Purpose of review: The purpose of this review was to assess recent research (the last 18 months) and its impact on understanding sexual pain disorders relevant to daily clinical practice.
Recent findings: It has been highlighted that sexual pain is related to the number of tender points, pressure pain threshold, more deliberate fear and less global positive affective associations with sexual stimuli, episiotomy, attachment styles, drug abuse and the influence of ambivalence over emotional expression in couples.The efficacy of a multidisciplinary vulvodynia programme of treatment, another type of therapy based on the fear-avoidance and pain self-efficacy model and a novel cognitive-behavioral couple therapy has been stated.
Summary: There is a gradual advance in the knowledge of sexual pain disorder etiology. At the same time different therapeutics strategies have been increasing, but it is necessary to introduce guidelines on the basis of the evidence to approach with efficacy this severe disorder.
Video abstract: http://links.lww.com/YCO/A31.