Dyspareunia is defined as chronic or recurrent pain occurring during vaginal penetration or attempted vaginal penetration. Painful intercourse affects the sexual intimacy of a relationship and influences the couple's emotional life.
In most cases it has a biological cause and it can be an illness in and of itself. The pain is perceived as a complex experience, which contains psychological and relational elements.
Chronic pain makes this even more intensive. Pain during sex needs to be considerede as a disorder which is multifactorial, multisystemic and complex.