Pain During Intercourse
Many women experience pain during intercourse at some point in their lives. There can be many reasons for this, including physical conditions that can be treated, structural issues in the reproductive organs, and even psychological concerns. It is quite a common problem, and its medical term is dyspareunia. The pain can either be intermittent or persistent and may happen before, during, and even after intercourse.
Some of the symptoms of dyspareunia include pain at the time of penetration, and this can also be when inserting a tampon, deeper pain experienced during thrusting, a sensation of burning, and even pain that last for a long time after intercourse, usually throbbing.
Though the symptoms might be similar between women, the cause of this discomfort and pain is most often diagnosed depending on the type and timing of the pain.
Entry Pain
This occurs at the time of penetration and may be the result of the following reasons.
- Lack of lubrication: This is either due to limited foreplay or due to decreased estrogen levels (usually after menopause or childbirth). Certain medications are also known to cause problems in arousal.
- Inflammation or infection: If your genital area or urinary tract is inflamed, or even infected, this can cause painful intercourse. Another factor may be chronic skin conditions, such as eczema.
- Injury or irritation: If you have had an accident that affected your pelvic area or a surgical procedure in your genital area, this may be affecting how you experience intercourse.
- Structural abnormalities: In cases of problems presented at birth, such as a not-fully formed vagina or the development of a hymen that blocks the vaginal opening, you will most likely experience pain during sex.
- Vaginismus: Sometimes the vaginal muscles involuntarily spasm, which can result in painful penetration.
Deep Pain
This is most likely to be experienced with deep penetration or thrusting. It is possible that certain positions worsen this kind of pain.
- Certain medical conditions: If you know you are experiencing a medical condition or you have this kind of pain during intercourse, the following can be pain-causing factors: endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine prolapse, retroverted uterus, uterine fibroids, cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids and ovarian cysts.
- Surgeries and other medical treatments: If you have had pelvic surgery, including hysterectomy, there might be scarring in the area that causes pain. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can also contribute to this.
Emotional Pain
It is widely known that emotions are deeply connected with sexual activity, and they can have a direct effect on how individuals experience intercourse and/or heavily affect the emotional component of sex.
- Stress: One of the most common psychologically charged situations many individuals experience. A common response of female bodies to stress is the tightening of pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to painful intercourse.
- Psychological issues: Though not causing as direct a response as stress, issues of anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and possible fear of intimacy heavily contribute to a low level of arousal, resulting in limited natural lubrication, discomfort, and pain.
- History of sexual abuse: If you have experienced sexual abuse, this most definitely can play a role in the emotional, and possibly physical, pain you may be experiencing during sex.
If you are experiencing pain during sex you should consult your doctor as the causes vary, and each person should receive treatment tailored to their needs.