Dyspareunia is pain prior to, during, or after, sexual intercourse. Dyspareunia is more common in women but can affect either sex. Many women will experience dyspareunia at some time in their life. Sometimes a medical or physical etiology may not be obvious and psychosocial factors also can play an important role. In men, dyspareunia can be related to an allergic reaction to a condom or spermicide. An infection of the prostate or prostatitis may also cause pain. If a female partner has a vaginal infection or dryness, the male can experience discomfort during intercourse.
Dyspareunia can have several different causes. For instance, vaginismus is a “spasm” or contraction of the muscles surrounding the vagina. Women with vaginismus have pain with insertion of tampons as well as with penile penetration. Vulvodynia and vulvar vestibulitis are both conditions that are characterized by painful intercourse. They are also characterized by vulvar burning and itching. The discomfort may not...
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Ashby, K. (2008). Dyspareunia. In: Loue, S.J., Sajatovic, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Aging and Public Health. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-33754-8_142
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