When Sex Hurts
When Sex Hurts, there are a number of reasons why sex might be painful to you or your partner. Below I have listed a number of issues that you can use as a guide to discover what might be causing you pain during intercourse. Just remember that it is not in your head, if sex is painful for you, seek help from your doctor.
HAS SEX ALWAYS BEEN PAINFUL FOR YOU?
If so ask yourself the following: Do you have any psychological issues with sex? Did you encounter some form of trauma as a child? Do you only have pain with certain types of partners? If so you may need to seek counseling to work through some of your issues. Some of these issues might cause you to have pain during sex.
IS THERE ANY ITCHING OR BURNING?
If the pain also itches and/or burns, this points to the fact that you may have an infection or your vagina may not be wet enough. If you have a discharge present or have a funny smelling odor down there, these are also indications that an infection might be present. Visit your doctor; if you do not have an infection, then you might try to keep a bottle of water-based lubrication by your bedside to keep your vagina wet enough for the object to glide in and out. You can also try lubrication suppositories. Put them in your vagina before you have sex and they keep you good and moist. Lubrication is important because you want the penis or object to glide in and out instead of tearing and pulling with every stroke.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN STD?
Sometimes you can have left over scarring from a previous disease, or the disease may not have ever gone away. Talk to your doctor about it.
WHAT TYPES OF BIRTH CONTROL HAVE YOU USED?
Have you used any product that must be inserted into your vagina, including tampons? If so it is possible that one of these items may have irritated your vagina. Some of these items also put you at a higher risk of getting an infection. So talk to your doctor about it.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN OPERATION ON YOUR VAGINA OR GIVEN BIRTH VAGINALLY?
If the painful intercourse happened after either an operation or a birth, your vagina may have been injured or it may have scarred during the healing process.
YOUR UTERUS MIGHT BE TILTED
The normal position for your uterus is in your pelvis in a straight up and down position. However, some women’s uteruses will lie tipped backwards. This is termed retroverted or tipped uterus. When penetration occurs and the object presses on your cervix, the pressure in turn sends an uncomfortable jolt through your pelvis. This pain might feel like something is tearing on the inside.
ARE YOUR OUTTER LIPS SENSITIVE TO TOUCH?
There is a condition called vulvodynia. It can be caused by a nerve problem or by infection. If you have these symptoms, see your doctor immediately. You should never be satisfied with the explanation that it is all in your head. Pain is pain and you should find a doctor that wants to help you.
YOUR ESTROGEN LEVELS MIGHT BE LOW
If you are going through menopause, are taking some form of injectable or oral form of contraception, or have a hormonal deficiency, your estrogen levels might be low. If this occurs your vagina will chronically stay dry and result in painful intercourse. If this is an issue, talk to your doctor about it.
