October, 2015 Good Health, National Author: Sarah Marinos • Section: General News • Article type : News Item Audience : 55,381 • Page: 40 • Printed Size: 2841.00cm² • Market: National Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 45,159 • Words: 1160 • Item ID: 463994542 Copyright Agency licensed copy (www.copyright.com.au) Page 1 of 4 A range of health and lifestyle problems can lead to painful sex. Many women are reluctant to seek professional help but there are plenty of treatments that can ease the pain. HURTS By Sarah Marinos exual health women a year are treated for wee more than usual.They are ^ experts estimate Pelvic PID. Symptoms include lower diagnosed using an ultrasound. A J that one in six to inflammatory abdominal pain, changes in "You'll probably need to one in 10 women find sex disease (PID) the smell or colour of vaginal have the fibroid surgically becomes a pain rather than discharge and pain during removed," says Dr Gino a pleasure at some time This is usually the result of a sex. Untreated, PID can lead Pecoraro from the Royal in their life. Embarrassed, sexually transmitted infection, to infertility.Treatment is Australian and New Zealand many women hesitate like chlamydia or gonorrhoea, a straightforward course College of Obstetricians and to see a GP, but this can that spreads from the vagina of antibiotics. Your partner Gynaecologists. This may be make matters worse, to the cervix, uterus and needs to be tested too, and via keyhole surgery or using says Dr Elizabeth Farrell, fallopian tubes. About 10,000 you should not have sex ultrasound heat to destroy gynaecologist with Jean until treatment is finished. the fibroid. Newer treatment Hailes for Women's Health. injects minute glass beads, "If intercourse continues Fibroids like sand, into the blood to be painful a woman will vessel feeding the fibroid. lose her libido, she'll avoid Fibroids are more common This blocks its blood supply sex and that can lead to after the age of 40 - about 40 so it shrinks and dies. difficulties in her sense per cent of women get them of self as a sexual woman, - and they can be painful Ad enomvosis and it can impact on her during sex when the fibroid relationship," she says. can hit against your bowel or The risk of adenomyosis rises Here we outline 10 bladder. Signs of fibroids are for women in their 30s and causes of painful sex and heavy and painful periods, 40s. "The lining of the uterus treatments to bring relief. spotting and needing to grows into the muscle wall • October, 2015 Good Health, National Author: Sarah Marinos • Section: General News • Article type : News Item Audience : 55,381 • Page: 40 • Printed Size: 2841.00cm² • Market: National Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 45,159 • Words: 1160 • Item ID: 463994542 Copyright Agency licensed copy (www.copyright.com.au) Page 2 of 4 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\>.\VWk\\\\\\\\\ October, 2015 Good Health, National Author: Sarah Marinos • Section: General News • Article type : News Item Audience : 55,381 • Page: 40 • Printed Size: 2841.00cm² • Market: National Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 45,159 • Words: 1160 • Item ID: 463994542 Copyright Agency licensed copy (www.copyright.com.au) Page 3 of 4 "PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES AREN'T MEANT TO BE TIGHT ALL THE TIMEV of the uterus. This leads to tenderness, painful periods and pain when you have sex," explains Dr Pecoraro. Adenomyosis is diagnosed with a transvaginal ultrasound, where the ultrasound probe is placed inside the vagina. Commonly adenomyosis is treated with hormones, such as the Mirena IUD, that thin the uterus lining. The reason some women get adenomyosis is unknown, pain." Treatment can include the muscle to paralyse it so but the condition often Endotnelriosis hormone therapy, the Pill that it doesn't tighten. disappears after menopause. or removal of scar tissue. "Often there's a focus on In endometriosis the lining strengthening pelvic floor Skin problems of the uterus grows outside Vaginismus muscles to stop incontinence," the uterus and thickens. This says Shan Morrison from Skin around the vaginal leads to scar tissue that can If you have involuntary Women's & Men's Health entrance may become