Painful Sex in Menopause (Dyspareunia)

Here at Sex on Call, our personal expert on menopause is Maddie. She has her certification with North American Menopause Society and she is deeply passionate about all things menopause.

Today, we are focusing on pain with sex in connection to menopause. As women can spend up to 40% of their life in menopause, many experience side effects from the declining estrogen and androgen specifically in our vaginal tissues. The lack of these hormones can often lead to discomfort and pain with intercourse including dyspareunia.

The unfortunate reality is that 50% of women experiencing issues with their sexual function related to menopause never seek treatment or utilize therapy. Some common symptoms include irritation of the vulva, inadequate vaginal lubrication, burning, urinary urgency, decreased sexual sensation/pleasure, and more.

In a survey of women, this has led to a negative effect on their lives, adverse effects on sexual intimacy, feeling less sexual, feeling old, negative consequences on marriage/relationships, negative effects on self-esteem, and lower quality of life.

During our discussion, we share treatment options, why menopause doesn't have to include sexual discomfort, how often treatments usually take to be effective, and why estrogen is considered a safe and effective options for many patients.

We hope this conversation is valuable for you!