Reasons for Pain During Sex

Many women face the problem of pain during sexual intercourse and this can reduce their pleasure and interest in having sex. Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia) is pain or discomfort in a woman's labial, vaginal, or pelvic areas during or after sexual intercourse. The word dyspareunia comes from early Greek language, and its meanings include "difficulty mating" or "badly mated." It can be caused by illness, infection, a physical problem or a psychological problem.

If you are having pain during, before or after sex, your body may be trying to tell you something is wrong, so don’t ignore it. For women, painful sex can be as a result of;

·         An infection, thrush or a sexually transmitted infection (STI) e.g Chlamydia, gonorrhea or genital herpes

·         Changing hormone levels can make your virgina dry and affect your desire for sex

·         Vaginismus;  a condition where muscles in or around the virgina shut tightly

·         Genital irritation caused by latex condoms or soap

Not only do women experience pain during sex, also does men. Some causes of painful sex in men are;

·         If the foreskin is tight, penetration can be painful as the foreskin is pushed back

·         Infection such as Chlamydia can cause testicle pain

Unfortunately, there is no definite way to prevent dyspareunia, but here are some options that may help you reduce your risk for dyspareunia and/or manage the pain:

·         being intimately acquainted with your body

·         communicating with your partner

·         communicating with your physician regarding any changes in your body

·         engaging in more foreplay

·         using more lubricant

·         changing how you feel about sex by making it fun

·         using proper hygiene habits and staying away from using perfumed products in the genital area

Due to the fact that symptoms of dyspareunia may mimic symptoms of other reproductive health conditions, including sexually transmitted infections, it is extremely important that you speak with your physician and/or sex therapist about your concerns.