The medical term for painful intercourse is dyspareunia, which describes genital pain before, during, or after intercourse.
There are two types of intercourse pain, which are categorised according to the location of the pain.
Superficial pain is pain on attempted penetration. This type of pain may be the result of various factors such as infections, vaginismus (spasm of the muscles of the pelvic floor that causes a temporary vaginal contraction), or the presence of a thickened hymen that partially covers the entrance of the vagina.
Deep pain is pain that is experienced at the top of the vagina. It is often experienced with thrusting and patients often complain of a burning, aching, or tearing sensation. Deep pain may be the result of pelvic inflammatory disease from sexually transmitted infections, or the presence of endometriosis, ovarian cysts, or fibroids.
Painful intercourse affects women of all ages. It mayaffect postmenopausal women due to increased vaginal dryness, and decreased elasticity of their vaginal walls.Many women are referred to our clinic as a gynaecology ultrasound can help confirm or rule out conditions that leads to painful intercourse.
Please click here for information about what you need to do before your appointment, how to prepare for your ultrasound, and what you need to bring on the day of your appointment.