Dyspareunia

Dyspareunia is completely different from vaginismus and is described as the experience of pain before, during or after sexual intercourse.  This is common in menopausal women due to the reduced production of oestrogen, lack of which leads to a thinning of the vaginal walls, lower levels of lubrication and reduced sexual responses. However, dyspareunia also has numerous other causes, including infections of the vagina, cervix, fallopian tubes or lower urinary tract, childbirth-associated scarring, endometriosis, radiotherapy, prolapsed womb, allergies to lubricants/latex condoms or diaphragms/spermicidal creams, size disparity between vagina and penis (though this may resolve with time) and stress.