Here Are Some Reasons Why You May Experience Pain During Sex
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Sex is undoubtedly one of the most pleasurable human experiences on this planet. Everyone is chasing the “big O” and learning different ways to experience it. You get that delicious oxytocin rush from being close to a loved one. You also get to use the physical act to draw closer to an individual. In theory, it should be one of the most joyous things you can do with your body, but in practice, for some people, sex is literally painful.
A 2017 British study found that 1 in 10 women suffer from painful sex, Broadly reports.
“Many women are almost conditioned to a less gratifying sex life and they see painful sex as part of it,” Dr. Remziye Kunelaki, lead psychosexual therapist from sexual health clinic 56 Dean Street in London told Broadly.
“I think the biggest mistake they can make is doing nothing about it and putting up with the pain silently.”
Painful sex is not something to ignore. You don’t have to literally “grin in bear it” for the benefit of your partner. Sex is about you too!
Broadly spoke to three sex experts/doctors to discover some reasons people experience painful intercourse.
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STDs
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Don’t rule STDs out–even if you and your partner have been exclusive. It’s important to get tested.
“Getting an STI is not something to worry about but its treatment should be prioritized,” Kunelaki explained.
Burning symptoms could be do to gonorrhea, chlamydia, and genital herpes could all be at the root of your discomfort.
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Rule Out Allergies
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“I frequently see women who are so allergic to sanitary towels that they have the red outline of one on their vulva when they see me,” says Dr. Leila Frodsham, leader of a psychosexual dysfunction specialists clinic at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
You could be allergic to your pads, tampons, condoms, certain scents, body washes, soaps, the list goes on and on. Try to use more natural products instead if you are experiencing irritation.
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Not Enough Wetness
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There is no shame in using lube! A lot of painful sex issues can be relieved by added some extra fluids in the mix.
“Sometimes it might be a case of thinking that you are ready for penetration but that might not be true physiologically, ”says Kunelaki. Give yourself time to warm up and if it’s still not wet enough, use some help.
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Rough Sex Can Literally Tear You Up
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Even if you enjoyed rough sex in the moment, you could be feeling the effects of the friction for days.
“Obviously that’s going to hurt,” vice-president for education of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Prof. Janice Rymer said of the irritation that can come from little cuts around the vagina that may appear after sex, according to Broadly.
“They particularly appear at the back of the vagina. It’s a common area that people get a breakdown of skin and you can get a little cut there and that can be very painful.”
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Endometriosis Or Fibroids Could Be The Culprits
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Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor to do a deeper dive into your womb to figure out why there is pain in your abdominal areas. Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue inside the womb forms outside of the womb. Fibroids are growths near your vagina or cervix.
“Someone might have a cyst [a fluid-filled sac] that’s sitting there when you have intercourse that makes it uncomfortable. You might have a fibroid [a non-cancerous growth near your vagina or cervix] in an odd position,” Rymer told Broadly.
Definitely worth doing an internal and external ultrasound.
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