A common sexual disorder among women is dyspareunia which is pain that occurs before, during or after coitus. It involves sexual dysfunction with observable effects on a women´s quality of life. It is recurring or persistence pain that is experienced in the genitals or the pelvic structure. On average, its prevalence can reach 10%-15% of menopausal women, increasing in post-menopausal women. The causes of sexual pain are numerous. Nowadays, the mechanisms that trigger this disorder remain various and unknown. Among the primary causes, emotional factors such as sexual abuse, unsatisfactory sexual encounters, stress or psychological problems stand out; physical factors such as insufficient lubrication, other sexual disorders, vaginism, irritations, pelvic surgery, are important to consider too.
The treatment of sexuality and its disorders must be approached from a multidisciplinary perspective which includes treatment from a physiotherapist who specializes in pelvic floor dysfunction and sexuality.
Can physical therapy exercise like Low Pressure Fitness help?
Unfortunately, dyspareunia is a subject that often remains in the dark. So sometimes both physical therapists and patient remain silent. Currently, attending a specialist in sexual disorders and an expert Low Pressure Fitness teacher is an excellent way of support. Education, appropriate verbal instruction and application of physical techniques can help.
It has been found that 30% of women with some kind of pelvic dysfunction are incapable to contract their pelvic floor muscles. Physical feedback, awareness and body control are essential. Therefore, one of the primary goals of Low Pressure Fitness is to acquire awareness of the pelvic floor musculature. It is important to know anatomical structures and physical feeling of the perineum in any sexual disorder treatment. Other objectives of Low Pressure Fitness are to increase elasticity of the vaginal tissue and normalize the pelvic floor tone. In general, women who suffer from pain during sexual intercourse have a tendency towards hypertone and high pelvic stiffness. In this sense, keep balance between the fascial connective tissue and muscular components will help prevent pelvic floor hypertonicity. Myofascial stretching that Low Pressure Fitness produces facilitates muscular relaxation as well as blood circulation. It will bring mobility to the pelvic area and a body readjustment.
A recent study by Brazilian researchers found that Low Pressure Fitness helped in the local proprioception of the pelvic floor. In this sense, one of the main objectives to achieve with a physical therapist will be to raise awareness of the pelvic floor, and at the same time learn how to discriminate this from relaxation of the isolated muscular contractions.
Collectively, all of these factors will have a positive influence on a women’s physical and psychological well-being. Releasing muscular tension favors emotional balance. We must remember that the emotional and psychological factors are significant causes of sexual pain. If you suffer from any type of pain during sexual intercourse, don’t hesitate to get away from the social taboo. Talk about the subject with a professional and start an interdisciplinary treatment plan that is designed to enhance your physical and psychological point of view.