Chronic pain, intimacy, and sexuality: A qualitative study of women who live with pain

Abstract

In this article I examined chronic pain and sexuality by analyzing excerpts from interviews with 28 women, aged 20–50, who live with chronic back, joint, and/or muscle pain. Pain's invisibility has profound implications for social interactions, including sexual relationships. By looking at experiences and perceptions of sexuality and intimate relationships, I addressed ways in which women have adjusted to pain, communicated about their pain with partners and other intimate persons, and altered their social interactions and future plans in response to physical disability.