When sex hurts: Female genital pain with sexual consequences deserves attention: A position paper

There is a growing interest in the problem of female genital pain and associated problems with sexual pain. However, research predominately refers to the field of sex research, and the involvement from the pain community has to date been relatively low. There is an immediate need to identify the psychosocial mechanisms involved in the transition from acute to chronic genital pain in women and to address these components in treatment using established methods. Since sexual pain is far more than pain during vaginal penetration, there is a risk of treatment interventions being oriented towards performance in terms of a narrowly defined sexual behavior instead of focusing on valued activities, meaning and pleasure for the individual. Assessment and treatment have to include a broad perspective on pain and on sex.