What if the pain isn’t just physical—and what if fixing the body is only half the battle?

Sexual pain is one of the most misunderstood issues in medicine. I invited my friend and colleague Dr. Corey Babb to dive into why so many women still struggle with pain, even after their doctors tell them everything looks “normal.” Corey just released his new book A Practical Guide for Female Sexual Medicine, which aims to help clinicians actually treat sexual dysfunction—not just study it.

We unpack the deeper reasons patients experience conditions like vaginismus, vestibulodynia, and hypertonic pelvic floor, including trauma, religious shame, and outdated medical training. Corey and I also explore the groundbreaking Pacik method for treating vaginismus, including why Botox and dilators can truly change lives (and minds).

But as we both know, treatment is never just about the body. We talk about the psychological side of healing—including why some patients avoid intimacy even after their pain resolves. Corey shares his insights on retraining the brain, rebuilding trust, and supporting patients beyond the exam room.

We also discuss why pelvic pain is so often dismissed, how to empower women to advocate for themselves, and why our field still has so much work to do when it comes to teaching clinicians about sexual health.

If you’ve ever been told to “just relax” or “drink some wine” to fix your pain—you’ll want to hear this.

Highlights:

• Why sexual pain can persist even after physical treatment
• How trauma and religious shame impact vaginismus
• The Pacik method: Botox and dilator therapy explained
• Why desire and intimacy often lag behind pain relief
• The critical need for better sexual health education in medicine

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Dr. Babb’s Bio:

Dr. Corey Babb is a Tulsa native who has dedicated his life to bringing awareness and acceptance to female sexual health. Through education, activism, and empathy, he helps people feel heard and validated, empowering them to find answers in a complicated medical environment. 

In addition to being a board-certified gynecologist, he is a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, a Menopause Society Certified Menopause Practitioner and a member in the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disorders. Currently, Dr. Babb serves on the board of directors for ISSWSH, is a reviewer for multiple sexual medicine journals, is a respected lecturer and educator, and has been featured in numerous national and international publications, as well as the author of A Practical Guide to Female Sexual Medicine (CRC Press).

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