Hot on the heels of the Porn Sex vs Real Sex video (which playfully explains the difference through food) – comes the new “Painful Sex vs. Normal Sex” video, which takes a look at the topic of vulvodynia, again using a witty parallel with food.
Vulvodynia is an under-diagnosed condition affecting millions of women who experience burning pain during intercourse.
The goal of the video is to encourage women to recognise the difference between good, sexy, consensual pain, and unwanted genital discomfort that can hamper and sometimes even stop your sex life.
Genital Pain Treatment Options
Dr Brooke Magnanti, the Daily Telegraph’s Wonder Women sex writer, says the video “humorously illustrates a topic that may hit painfully home for some – in fact, for more people than perhaps you imagine.
“The good news is that while experiencing pain during intercourse is common, it is also very treatable with the right help.”
Sexual health clinics are a good place to start; your GP may also be an option but be cautious here as many are not particularly well informed on specialist sex topics.
New Book on Vulvodynia
Brooke Magnanti points to the publication of a new book by Sally Turner – Eve’s Volcano – details can be found on the Chilli Pepper Sex Club Facebook page – which is drawing public attention to the issue of painful sex for the first time.
“Not so long ago, patient input at a medical conference would have been unheard of,” Turner writes. “I am thrilled that [patients and health professionals] are now entering a new era of co-operation and can begin to work together towards better standards of healthcare”
Too often when we talk about sex, we talk either about performance (was it good? did it last? did you come?) or disease prevention – both of which miss out a wealth of health information that falls neither in one camp nor the other.
Says Dr Brooke: “The hope is that a better and more comprehensive approach to sex education will find room for these discussions, too.”
