This retrospective study evaluated the effectiveness of
physical therapy in relieving painful intercourse and improving sexual function in women diagnosed with
vulvar vestibulitis. This syndrome is a frequent cause of premenopausal
dyspareunia and is characterized by a sharp,
burning pain located within and limited to the vulvar vestibule (vaginal entry) and elicited primarily via pressure applied to the area. Participants were 35 women with
vulvar vestibulitis who took part in
physical therapy treatment for an average of 7 sessions. We conducted telephone interviews to assess whether
physical therapy or other subsequent treatments impacted on
pain during intercourse and sexual functioning. Length of treatment follow up ranged from 2 to 44 months, with a mean of 16 months.
Physical therapy yielded a complete or great improvement for 51.4% of participants, a moderate improvement for 20.0% of participants, and little to no improvement for the other 28.6%. Treatment resulted in a significant decrease in
pain experienced both during intercourse and gynecological examinations; it also resulted in a significant increase in intercourse frequency and levels of sexual desire and arousal. Successful patients were significantly less educated than nonsuccessful patients. Findings demonstrate that
physical therapy is a promising treatment modality for
dyspareunia associated with
vulvar vestibulitis.