What is the Nature of Pelvic Floor Muscle Involvement in Dyspareunia?

Plain-language summary

Dyspareunia, or pain experienced by women during penetrative sexual activities, affects the psychological and sexual health of more than one in five Canadian women \[1\], yet its pathophysiology is poorly understood \[2-4\] and evidence for management approaches is limited.\[5\] It is thought that pelvic floor muscle (PFM) dysfunction is implicated in many forms of dyspareunia, while the nature and aetiology of this involvement remain largely unknown. The goal of this study is to understand if and how PFM dysfunction contributes to the pain experienced by women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), the most common cause of dyspareunia. This goal will be achieved through implementing an innovative and comprehensive approach to measuring the neuromuscular function of the PFMs. Understanding the pathophysiology of PVD is essential to the development of effective interventions to improve the health and quality of life of the many Canadian women who suffer from dyspareunia.

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Trial details