Reasons or causes of painful sex
Painful sex or pain during intercourse could be caused due to a variety of reasons. Therefore, it is important to identify the causes to find proper painful sex treatment. The major causes of painful sex are as follows:
1. Vaginismus
This is defined as a painful condition wherein the muscles of the vagina involuntarily and naturally contract or cause a spasm when an object enters the vaginal space. This condition makes sex painful and very difficult. If this pain subsides or reduces after the object is withdrawn from the vagina, this can be a sure sign of vaginismus. Most women with vaginismus describe the feeling as if tearing or hitting the wall.
2. Menopause
Women experience plenty of hormonal fluctuations as they age. These hormonal changes also affect the natural lubrication in the vagina. This lack of natural lubrication could dry out the vagina and make the walls thinner, which could make penetration painful during intercourse.
3. Vulvodynia
This is defined as a painful and chronic disorder wherein, the woman can experience burning, itching or a sensation of rawness in their vulvar region. Sometimes, the experience could be a general sore or inflamed feeling. But this condition could also make sex painful for women. In this case, women should seek proper painful sex treatment and pelvic pain treatment.
4. Infections
Vaginitis or vaginal infections are also caused by pain during sex. Moreover, you may even notice a foul smell or an itching and burning sensation in your vagina. A vaginal infection could be of different types. They are:
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhoea
- Allergic infection
- Yeast infection
- Viral vaginitis
- Trichomoniasis
A variety of reasons may cause pain during sex, but luckily, you can apply various home remedies to find natural relief from the pain and make it a more pleasurable experience.
Effective home remedies
While you must first consult a gynaecologist if you are consistently experiencing pain during sex, some of these effective home remedies may help to find some relief from the pain.
1. Lubrication
The easiest and the best way to prevent any pain during sex is to ensure there is ample lubrication. It is not uncommon for women to experience frequent lack of lubrication. You may, most commonly, experience less lubrication after menopause or childbirth. In this case, you could use artificial water-based lubrication to ease that pain during intercourse.
You may also use silicone-based lubricants, as they last longer than water-based lubricants, and are less slippery. You must avoid using baby oil, vaseline or mineral oil, especially when using a condom during intercourse. These oils could break the condom’s latex during sex.
2. Patience
Sometimes, the timing is not right for sex. For instance, if you have given birth recently or experienced trauma or injury, you should first allow yourself some time to heal emotionally and physically before indulging in sex. If you are unwell, indulging in a pleasurable activity could give you further pain and discomfort, or may complicate your condition further.
Experts recommend that women should openly communicate their condition and feelings with their partner. Let your partner know what hurts and what makes you more comfortable and/or gives you more pleasure. Discuss your physical and emotional status with your partner. Open communication will let your partner know when you are ready and when you are not.
Spend some more time with each other before indulging in the act. Activities like mutual massages help to stimulate the organs necessary for sex. Therefore, be patient and make yourself physically and mentally healthy and ready before indulging in any sexual activity.
When to visit the doctor
If you feel that you are suffering from some kind of infection, such as a yeast infection, then over-the-counter medicine can help treat the bacterial condition. However, it is recommended that you consult the doctor before taking any kind of medicine.
If you experience frequent pain at the time of sexual intercourse that does not go away, such as:
- Aching pain
- Deep pain
- Penetrative pain while using the tampon
- The pain only during sexual entry
- Burning pain
You should visit the doctor for an immediate consultation.
Sexual activity should not hurt; it is meant to give pleasure. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, you could seek pelvic pain treatment at the Well Woman Clinic today.
