Exploring Treatments for Dyspareunia

Chronic pain in the reproductive track: what are the triggers? Because of "poorly characterised" information from the sensory pathways, treatments for dyspareunia are lacking while women are suffering from endometriosis, vulvodynia, etc. Researcher Dr. Joel Castro Kraftchenko, Head of Endometriosis Research for the Visceral Pain Group (VIPER), with the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University, commented, "Very little is known about which ion channels are in charge of detecting painful stimuli from the female reproductive tract; and how pain is transmitted via peripheral sensory nerves (innervating these organs) to the central nervous system."

The journal article—Pharmacological modulation of voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels alters nociception arising from the female reproductive tract—details the study which examined the mouse vagina and nerves innervating it. What is the expression profile of voltage-gated sodium channels? Importantly, what sort of pharmacological modulation of these channels might alter vaginal nociceptive signalling? The study discussed in Pain seeks to better understand the HOWs and WHYs of detection and transmission of pain and "uncover potential molecular targets to investigate as novel therapeutics to relieve painful intercourse."



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Other Categories:

• gynecology

• women's health