Ask Dr. Johnson: Expert Answers to Your Health Questions

Q: I've been experiencing pain during intercourse for almost a year now, but I'm too embarrassed to talk to my doctor about it. My friends tell me it's normal as women age and I should just use more lubricant. Is discomfort during sex really just something women have to accept as they get older?

A: Thank you for having the courage to ask this important question. The short answer is absolutely not - pain during intercourse is never something you should simply accept as "normal aging," regardless of your age or life stage. This is actually one of the most common myths I encounter in my practice, and it prevents countless women from seeking the very effective treatments available today. Please read this article for a better undertstanding of sexual education as you age.

Pain during intimacy can stem from multiple causes including hormonal shifts, pelvic floor dysfunction, or insufficient arousal time - all of which have evidence-based solutions. What's particularly concerning is that over 75% of women experiencing painful intercourse never seek treatment due to these normalization myths.

Even more important to understand is that sexual wellness isn't isolated to the bedroom - it connects to your overall health, affecting everything from hormonal balance to sleep quality and even immune function. When we address sexual health concerns properly, many women experience improvements across multiple aspects of their wellbeing.

I've written an in-depth article addressing the 32 most common sexual health myths that keep women from experiencing optimal wellness. In it, you'll discover evidence-based approaches for various concerns, including painful intercourse, and learn why many so-called "inevitable" changes are actually quite responsive to the right treatment approaches.

[Read the full article here] to learn more about reclaiming this vital dimension of your health that conventional medicine often overlooks.