Painful sex isn't something any woman wants to experience, but it happens more than you know. Various issues can lead to painful intercourse, including menopause and vaginal dryness.
If you're experiencing discomfort during intimacy, the team at New England Women's Healthcare provides treatments to address the underlying problem. Our array of board-certified OB/GYN specialists offers women's health services to address issues like endometriosis and uterine fibroids.
Painful sex, or dyspareunia, encompasses any discomfort that happens during the act of intercourse. It may be a one-time issue or could persist. It's not normal to have pain during sex, so it's essential to understand the many possible causes, such as:
Vaginal dryness develops for many reasons, from not being turned on to hormonal changes during menopause. Using a lubricant may help, but it doesn't always fix the problem.
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths inside the uterus that may lead to painful intercourse. They usually cause pain only if they're extremely large or press on surrounding organs.
When endometrial-like tissue grows outside of the uterus, it's known as endometriosis. That tissue can develop anywhere in the pelvic cavity, causing painful intercourse when it affects the area around the cervix and vaginal canal.
Urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, and yeast infections can all cause painful sex due to the body's inflammatory process. If this is causing painful intercourse, you usually have other symptoms as well.
PID is a severe infection of the upper pelvis, often causing pain during sex, among other symptoms. You need treatment to alleviate painful intercourse.
Among the many other causes of painful sex are emotional distress, fear, vaginismus, and vulvodynia. Certain medications or relationship problems also contribute to dyspareunia.
It's essential to understand that painful intercourse isn't a normal occurrence. Although rough sex can sometimes cause mild discomfort, it shouldn't cause severe pain or prevent you from further intimacy.
You should seek treatment for painful sex as soon as it becomes a problem. That means you must see our team if the pain persists or recurs despite trying home care. You should also seek care if painful sex interferes with your relationship or sex life.
Vaginal dryness is a significant symptom of menopause, but sometimes lubricants aren’t enough to address the problem. This should signal you to seek treatment.
Pain with intercourse that comes with other symptoms is also a reason to get help. Other symptoms may include bleeding after intercourse, pain with urination, and vaginal itching.
The key to treating painful intercourse is to get to the root cause of the problem. We provide pelvic exams, Pap smears, and ultrasounds to diagnose issues that are contributing to painful sex.
We also offer menopause treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to address vaginal dryness. Additionally, you may want to try over-the-counter (OTC) lubricants along with HRT or prescription creams to add moisture to the vaginal canal.
Treating vaginal infections is also essential in preventing painful intercourse. You can use OTC treatments for a yeast infection or may require prescriptions for PID or urinary tract infections.
We also provide treatments for uterine fibroids and endometriosis, which both can lead to painful intercourse. These treatments often involve medications or surgery, depending on the severity of each condition.
Call your nearest New England Women's Healthcare office to discuss painful intercourse with our team, or request an appointment here on the website. We're a premier, full-service practice with convenient locations in Woburn, Wilmington, and Wakefield, Massachusetts.
