Dyspareunia, or painful sexual intercourse, is a complex condition that involves a multitude of factors, that affect both the physical and emotional landscape.
In general, sex and especially problems regarding sexual function is very difficult to discuss; as a result, the treatment of this condition can be very complex to treat since successful treatment of this condition may require both physical and emotional interventions.
Using Acupuncture to Treat Dyspareunia
Often times, in the treatment room, I tell patients why I believe acupuncture is such an effective therapeutic intervention in regards to musculoskeletal conditions. I am generally referring to the treatment of adhesions in the muscles and fascia that can be touched directly with minimal pain and pressure. I contrast this with manual therapy which sometimes can be intense as the therapist needs to exert substantial pressure to release adhesions from the surface at the skin.
The second reason why I believe acupuncture is effective is because (now this may sound hokey) you can treat areas of the body without directly touching them.
In fact, there are systems of acupuncture that rely solely on distal point treatments (never treating the area of pain directly with acupuncture). For example, pain along the medial border of the scapula is often treated in the Tung lineage system by choosing acupuncture points in the opposite hand Chung Hsien and Chung Tze.
Treating dyspareunia with acupuncture involves a distal approach method mainly by the liver channel. The liver channel in acupuncture enters into the external genitalia and connects with the ovaries in females and testicles in males. The liver channel also regulates emotions, therefore; treating the liver system can help reduce emotional stress and relieve other stress related conditions regarding digestion, headaches, and insomnia in addition to helping relax the internal muscles of the reproductive system.
When acupuncture is combined with our on-site pelvic floor therapy, the results are even better. Our pelvic floor therapist can assess which internal structures need to be released or strengthened and provide direct interventions. When both the pelvic floor therapist and I work together we can both provide weekly feedback regarding the patient’s progress enabling us to modify our treatment approach to help the patient progress therapeutically. Acupuncture and pelvic floor therapy in combination are very effective modalities when treating dyspareunia.
