More than just a niggle, pain during sex can be traumatising and can even lead to people avoiding sex all together. In fact, a 2017 study found that 7.5% of people that identify as women in the UK experience painful sex and for 17.% of those that did experience it, they avoided sex all together citing both being in pain or fearing pain as the reasons.
If you experience pain during sex, there are some things you can do to alleviate the pain but ultimately, speaking with your GP to rule out any disease or inflammation is essential.
The conditions that cause painful sex
So, depending on where you feel the pain depends on what kind of condition you have. In those who have a vagina, pain felt in the vagina can be any of these conditions, according to the NHS:
- An infection such as a yeast infection or a sexually-transmitted infection such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea or genital herpes can lead to painful sex
- Experiencing the menopause which can lead to vaginal dryness which can result in painful sex
- Lack of sexual arousal, at any age
- Vaginismus – a condition where muscles in or around the vagina shut tightly, making sex painful or impossible
- Genital irritation or allergy caused by spermicides, latex condoms or products such as soap and shampoo
If you experience pain inside the pelvis during or immediately after sex, you could have:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease – an infection of the female reproductive system which includes the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries.
- Endometriosis – a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes
- Fibroids – mon-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb. If they’re growing near your vagina or cervix, they could be causing sex to be painful for you.
- IBS and constipation — IBS can cause both diarrhoea and constipation and around 20% of women with the disease reported chronic pelvic pain which can lead to pain or discomfort during intercourse
However, for those with a penis, painful sex can be due to
- Infections such as thrush which can cause pain and itching
- STIs such as herpes
- A tight foreskin, making sex painful as the foreskin is pushed back
- Small tears in foreskin that can’t be seen ut cause soreness and a sharp, stinging pain around the tear
- Inflammation of the prostate gland
- Testicle pain and swelling which can sometimes be caused by being aroused but not ejaculating (often dubbed ‘blue balls’) or a sign of an infection like chlamydia
While it may feel embarrassing to discuss, it’s very common and your GP can help you find a solution.