Painful Sex Glossary
Below you will find a list of terms associated with sexual health disorders that cause pain during intercourse.
| Dyspareunia | The clinical term for pain during or after sexual intercourse. |
| Lichen Sclerosus | A chronic inflammatory skin condition (suspected to be auto-immune) that causes skin changes often in a figure 8 or keyhole pattern on the vulva and perineum. The skin is blanched, shiny, and tissue paper-like. Most women complain of itching, vulvar pain, and/or pain with intercourse. |
| Lubricant (Lubrication) | Lubricants can be water, silicone or oil based products that can help reduce friction and minimize irritation upon vaginal/anal penetration. |
| MonaLisa Touch® |
An estrogen cream alternative for postmenopausal pain and dryness. The MonaLisa Touch is a laser that rejuvenates the vagina in 2-3 treatments. |
| Painful Intercourse | Pain in the genital area or deep inside the pelvis during intercourse. This pain is often described as a dull ache (similar to menstrual cramps) or stretching and sharp burning at vaginal entrance. |
| Vaginal Dilator | A cylindrical tool which is inserted into the vagina. It is used to gently stretch the vaginal muscles and reduce pain during intercourse. |
| Vaginismus | A condition with which a woman is unable to comfortably get an object (ex: penis, finger, tampon) into the vagina. Generally, it involves an involuntary muscle spasm of the introitus. |
| Vaginismus Treatment Under Anesthesia | Medication is used as a treatment for Vaginismus, by reducing tension in the vaginal muscles. |
| Vaginismus Forum | A supportive online environment for people struggling with Vaginismus to discuss concerns and frustrations, share ideas, experiences, and support each other. |
| Vibrators | A small device of variable shapes, made to oscillate very rapidly. Often used by women in order to stimulate erogenous zones and produce orgasm. |
| Vulvar Vestibulitis | This is a condition in which the the vulvar vestibule (tissue surrounding entrance to the vagina) is irritated or painful. This is a subset of Vulvodynia and can have many causes. |
| Vulvodynia | This term simply translates to vulvar pain. This is most often described as burning pain occurring in the absence of relevant visible findings. |