5 Things You Need to Know About Pain From Intercourse

1. More Common Than You Think

The Mayo Clinic reports nearly 60 percent of women experience pain from intercourse. Genital pain that is experienced before, during and/or after sexual intercourse and causes personal distress is considered dyspareunia. However, the levels of pain, as well as the location, will vary greatly from woman to woman. Most women experience superficial pain, or pain on entry, while others can experience pain during deep penetration, with every penetration (even tampon use), or only with certain partners and certain circumstances.

2. Give It a Rest

Many women who suffer from pain from intercourse may think that simply giving their vagina a rest will alleviate the symptoms. But seeing your health care provider to determine what is causing the pain is your best route to being pain-free.

3. Seek Help

Pain during intercourse can initiate negative feelings toward sex and intimacy --not good for you or your partner. The problem may be resolved with simple changes in positions used during sex, or the soaps and shower gels you use while bathing. Or, you may need to treat an underlying medication condition. The only way to know is to seek help.

4. Sufficient Lubrication

In many cases, the cause of pain during intercourse is an inadequate amount of lubrication. This can be hormone-driven, because of a lack of foreplay or even as a result of medications. Increasing the time you spend on foreplay may give your body time to respond with sufficient lubrication on your own. If that doesn’t work, many couples use sexual lubricant with good results.

5. Multiple Causese of Painful Intercourse

Vaginal infections, such as yeast and vaginitis, can easily cause painful intercourse but can also easily be resolved. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are also infections that can cause dyspareunia and must be treated immediately. Endometriosis, cysts on the ovaries, fibroids on the uterus and other functional difficulties can be treated or managed with help from your health-care provider. Emotional causes need to be addressed as well.