Non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches to painful sexual dysfunction in women: integrative review

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sexual dysfunctions associated with pain symptoms can affect female genito-pelvic functionality. The objective of this study was to identify non--pharmacological analgesic therapies used in painful sexual dysfunctions to guide clinical and therapeutic practice in comprehensive care of women's sexual health. CONTENTS: An integrative review, carried out in the Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo, PEDro and Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde databases. The searches were performed using the combinations: "dysfunction" AND "pain" AND "sexual" AND "treatment". The inclusion criteria allowed the analysis of six articles published between January 2009 and August 2019. It was observed that dysfunctions in the muscles of the pelvic floor may be associated with pain and sexual dysfunctions, thus, non-pharmacological analgesic interventions can provide greater muscle relaxation and perineal self-perception, reducing painful symptoms in the sexual response cycle. CONCLUSION: The treatment of painful sexual dysfunctions with the use of non-pharmacological resources, using techniques such as perineal massage, myofascial release, muscle training, biofeedback, vaginal dilators, electrostimulation, and radiofrequency aim to improve sexual performance and quality of life for women.