Table of contents
A classic marital awkward situation is painful sexual intercourse. Many people encounter it and no one talks about it. Painful intercourse, often referred to as Dyspareunia, is medically defined as persistent or recurrent genital pain before, during, and/or after sexual intercourse.
Dyspareunia can occur to both men and women, although it’s more common in women. Painful intercourse has many causes, and its treatment depends on the cause which is why it is important to know specifically why you suffer from Dyspareunia.
Reasons why sex can be painful
Photo credit: Lessons Learned in Life
There are several reasons why sexual intercourse can be painful. Reasons could include physical, emotional, or psychological factors. Here are some of the causes of painful sex, according to Mayo Clinic:
The pain could be upon entry, and that could be due to:
- Poor lubrication/lack of vaginal secretions: This often happens due to penetration before reaching a state of arousal, which is often a result of not having proper foreplay or hormonal changes.
- Vaginal injury or irritation: This could be due to a local surgery such as episiotomy, where the birth canal is cut open to allow the baby’s head to pass.
- Infection: Genital and/or urinary tract infection could cause pain during intercourse.
- Vaginismus: This is a condition that causes uncontrollable muscle spasms in the pelvic floor muscles.
- Vulvodynia: It’s a chronic pain that involves the vulva and it has no known reason.
- Congenital abnormality: The deformation of the vagina following vaginal birth.
Photo credit: Getty Images
The pain could also be associated with deep penetration due to :
- A medical condition such as endometriosis
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Ovarian cysts
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Former surgeries
The third factor that could lead to painful sexual intercourse is emotional or psychological issues
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- History of sexual abuse
Dealing with painful sexual intercourse
Photo credit: Cedars Sinai
Talk to your OB/Gyn about your problem. However, be aware that not all cases with painful sexual intercourse could be treated with medicine. First, you have to get to the root of the problem to be able to treat the issue.
For instance, if the pain was caused by vaginal dryness, you need to understand the reason behind the dryness which could be anything from lack of foreplay to hormonal or psychological issues. If the problem is psychological, seeking professional therapy might be of help.
Further reading: Vaginismus: Vaginal Spasm Is a Medical Condition, Not the Woman’s Fault.
Comment With Facebook