irritated stick to the ovaries, fallopian tightening of the muscles Physiotherapy. "But the pelvic as a reaction to perfumed tubes and bowel. Signs around the vagina during floor muscles aren't meant soaps or shower gels. "Don't use of endometriosis include sex you may be experiencing to be tight all the time. They soap in the vaginal area, just painful periods and pelvic vaginismus. It can happen should be soft and flexible, water," says Dr Farrell.'Wear pain. Women can develop due to vaginal damage like the muscles between cotton undies and only use endometriosis due to during childbirth, or there your thumb and index finger." cotton pads or tampons." menstrual blood flowing can be psychological factors See your doctor for advice The vaginal area can also backwards into the fallopian such as a fear of intercourse about pelvic floor exercises become itchy due to lichen tubes during a period. A due to sexual abuse or if you think this could be sclerosus, which affects family history of the condition an abusive relationship. contributing to the problem. around one in 80 women is also a risk factor. Cognitive behavioural therapy from middle age. Skin around "During sex, the uterus, provides psychological Oestrogen loss the vulva becomes pigmented, ovaries and fallopian tubes support while pelvic floor thickened and crinkly and are supported but move in physiotherapy helps to Around perimenopause the vagina opening narrows. the pelvis," says Dr Pecoraro. relax muscles. and menopause oestrogen Cortisone cream is applied to "If you have scarring the tissue "We recommend rubbing levels fall, leading to vaginal the inflamed area and some becomes tight. With thrusting steroid cream into the muscle dryness, and about five per women may need surgery to during sex, you get pulling just inside the vagina, to relax cent of women report pain remove skin blocking the on scar tissue that pulls on it," says Dr Pecoraro. Botox most times they have sex. vagina entrance. connected organs and causes may also be injected into "The fall in oestrogen causes October, 2015 Good Health, National Author: Sarah Marinos • Section: General News • Article type : News Item Audience : 55,381 • Page: 40 • Printed Size: 2841.00cm² • Market: National Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 45,159 • Words: 1160 • Item ID: 463994542 Copyright Agency licensed copy (www.copyright.com.au) Page 4 of 4 WHERET our GP or go thinning of the vaginal and entry is painful, your / ulvodynia -. Jexual Health tissue, dryness and lack of automatic response is to Family Planning lubrication," says Dr Deborah tighten your pelvic floor," In some women the skin Australia website, Bateson, medical director of explains Dr Farrell.This around the vaginal opening www.shfpa.org.au, Family Planning NSW. "Try can be helped by gentle becomes sore after a bout and click on'Find a over-the-counter lubricants dilation of the vaginal of thrush. Signs of thrush Clinic'to find a sexual from the chemist, and your entrance and by pelvic floor include white vaginal health clinic near you. GP or gynaecologist can exercises such as pulling in discharge and stinging that Family Planning prescribe vaginal lubricants the pelvic muscles, holding lead to the burning sensation NSW, fpnsw.org.au that plump tissue in the for 10 seconds and then typical of vulvodynia. "Women or call area. A dose of vaginal releasing the muscles slowly. often experience burning or 1300 658 886. oestrogen in a cream Repeat this up to 10 times, stabbing sensations during Jean Hailes for or tablet may also be a few times a day. and after sex,"says Morrison. Women's Health, helpful." These can be "Sometimes we recommend Treatment may include jeanhailes.org.au inserted into the vagina dilators - different sized moisturising creams to or call using a special applicator. glass or plastic tubing that reduce inflammation, and 0 532 642. is gently inserted into the avoiding soaps and shower i/ulvovaginal Size disparity" vagina,"adds Dr Farrell. gels. Thrush is cleared with Society, anzvs.org. "Women graduate to the anti-fungal creams applied Go to the patient "If the erect penis seems too size that allows her to fit inside the vagina or with information link. big for your vaginal entrance her partner's penis." oral medication..