Neuropelveology: A New Frontier in Treating Chronic Pelvic Pain
Do you know that up to one-third of women struggle with chronic pelvic pain during their reproductive years? We do, which is why we now offer a long overdue specialty — neuropelveology.
What’s Causing Intercourse to Be So Painful?
You used to enjoy an active and pleasurable sex life, but now it brings only pain and discomfort, and you want answers.
At Advanced Endometriosis Center in New York City and Hackensack, New Jersey, Dr. Ulas Bozdogan understands that a healthy sex life is integral to overall wellness. More importantly, he treats many of the conditions that can lead to painful intercourse, helping women greatly improve their quality of life.
In the following, we explore some of the more common culprits behind painful intercourse and how we can remedy these issues and restore your sex life.
Common causes of painful sex
Also called dyspareunia, painful sex might be more common than you think. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reports that three out of four women experience painful sex at some point during their lives for a variety of reasons.
First, there are some reasons why sex may be temporarily uncomfortable, such as first experiences with sexual intercourse or an infection in your genitalia.
For the purposes of this discussion, we’re going to focus on problems that are more chronic, which include:
Endometriosis
When you have endometriosis, tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus grows elsewhere, such as on the ovaries or fallopian tubes. This misplaced endometrial tissue doesn’t shed out during your periods and, as a result, can form adhesions inside your pelvic cavity. If this scar tissue forms around your vagina and cervix, intercrouse can tug on these tissues, causing pain.
Ovarian cysts
Your ovaries naturally form cysts as part of the egg-releasing process, but if an ovarian cyst gets bigger, doesn’t rupture properly, or has another complication, it can cause pain during sexual activity.
Uterine fibroids
Many women develop uterine fibroids, which are benign growths along the walls of the uterus. While most uterine cysts are asymptomatic, if they’re large enough or their location makes them more problematic, they may cause painful intercrouse.
Vulvodynia
This is a chronic condition in which you feel pain around the opening of your vagina.
Menopause
Approximately half of women experience vaginal dryness due to menopausal changes, leading to painful sex.
Restoring your sex life
At our practice, we offer a wide range of solutions that can help resolve painful sex, and these treatments depend on the underlying problem. For example, if endometriosis or fibroids are causing the discomfort, Dr. Bozdogan, who is an expert in these areas, can remove the problematic tissues with minimally invasive surgery.
If a hormonal issue, such as menopause, is the source of your discomfort, we may recommend hormone replacement therapy.
Whatever is behind your painful intercourse, we can identify and treat the problem, so you can get back to a healthy and satisfying sex life. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with Advanced Endometriosis Center today. We have offices in New York City and Hackensack, New Jersey.
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