Dyspareunia - meaning and definition
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Not yet reviewed by a clinician. This health entry was written from the public-health sources listed below and is general information only. It is not medical advice.
Definition
Dyspareunia is the medical term for persistent or recurring pain before, during or after sex.
At a glance
- Dyspareunia is the medical term for persistent or recurring pain before, during or after sex.
- Pain may be at the vaginal entrance or deeper in the pelvis, and people with a penis can be affected too.
- Causes include dryness, infections, skin conditions, vaginismus, endometriosis and hormonal changes.
- Anxiety and past trauma can also contribute.
- Pain during sex is not something to simply put up with.
In detail
It can be felt at the entrance of the vagina or deeper in the pelvis, and it can also affect people with a penis. Common causes include vaginal dryness, infections, skin conditions, vaginismus, vulvodynia, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, scarring after childbirth and hormonal changes around menopause. Anxiety and past trauma can also contribute.
Pain during sex is not something people should simply put up with. A doctor or sexual health clinic can look for the cause, and treatment depends on what is found. In the meantime, stopping anything that hurts and exploring other forms of intimacy is reasonable.
In a sentence
- Her gynaecologist used the word dyspareunia to describe the pain she had been feeling.
- The menopause clinic explained that dryness is a common cause of dyspareunia.
Where the word comes from
From Greek dyspareunos, meaning badly matched as bedfellows, from dys- (bad, difficult) and pareunos (lying beside).
Common questions
Is pain during sex normal?
It is common, but it is not something people should simply put up with. A doctor or sexual health clinic can look for the cause, and treatment depends on what is found. In the meantime, stopping anything that hurts and exploring other forms of intimacy is reasonable.
What causes dyspareunia?
Common causes include vaginal dryness, infections, skin conditions, vaginismus, vulvodynia, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, scarring after childbirth and hormonal changes around menopause. Anxiety and past trauma can also contribute, often alongside physical factors.
Related terms
Sources
- ACOGWhen Sex Is Painful
- MedlinePlusSexual Problems in Women