful? Does the pain change depending upon where you are in your menstrual cycle? Is it possible that the reason you are having pain during intercourse is that you are rarely stimulated enough prior to penetration?
Are you experiencing any other symptoms?
Do you always experience pain during intercourse? Or is it dependent upon the situation? How is having painful intercourse effecting your ability to be intimate with your partner?
If you avoid intercourse is your sexual experience still pleasurable? What is your natural sex drive? How arousable are you? Do you orgasm? Are you lubricating during sex?
How intense is the pain?
When do you feel pain?
Where does it hurt?

Sharing the above information will help your partner gain a better understanding of what you are experiencing. Now the two of you will be in a better position to brainstorm together ways to minimize the pain that you experience. Ideas include, but are not limited to

Increasing foreplay
Increasing emotional intimacy
Sensate focus exercises – to help the two of you learn how to please one another more effectly
The use of lubricant (e.g. KY Jelly or Astroglide) during intercourse
Vaginal massage prior to intercourse
Relaxing your vaginal muscles, including, but not limited to deep breathing
Outer-course (kissing, manual stimulation, oral sex, sexy stories, etc)
Self hypnosis
Meeting with a sex therapist

On-Going: Therapy Groups / Workshops & Classes

Depression Therapy Group DSG
Painful Sex: Skills Building Group Sexual Pain

People who live in the following areas:

Abbotsford Homes, Academy Gardens, Academyville, Alden Park Manor, Allegheny West, Andorra, Ardmore, Ashton Wooden Bridge, Bartram Village, Bella Vista, Belmont, Blue Grass, Brewey Town, Broomall, Bryn Mar, Bridgeport, Byberry, Bustleton, Byberry, Caroll Park, Cedar Grove, Cedar Park, Center City, Chinatown, Chestnut Hill, Chopersville, Claymont, Cobbs Creek, Conshocken, Crestmont Farms, Chester, Devon, Drexel Hill, East Mount Airy, East Falls, Elkins Park, Elmwood, Feltonville, Fishers, Fishtown, Fitler Square, Folcroft, Francisville, Garden Court, Germantown, Girard Estate, Gladwyne, Glenside, Glen Willow, Glenside, Grays Ferry, Jenkintown, Kensington, Haverford, Lafayette Hill, Manayunk, Mafair, Mechanicsville, Merion, Mount Airy, Narberth, Old City, Olney, Overbrook, Oxford Circle, Oxford Villiage, Lansdowne, Paoli, Pennypack Woods, Pennsport, Pennyback,Phila, Philly, Philmont, Pittville, Plymouth Meeting, Point Breeze, Poplar, Port Richmond, Powelton, Queen Village, Radnor, Rhawnhurst, Rittenhouse, Roxborough, Ryers, Saint Martins, Shawmont, Schuylkill, Sharswood, Society Hill, Somerton, Somerville, Southwest Center City, Springfield, Spring Garden, Spruce Hill, Stenton, Strawberry Mansion, Summerdale, Tabor, Tacony, Tasker Homes, Tiogoa, Torresdale, Upsal, University City, Wayne, Wayne Junction, West Conshoken, West Torresdale, West Mount Airy, West Oak Lane, Wissahickon, Wissinoming, Wister, Wharton, Whitman, Woodlyn Wynnefield, Yeadon, PA, Pennslvania, Atlantic City, Audubon, Aura, Barrington , Bayonne, Bellmawr, Berlin, Beverly, Blackwood, Bon Air, Bordentown, Bristol, Burlington, Camden, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Clayton, Clementon, Collingswood, Colwick, Deer Park, Deptford, Edgewater Park , Egg Harbor Township, Evesboro, Flyant, Franklinville, Freehold , Gibbsboro, Gibbstown, Glassboro, Gloucester City, Green Bank, Haddonfield, Haddon Heights, Hammonton, Hilltop, Ivywood, Jordantown, Levittown, Linwood, Lindenwold, Lumberton, Magnolia, Mantua Grove, Maple Shade, Marlton, Mays Landing, Meadowbrook, Medford Lakes, Merchantville, Moorestown, Morganvi, Mt. Ephraim, Morris, Mt. Holly, Mt. Laurel, Mount Laurel, Mullica Hill, Oak Shade, Oaklyn, Ocean City, Palmyra, Parry, Pemberton, Penns Grover, Pennsauken, Pitman, Princeton, Ramblewood, Red Lion, Riverside, Riverton, Robbinsville, Runnemede, Sewell. Springdale, Stanwick, Stratford, Swedesboro, Tavistock, Trenton, Ventor, Verga, Vorhees, Wenonah, West Berlin, West Moorestown, Westampton, Westcotville, Westville, Williamstown, Woodbury, Woodlynne, Woodlands, NJ, New Jersey, N.J., Arden, Ardentown, Amstrong, Big Oak Corners, Bear, Bellafonte, Bethal, Bethesda, Blackiston, Brickstore, Bookside, Carrcroft, Centerville, Chambersville, Cheswold, Claymont, Collins Park, Corner Ketch, Corbit, Delaware City, Dover, Eastburn Heights, Elsmere, Fairfax, Felmings Landing, Fieldsboro, Hartley, Hedgeville, Hockessin, Holloway Terrace, Kenton, Kirkwood, Keeney, Little Acre, Leipsic, Magnolia, McDonough, Middletown, Millford Crossroads, Montchanin, Newcastle, Newport, Newark, Odessa, Ommelanden Range, Pleasant Hill, Point Breeze, Porter, Port Penn, Red Lion, Rybold, Saint Georges, Seeneytown, Smyrna, Stanton, Talleyville, Thorntown, Townsend, Walker, Westover Hills, Westmoreland, Wiggins Mill, Willow Grove, Wilmington, Winterthur, White Clay, Woodside, Viola, Yorklyn, Delaware, DE.,

May benefit from our services: To schedule an appointment, please call: 267 - 324 - 9564

individual counseling, couples counseling, couples therapy, marriage counseling, marriage therapy, family therapy, family counseling, sex therapy, grief therapy, anger management therapy, addiction counseling, couples workshops, enrichment seminars, support groups, skills building classes, classes. Mental health therapists may be marriage and family therapists, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, counseling practitioners just to name a few. If you have enjoyed our self help tips, please let us know.

You do not need to ever need to meet us to benefit from our collective years of wisdom in this field. Many of our ideas are written down in the form of self help tips that are free to be read by anyone on the Internet. If we are good, eventually we will have worked ourselves out of a job and you will be able to live the life you have always wanted!

To schedule an appointment, please call: 267 - 324 - 9564

If you live in Center City Philadelphia and the surrounding regions, including the Main Line, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chestery County, Cherry Hill and Southern New Jersey area, Delaware, and want to schedule an appointment for individual therapy, couples therapy, marriage counseling, sex therapy, family therapy or play therapy call (267) 324-9564.

Painful Sex

Tips for Decreasing Painful Intercourse

Female Sexual Pain

Dyspareunia

What is Vulvar Vestibulitis?

Vulvar Vestibulitis Symptoms

Vulvar Vestibulitis & Your Sex Life

The Vulva

Sexual Communication Techniques

Sexual Communication

General Communication Problems

Sensate Focus Exercises