I recently wrote about men and low desire, and women and low desire, acknowledging that many people have desire difficulties. And that in fact, what is commonly seen as low desire is usually more accurately a case of responsive desire…desire that shows up part way through a sexual encounter, so long as a person is …
By Sarah Dale, MSc., RP What happens when you can’t have sex? Some women have difficulty with penetration, both sexual and non-sexual types of penetration, due to a condition commonly referred to as vaginismus. Vaginismus, (also known as pelvic floor dysfunction), may be include pain, worry about pain or other concerns and/or muscle tightening that …
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Endometriosis is a complicated disease in which tissue similar to the tissue that lines the uterus grows in other parts of the body. Typical sites include areas of the abdomen, such as on the ovaries, on the fallopian tubes, in the pelvic cavity, and on the ligaments supporting the uterus. …
Endometriosis: A Source of Pelvic Pain and Infertility Read More »
I recently had the pleasure of attending the annual conference for the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR). This conference presents research and clinical practice updates on a variety of sexuality topics, including erectile dysfunction, low desire, and the impact of trauma on sexual relationships. There were a number of presentations about new research …
This entry is a guest post by pelvic health physiotherapist Angelique Montano-Bresolin, on a comprehensive approach to treating vaginismus–a condition that can cause pain during intercourse, gynecological exams and tampon use. Vaginismus has been defined as ‘recurrent or persistent involuntary muscle spasms of the outer third of the vagina which interfere with sexual intercourse’ (Binik, …
A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to The Management of Vaginismus Read More »
The other day I was watching TV and a striking ad came on that made me sit up and take notice. Featuring dramatic music and numerous women with no dialogue, the ad ended with the following words on the screen: Don’t suffer in silence—Vulvodynia—It’s not in her head. I mentioned vulvodynia in my last post …
For far too many women, sexual intercourse is painful. Yet when the address this pain with their doctor, they may be told that there is nothing wrong with them. In fact, these women may have vulvodynia or vaginismus. Vulvodynia and vaginismus are common causes of pelvic pain and dysapreunia (painful intercourse). Vulvodynia refers to chronic …
