Intimacy and Sex

Have you ever just 'pushed through' with sex; even though its feels like burning, stinging, or being pulled apart from the inside out?

In a safe, consensual context, sex should not be painful. Pain is your brain's way of protecting you from perceived threat, but sometimes that protective response becomes overactive. This isn't simply about thoughts or beliefs—it's a complex interaction between your brain, nervous system, immune cells, hormones, tissues, and past experiences.

Pain with intercourse is incredibly common, yet many people don't understand what it is, why it's happening, or that effective treatment is available. For some, pain may be related to overactive pelvic floor muscles, while for others it may be influenced by hormonal changes, previous infections, childbirth, endometriosis, past pain experiences, stress, anxiety, or a nervous system that has become highly protective.

Through telehealth pelvic floor physiotherapy, you'll gain a deeper understanding of why your pain is occurring, what factors may be maintaining it, and how recovery is possible. By learning the science of pain, understanding realistic recovery timelines, and developing practical strategies to calm an overprotective system, you can begin to feel more confident, more in control of your body, and less defined by your symptoms.

Treatment is more than just pelvic floor muscle training

Find Relief from Pain during Sex

Common Symptoms with Intimacy or Sex

Vulva

Stinging, burning or itching of the vulva in the absence of a skin pathology unprovoked (unprovoked vulvodynia)
Stinging, burning of the vulva when touched (prokved vulvodynia)
A history of recurrent thrush leading to increased sensitivity of the vulva
Stinging burning of the vulva and perineal body (vestibulodynia)

Vagina

Stinging, burning, sharp pain at the entrance of the vagina with touch from finger/tampon/penis/vibrator (superficial dyspareunia)
Deep burning/sharp pain in the vagina with penetration from finger/tampon/penis/ultrasound probe (deep dyspareunia)
A fear of sex due to pain, actively avoiding it (vaginismus)
Residual aching pain in the vagina following touch or penetration

Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction

Involuntary contraction of pelvic floor muscle, deep pain
Intermittent spasm of pelvic floor muscle when inserting a tampon
Hard to relax pelvic floor muscle
Unable to maintain a pelvic floor muscle contraction

Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction and sex

Pelvic floor muscle (PFM) disorders significantly contribute to persistent pelvic pain and vaginismus, yet are frequently underdiagnosed or undertreated. Because pelvic floor muscle dysfunctions can lead to symptoms such as dyspareunia, vaginism, vulvodynia, and vestibulodynia, physiotherapy has strong rationale in treatment (Berghmans, 2018)