How to Talk to Your Health Care Provider About Issues with Sex

Have you been trying to figure out how to bring up your pain with intercourse with your healthcare provider, but you feel a little bit embarrassed, a little bit shy, and just not sure if you can do it? Here are some ideas:

• Why don’t you say, “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something a little bit intimate and I’m even a little bit embarrassed to bring it up, but I feel like I should because it is affecting my quality of life.” 

• You want to tell them what exactly it is. Are you feeling dryness? Are you feeling pain with insertion? Are you having pain with orgasm? Are you not orgasming? Go ahead and give them the details.

• If they look at you like they are embarrassed or they have no idea what to tell you, then ask them, “Do you think you could refer me to someone who specializes in female sexual health?”

There aren’t many training programs for female sexual health, but you can search the ISSWSH (International Society for the study of Women’s Sexual Health) website to find someone near you.