Dyspareunia is pain with intercourse or pain post intercourse. Pain with intercourse itself can have a strong emotional impact. Quite often, it can lead to avoidance of intercourse with your partner. It can lead to relationship issues with your partner. It can lead to a fear of intercourse and this fear can lead to something we call Vaginismus. When patients are in fear of intercourse, the muscles surrounding the vaginal opening can clamp down, so to speak. It can also lead to emotional distress, anxiety, as well as sleep disturbances, all secondary to the pain with intercourse. We do always ask, is it more of a superficial burning sensation? Which can often be associated with entrance pain or Vulvodynia symptoms, and at that point, it’s important to evaluate any underlying hormonal cause or underlying infection such as a yeast infection. Or is it more of a deep, penetrating pain? The pelvic floor muscles are important in evaluating and treating as well as any underlying organ disorders potentially within the female system such as ovarian cyst or a fibroid.