What To Do if You Experience Pain During Sex
posted: Nov. 19, 2020.
While it might not be a topic that we often discuss, we understand just how important it is for women to have a healthy sex life. But what happens when you start experiencing pain during sex? Dealing with frequent pain with sex can be frustrating and upsetting. Fortunately, your OBGYN can determine what’s causing your pain and provide you with effective solutions to make sex enjoyable and fun again.
Why am I experiencing painful sex?
There are several reasons why you may experience pain with intercourse. One of the more common ones is a lack of lubrication; however, painful sex could also be a sign of:
- An infection including yeast infections and infections of the cervix
- Vaginismus: A condition that causes muscle spasms of the vaginal wall
- Endometriosis: Where tissue similar to uterine tissue grows beyond the uterus
- Ovarian cysts and other ovarian conditions
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): Causes severe inflammation of the deeper pelvic tissue
- Vulvodynia: A condition that causes chronic pain in the vulva and other external organs including the clitoris
How is painful sex treated?
How this situation is addressed will depend on the root cause of your symptoms. In some instances, you won’t need to see an OBGYN for treatment. For example, if you’ve just had a baby you need to wait at least six weeks before having sex. If you have sex too early you could experience pain. In this situation, you simply need to wait.
However, when it seems like something more is at play then it’s time to consult an OBGYN. If vaginal dryness is the cause, we can recommend or provide special lubricants. Menopausal women who are experiencing vaginal dryness may need hormone replacement therapy or estrogen creams.
We will need to perform a physical exam to check for any tears, signs of STDs, inflamed tissue, or other signs of infection or certain vaginal conditions. Some conditions simply require medication (as is the case with yeast infections or PID); however, chronic conditions such as endometriosis will require special treatments, lifestyle changes, and long-term monitoring from an OBGYN.
Are you dealing with painful sex? If so, your OBGYN can provide you with the care you need to get this problem under control. It’s important to address this problem as soon as possible.