Vaginal trigger point therapy can treat painful sex in women.
Painful sex for women has multiple causes. Sometimes, the pain during sex in women can be relieved by adding a vaginal lubricant, and prolonging foreplay to trigger more natural lubrication.
On the other hand, numerous conditions can cause a woman to experience painful sex.
A woman can have any one of these painful sex conditions, and yet benefit from a therapy called vaginal trigger point.
For this article I asked Randy Fink, MD, Director of the Center of Excellence for Obstetrics & Gynecology in Miami, FL, about just how effective vaginal trigger point therapy is for women who have pain during sex.
Dr. Fink says yes, vaginal trigger point therapy can help reduce pain during sex. He explains:
“Trigger point injections use a type of long-acting local anesthetic, sometimes combined with an anti-inflammatory such as a steroid, to alter the function of the nerves that contribute to certain types of pain syndromes.
“This is best described for women in one called Myofascial Pelvic Pain Syndrome (MPPS).
“The pain may occur in the pelvis, vagina, vulva, rectum, or bladder, or in more distant referral areas such as the thighs, buttocks, or lower abdomen.
“Commonly associated symptoms include a sense of aching, heaviness, or burning in these areas, sometimes with symptoms of overactive bladder, constipation, or painful sex.
Many experts believe that many, if not most, women with chronic pelvic pain have some degree of MPPS.”
How long do the vaginal trigger point therapy injections last?
“Anywhere from a few hours, to a few months, depending on what is being treated,” says Dr. Fink.
“Injections including local anesthesia and a steroid were studied in women with myofascial pelvic pain, and 72% still had relief at three months.”
Exactly where is the injection made?
“This depends on where the pain actually is. In the case of vulvodynia, they are made in and around the vulva, with specific focus on the pudendal nerve (4 and 8 o’clock positions).”
About how many injections?
“Again, depends, But usually 4-8.”
Is this therapy effective with vestibular vulvodynia?
“Can be. See above.”
Vestibular vulvodynia can cause significant pain during sex, as well as when anything is inserted into a woman’s vaginal orifice, such as a tampon, birth control device or even a swab for a Pap smear.
Additional Causes of Painful Sex for a Woman
• Injury to vagina or vulva from giving birth
• Sexually transmitted disease
• Menopause causing a dry vaginal lining
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Ovarian cysts
• Endometriosis
• Uterine fibroids
• Cervical infections
• Vaginal infections
• Vaginismus, which is when the vaginal muscles go into spasm due to a woman’s anxiety over sex or a Pap smear.
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