Dyspereunia. Admittedly, it’s not a flowery word, and it’s not a walk in the park for those who are diagnosed with it. Dyspereunia is an umbrella term that describes several types of pain that women may experience with vagianl penetration. Discomfort in the vulvar region or pain with intercourse, vaginal muscle spasms that prevent penetration – any of these conditions can result in a dyspereunia diagnosis from a medical provider.
And that leads us to another issue – a specific diagnosis is often difficult to come by. Women who experience any type of dyspareunia condition can be hard pressed to find a provider who is able to accurately assess and identity the issue and offer appropriate treatment. This is evidenced by the vast majority of women who seek our care and report that they have seen more than one gynecologist or other specialist who wasn’t able to help. To make matters worse, these patients say that more often than not, they were told: “you just need to relax” or “it’s all in your head” or “I can’t care for you because you’re not allowing me to do my exam”. Women leave these appointments feeling dismissed, broken, humiliated and defeated.
We don’t seek to vilify all women’s health providers – many have been properly trained in the field of sexual dysfunction, and for that we are thankful! However, too many lack knowledge and experience in this area (and clearly in some cases, bedside manner as well!), and that’s where we can help. At Maze, we understand just how challenging conditions like vulvodynia, vestibulodynia and vaginismus can be. Our holistic, integrative approach combines medical and behavioral expertise that focuses on meaningful and effective evaluation and solutions. We work collaboratively and comprehensively with our patients and aim to help them heal and achieve their optimal sexual health.
If you’d like to find out more, please contact us for a free 10-minute phone consult. You will learn that you are not alone, and that we are here to help.
Think you may have vaginismus? Take the quiz!