Sex is supposed to be pleasurable, but some people, especially women experience pain during or after intercourse. This could stem from various causes including illness, infections, psychological or physical, according to the NHS. The medical term for this is dyspareunia – the persistent or recurrent genital pain related to sex.
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Symptoms
Sexual intercourse shouldn't be painful, but if it is, the NHS says it could be your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. So if you experience any of the under listed symptoms, you should talk to a doctor.
- Pain only at sexual entry (penetration) - This is often the result of not enough foreplay.Menopause, childbirth or breastfeeding and certain medications can cause it too.
- Pain with every penetration, including putting in a tampon
- Deep pain during thrusting
- Burning pain or aching pain
- Throbbing pain, lasting hours after intercourse
According to Mayo Clinic, talking to a health care provider about recurrent pain during sex and getting treatment can help your sex life, emotional intimacy and self-image.
Underlying conditions
Sometimes, deep penetration intensifies the pain, which can made worse by certain conditions. Mayo Clinic categorizes these into two groups:
- Certain illnesses: These consist of endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine prolapse, retroverted uterus, uterine fibroids, cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, pelvic floor dysfunction, adenomyosis, haemorrhoids and ovarian cysts.
- Surgeries or certain medical treatments: Scarring from pelvic surgery, including hysterectomy, can cause painful intercourse. Medical treatments for cancer, such as radiation and chemotherapy, can cause changes that make sex painful.
Whatever the reason or symptom might be, there is most likely a treatment for it. The NHS says although talking about sex might be uncomfortable for many, it’s the first to receiving needed attention.
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