During sex, psychological and physical factors are important. Psychologycal factors include relaxation, attention, perception and arousal. With regard to the physical factors the pelvic floor plays an essential role. The vagina is “part” of pelvic floor and the functioning of the pelvic floor impacts the sexual experience. Every woman does this her own way.
Physical causes
Sometimes women feel embarassed about possible loss of urine or stool, or a women stops having sex out of fear that a prolapse is in the way. Then there is a urological or gynecological problem that disturbs the sexuality.
The pelvic floor
The cause may also be located in the pelvic floor itself. Many sexual complaints have to do with the pelvic floor. This usually involves too much pressure or improper coordination. If sex is not enjoyable, there is often a negative spiral. Fear of pain or failure leads to avoidance or painful continuation. Sex becomes less relaxed and it becomes a vicious circle.
Pain during intercourse (dyspareunie) can be caused by numerous factors. The Pelvic Physical therapist can tell you what the causes and the consequences are and how the situation can be improved. Learning how to feel, recognize and relax the pelvic floor muscles, helps to improve sexuality. Women learn to gradually gain back control of their pelvic floor muscles and also learn to understand the reactions of the body. Communication with the partner and understanding of the partner are also very important.
Sexology men
When having sex, psychological and physical facors are important. Psychological factors include relaxation, attention, perception and arousal. Erection and ejaculation are functions where the pelvic floor plays an important role. During an erection the penis is filled with blood.
Physical causes
The following physical factors play a role: the overall condition of the blood vessels (eg. blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, certain medications), but especially the pelvic floor. If the pelvic floor receives too much pressure, it may affect the erection negatively.
The pelvic floor
If the pelvic floor is pressured, in combination with a too high overall muscle tension, it often happens that the orgasm comes too early. The harder you try to delay the ejaculation, the more muscle tension, the quicker the orgasm. Learning to recognize stress-relaxation and learning to control the pelvic floor is a tool to gain better control over the timing of an orgasm. Communication with the partner and understanding of the partner are also very important.