Sex Shouldn't Hurt
There's no need to suffer in silence -- sexual dysfunction is common and can be successfully treated
People are willing to seek answers for non-sexual problems with their physical health, but they often forget that sexual health is an important (and treatable) part of their physical health. A well-known study (published by Rosen, Laumann and Paik in 1999) showed that approximately 43% of women have some type of sexual difficulty during their lifetime.
Sallie Foley, LMSW, director of the center of sexual health at the University of Michigan Health System, often has patients who seek help after they have been dealing with a problem for more than a year or sometimes even more than a decade.
Foley says that throughout their lives women are used to thinking of their genitals as functioning parts of their bodies -- through periods, pregnancies and even menopause. Some women don't question having pain during sexual experiences, but the truth is that sex should not be painful. Pain during sex is an indication that something is wrong.
Women can experience pain during sex for many reasons -- some of them are medically based and others are not. Foley says that muscles are smart. If they have experienced some pain during sex, they may be tense the next time. She compares it to how people tense up when they're driving on an icy road. They may have some anxiety about what they will experience.
Low lubrication can be another reason that sex is painful. There are certain times that women may experience this, like after the birth of a baby or sometimes the time of the month is a factor. There are topical lubricants to help with this problem.
Help Is Available
There are many resources available to help educate women about their sexual health including Web sites:
Other resources are books (see reading list below), and sex therapists. Sex therapists, like Foley, are licensed mental health workers who can answer questions other counselors and physicians might not be able to answer. Counseling at the UMHS Center for Sexual Health is covered by most insurance. For patients without insurance, there is a sliding scale of payment.
If you're one of the 43% of women who experience some type of sexual dysfunction, you are not alone. Help is available to improve your sexual health and your physical health.
Find out more by visiting about the Center for Sexual Health web site or call 734-763-4963 to make an appointment.
Reading List
Sex Matters For Women: A complete guide to taking care of your sexual self by Sallie Foley, Sally Kope and Dennis Sugrue.
Note: AN UPDATED EDITION WILL BE PUBLISHED IN JANUARY, 2011.
Ten Steps To Completely Overcome Vaginismus: The practical approach to pain free intercourse by Mark and Lisa Carter
