A new and effective treatment for postpartum dyspareunia.
Published:26 January,2022
The Delicate Postpartum Period
Childbirth unsurprisingly takes a heavy toll on the body and can cause many physical and mental difficulties. Therefore, the period after birth is essential for mothers to recover.
One of the reasons for this is that hormonal variation initiated during labor and prolonged during the postpartum period, although transient (6 weeks to 4 months), are not without consequences on the female reproductive system, particularly for the perineum and the vaginal mucosa.
Indeed, estragon deficiency modifies the epithelium vaginal, which no longer lubricates sufficiently if thinned and dehydrated. The mucosa subsequently loses elasticity, and connective tissue components degrade.
In addition, the efficiency of the fabric connective tissue, of which 80% is composed of the perineum, is altered, creating a weakening of the organs in the pelvis. The female body understandably is incredibly delicate at this point in its recovery.
When Conditions Persist What Treatments Are Available?
Young mothers often come to consultations to talk to me about pain during sexual intercourse or bring it up during an examination.
The clinical examination of the perineum and the vagina allows me to sometimes identify a physical problem; however, hormonal causes can also introduce pain to the area, which makes sexual contact difficult.
To help with symptoms, I usually prescribe local topicals to prevent or relieve discomfort felt during sexual intercourse. These include moisturizers and lubricants (often combined with hyaluronic acid). However, sometimes these treatments aren’t enough to improve symptoms.
In these cases, therapeutic radiofrequency (RFT) sessions may be offered in addition to topicals. The biostimulation effect of radiofrequency promotes the process of tissue repair, helping patients recover quicker from injuries and conditions associated with childbirth. When I opt for this line of treatment, INDIBA® technology is unquestionably the technology I use.
Therapeutic Radiofrequency Should Be Widely Available to Women and Professionals
For about ten years, midwives have been using RFT as a treatment in the care of suffering patients. I have noticed that those who receive the treatments seem to appreciate the benefits from the 1st session. Mostly professionals in private activity are equipped with technology; 400 practitioners are referenced. This weight of clinical support provides a lot of hope for patients who have access to specialist midwives close to their homes.
Radiofrequency Can Be Precisely Applied
The cutaneous application of small round capacitive and resistive electrodes already known is supplemented by a new capacitive longitudinal intracavitary electrode.
In direct contact with the mucosa, respectful of the anatomy of the vagina and the patient’s body its action is precise, fast and pleasant for the patient: about 20 minutes per session.
Discussions
Women have long lamented the lack of solutions offered to treat postpartum dyspareunia: “It will pass with time, madam!” being the default response of doctors when asked about the specific pain.
The choice of therapies to treat pain in the vagina for years has been poor. Therefore, the offer of new technologies associated with perineal rehabilitation, which have appeared in urogynecology (Laser-LED-RFT) in recent years, has been a real step forward. However, the one that offers the largest number of clinical validations is the RFT at 448 kHz.
I personally opt for RFT technology offered by INDIBA®, which benefits from more than 300 validated clinical studies that support its efficacy when treating real patients. This unique technology has changed my practice and the lives of women who have been able to benefit from it: “You saved my marriage!” said one of my patients after receiving treatments.
The decrease in the number of sessions thanks to the rapid effects of technology is a precious benefit of this therapy and, for me, supports its indisputable efficiency.
In my opinion, INDIBA’s RFT devices are essential for midwives who specialize in pelvic perinatology.
For more info on the INDIBA pelvic health treatment, please visit www.indiba.com
Bibliography
Carralero-Martínez A, Muñoz Pérez MA, Pané-Alemany R, Blanco-Ratto L, Kauffmann S, Ramírez-García I. Efficacy of capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency in the physiotherapeutic treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2021;22(1):356.
Fernández-Cuadros ME, Kazlauskas SG, Albadalejo-Florin MJ, Robles-López M, Laborda-Delgado A, de la Cal-Alvarez C, et al. Effectiveness of multimodal rehabilitation (biofeedback plus capacitive-resistive radiofrequency) on chronic pelvic pain and dyspareunia: prospective study and literature review. Rehabilitación. 2020;54(3):154-61.
Ramírez-García I, Blanco-Ratto L, Kauffmann S, Carralero-Martínez A, Girabent-Farrés M. Multimodal Approach Using Indiba® Activ Therapy as an Additional Treatment for Patients Suffering from Therapy-Resistant Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: A Feasibility Study. INDIBA Activ Meeting Day, Asturias, 2016.
Serra ML, Martinez S. Tratamiento Fisioterápico de La Hipertonía del Suelo Pélvico. UROD A. 2007;20(2): 74-83.
Stéphanie Coudrain
Liberal midwife in Beausoleil (06)