Fairhope, AL: 251-202-9055 - Peoria, IL: 309-306-1322
Fairhope, AL: 251-202-9055 - Peoria, IL: 309-306-1322
Fairhope, AL: 251-202-9055 - Peoria, IL: 309-306-1322
Directions to Gynecologists in Peoria, IL
Google Maps directions to
5008 North Glen Park Place Rd, Suite B Peoria, IL 61614
Table of Contents
What are the common causes of painful sex?
What are the main symptoms of painful sex?
When should someone seek medical help for painful sex?
What are the treatment options for painful sex?
Are there any home remedies or lifestyle changes that can help with painful sex?
Hormone replacement for painful sex?
PRP for painful sex?
What are the common causes of painful sex?
Painful sex (dyspareunia) can stem from various causes, ranging from physical to psychological factors, and can significantly influence a woman's quality of life and intimate relationship.
The most common causes include:
● Vaginal dryness, often due to hormonal changes associated with menopause, breastfeeding, or certain medications
● Infections of the vagina or urinary tract
● Conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, and pelvic inflammatory disease
● Psychological factors like stress, anxiety, or history of sexual abuse
● Physical issues, including tight pelvic floor muscles or vulvodynia (chronic pain in the vulva with no identifiable cause)
What are the main symptoms of painful sex?
Women experiencing painful sex may report a wide range of symptoms, including pain at the vaginal entrance (vulva), deep pain during or after intercourse, burning or aching sensations, and emotional distress or anxiety related to sex. The pain can vary in intensity and may occur every time or only occasionally during sexual activity.
When should someone seek medical help for painful sex?
It's important to consult a healthcare provider if the pain disrupts your sex life, causes significant distress, or persists despite attempts to address potential causes (like using lubricants for vaginal dryness).
A healthcare provider can help identify the underlying cause and recommend appropriate treatment. Please realize that you don’t have to “tough it out”. Your intimate life is an important part of your daily life.
What are the treatment options for painful sex?
Treatment for painful sex depends on the underlying cause and may include:
Lubricants and moisturizers: Over-the-counter lubricants used during sex or vaginal moisturizers for regular use can provide relief.
Hormone therapy: Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can be effective for women with vaginal dryness and atrophy.
Platelet Rich Plasma (The O-Shot): PRP contains highly active growth factors that stimulate cell and tissue regeneration, benefiting the tissue where it was injected.
Physical therapy: Pelvic floor physical therapy can help women with tight pelvic floor muscles or conditions like vaginismus.
Are there any home remedies or lifestyle changes that can help with painful sex?
Yes, certain lifestyle changes and home remedies can complement medical treatments:
Communication: Openly discussing your experiences and concerns with your partner can help find ways to reduce pain during sex, such as changing positions or pacing.
Stress reduction: Techniques like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can help manage stress and anxiety that may contribute to painful sex.
Regular pelvic floor exercises: Kegel exercises can strengthen pelvic floor muscles, but it's important to ensure they're done correctly, as improper technique can worsen symptoms.
Painful sex is a complex issue that affects many women, but with the right approach, it can often be managed effectively. Identifying the underlying cause is crucial to choosing the appropriate treatment plan. Women experiencing painful sex should not hesitate to seek help, as many resources and treatments are available to improve their sexual health and overall well-being. Always consult a healthcare provider for a personalized assessment and treatment plan.
Let’s discuss in more detail our two treatment options that we believe will help you: bioidentical (human identical) hormone replacement therapy and platelet rich plasma (PRP).
What is the best hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?
Bioidentical hormones are compounds manufactured in a laboratory to chemically match the hormones naturally produced by the human body, primarily estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Unlike conventional hormone therapies, which may use synthetic or animal-derived hormones, bioidentical hormones aim to offer a more natural hormone replacement option.
What are the benefits of bioidentical hormones?
The primary advantage of bioidentical hormones is their chemical similarity to the body's natural hormones, which may lead to a reduction in side effects for some women. Advocates for BHRT argue that this can result in a more efficient and natural way to restore hormonal balance.
Additionally, BHRT can be customized to fit the specific hormonal needs of each individual, potentially offering a more precise treatment method.
What method of BHRT do we use?
At Epiphany women’s health, we use pellet therapy to administer BHRT. We believe that the pellets offer the safest and most reliable mode of treatment.
Oral medication, patches, and creams can cause damage to the liver and often cause rollercoaster like symptoms because their release of the hormones are not consistent. Pellet therapy offers slow release at a consistent rate.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) as treatment for painful sex?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is derived from the woman's own blood, and it is injected back into her body for several benefits. PRP contains highly active growth factors that stimulate cell and tissue regeneration, benefiting the tissue where it was injected.
How is platelet rich plasma created?
Platelet-rich plasma is obtained by separating a woman’s own blood into plasma, platelets, and red blood cells. A centrifuge (spinning device) is used to separate the blood. The plasma and platelets are removed from the tube and used in the injection after they have been activated using calcium chloride.
The injection, administered near the urethra (pee tube), prompts bone marrow to create new blood vessels and tissues. Over several days, weeks, and months, this new tissue develops, potentially treating lichen sclerosus.
What's the procedure like?
The method for injecting PRP as a treatment for lichen sclerosus was developed by a physician and he named the procedure the O-Shot. This method of injecting PRP is used to treat many conditions other than lichen sclerosus such as urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness, and pain with sex. When you arrive at our office, we will discuss the procedure in detail with you. Then we will draw blood from your arm and then apply numbing cream to the area of injection.
After the blood is drawn and spun down in the centrifuge, the calcium chloride is added to activate the growth factors, and then your provider will use a very thin needle to administer the PRP. Because these areas have been numbed with the anesthetic cream, the woman feels little or no pain. The process also only takes about 10 minutes.
How does new tissue grow?
Higher concentrations of calcium chloride can usually be found in the tissue than in the blood. So, when the doctor adds calcium chloride to the PRP, the platelets think that tissue injury released the calcium into the bloodstream. PRP has been used effectively for a variety of treatments for more than 20 years. Over 500,000 procedures involving the injection of PRP into various parts of the body have been performed with no significant side effects or complications reported.
This extra calcium chloride triggers the platelets to release at least 7 different growth factors that then trigger the unipotent stem cells to grow younger tissue–activating unipotent stem cells. So, the O-Shot® is a nonsurgical procedure that uses the growth factors each woman has in her own body to stimulate vaginal and clitoral rejuvenation to activate new tissue growth.
Next steps...
We would love to discuss your condition and our treatment options in more detail with you. We are conveniently located in Peoria, IL and Fairhope, AL. We are here to get you back on top of your game and living your best life.
If you’re ready to take the first step toward treating your painful sex, please book an appointment online.
S. Rians
My home for female healthcare
“My visit at Epiphany Women’s Health was wonderful! Dr. Boyd took a lot of time discussing my personal health needs, and was sure to make sure any questions I had were answered. The office staff was so welcoming and kind! My appointment ran smoothly from start to finish with no wait time! I’m happy to call Epiphany Women’s Health Care my home for female healthcare!“
Meet Our Team
Each one of our providers is board certified and experienced. Rest assured they will provide superior care that you deserve.
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Lauren Shoemaker, APN
Dr. William Boyd D.O.M.D
Nicole Gill, APN
Julie Ludlum, APN
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