I’m uncomfortable, unable or it hurts to have sex

Lichen sclerosus is a skin disease that causes itchy and painful patches of thin, white, wrinkled-looking skin. 

Lichen sclerosus is treated with cortisone ointment first for both female and male genitalia. If this doesn’t work, however, then surgery to remove the affected skin is required. 

Dyspareunia is the medical term for painful intercourse. It can occur in the pelvic area or vagina for females and males. If you have symptoms consistent with this condition, please visit your family doctor for further advice. You can also visit a pelvic floor physiotherapy to discuss exercises that can help reduce this pain.

Learn more about dyspareunia

Ep. 47 - Pain with intercourse: Looking beyond the pelvic floor muscles with Dr. Lori Brotto

Ep. 48 - Using dilators to address painful penetration with Dr. Amanda Olson

Also called restless genital syndrome, this disorder results in spontaneous, persistent and uncontrollable genital arousal. This arousal occurs, with or without orgasm or genital engorgement, and is unrelated to any feelings of sexual desire.

Learn more about persistent genital arousal disorder

Menopause can bring about changes to female genitals, including the vulva, vagina and lower urinary tract.  This is known as genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

Symptoms can include:

• Dryness, burning and irritation
• Sexual issues like lack of lubrication, discomfort or pain, and impaired function
• Urinary symptoms, including urgency, dysuria and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Ep. 54 - Vulvovaginal hormone therapy with urologist Dr. Rachel Rubin

When one more of your pelvic organs bulges or herniates into or out of the vagina, this is known as pelvic organ prolapse.

Symptoms include:

• A heavy dragging feeling in the vagina or lower back
• Feeling of a lump in the vagina or outside the vagina
• Urinary symptoms such as slow urinary stream, a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying, urinary frequency or urgent desire to pass urine, and urinary stress incontinence
• Bowel symptoms, such as difficulty moving the bowel or a feeling of not emptying properly, or needing to press on the vaginal wall to empty the bowel
• Discomfort during sexual intercourse

 Learn more:

• Pelvic organ prolapse
• What is a pessary?
• Pelvic organ prolapse: Pessaries, physiotherapy and surgical management with urogynecologist, Dr. Alexandra Dubinskaya
• Pelvic floor muscle weakness
• Kegels – pelvic floor muscle strengthening
• Prolapse management with gynecologist Dr. Paula Espino

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the persistent inability to get and keep an erection of the penis that is firm enough for satisfactory sexual activity.

Learn more about ED

This is ejaculation that occurs sooner than a person with a penis or their partner would like during sex.

Prostatitis is pelvic and or genital pain or discomfort that may also include urinary and sexual problems. 

Learn more about prostatitis
 

Peyronie’s is a disease that curves the penis due to dense formation of scar tissue.

Learn more about Peyronie’s disease