This time of year, it\u2019s normal to be overwhelmed by store shelves full of greeting cards, candy hearts, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and to dread having to pick out the perfect gift for your special someone. However, it\u2019s not normal to dread an evening with that special someone because of the pain you experience each time you have intercourse.<\/p>\n
Even though one in three women say they\u2019ve experienced pain during intercourse, it\u2019s not supposed to be that way. It doesn\u2019t matter whether you\u2019re 18 or 81, sex shouldn\u2019t to be painful for you.<\/p>\n
Cecile Gibbs, a physical therapist at ATI Physical Therapy in Elkton, Md., has dealt with a lot of men and women who think that pain during intercourse is normal and \u201cjust the way it is.\u201d She has worked with each of them to explain what causes discomfort and to help them achieve pleasurable, pain-free intercourse through physical therapy.<\/p>\n
What to expect<\/strong><\/p>\n When you seek therapy to relieve pain during intercourse, you\u2019ll work with a physical therapist who\u2019s specially trained in pelvic floor rehabilitation. Patients typically go to therapy once or twice a week for two to six months, depending on the severity of the case, and work on these four components:<\/p>\n