Physiotherapy Intervention in Climacteric Women With Dyspareunia

Physiotherapy Intervention in Climacteric Women With Dyspareunia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of physical therapy intervention techniques in the improvement of dyspareunia in climacteric women.

Study design: This is a randomized controlled trial.

Search location: Menopause and Sexuality Clinic of the department of obstetrics and Gynecology and Clinical Research Center, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA).

Patients or participants: The recruited patients may not be vaginal atrophy (cytology-hormone test) and must provide the diagnosis of dyspareunia for more than six months being confirmed by one of the investigators through the pain score above grade 3 (visual analog pain scale) visual inspection, palpation and a questionnaire about the duration and location of pain.

Intervention and measures: consist of evaluation of the pelvic floor muscles (Oxford Scale and Perfect), myoelectric assessment (Electromyography), quality of life (Cervantes Scale), sexual function (FSFI), level of depression (Beck Scale) and pain (visual analog pain scale) before and after physical therapy intervention.

Expected results: To estimate the effectiveness of pelvic floor training techniques with physical therapy in women with dyspareunia.

Inclusion Criteria:

• dyspareunia complaint for at least six months
• visual analog scale of pain above 3
• trophic vagina

Exclusion Criteria:

• vaginal atrophy
• neurological disorders
• lack of cognition and understanding
• urinary tract infection and / or genital infections
• prolapse grade 2 and 3
• severe systemic disease
• performing physical therapy