What Causes Painful Sex?

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The cause of nigh uncomfortable sexual activity can sometimes be easy to figure out and like shooting fish in a barrel to treat.

Fortunately, the cause of uncomfortable sex activity can sometimes exist piece of cake to figure out, says Shari Lawson, One thousand.D., division director, General Obstetrics and Gynecology, at The Johns Hopkins Infirmary. "Painful sexual practice can be caused by an infection or a hormonal imbalance," she says. The proficient news is that these things are easy to treat.

So don't take it lying downward — there are ways to brand sexual activity something to relish again.

Common Reasons for Painful Sexual activity

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Usually, women with painful sex accept a clear-cut reason for experiencing discomfort, Lawson says. Common reasons for painful sexual activity include:

  • Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): Roughly xx million STIs occur every yr in the Usa. Common STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, tin cause vaginal irritation, which tin can create pain during sex.
  • Genital canker: Blisters and sores caused by herpes can lead to pain on penetration.
  • Vaginitis: Vaginitis refers to any vaginal inflammation. In particular, bacterial or yeast overgrowth (caused by a fungus called candida) in the vagina tin cause irritation, discharge, tenderness and itching.
  • Previous injuries: Women who accept given birth to large infants might have small-scale tears in the vagina, which will heal over time. This is more mutual if the baby was delivered with forceps.
  • Lower levels of estrogen: Postmenopausal women in item might experience a dip in estrogen, which makes the vaginal lining thinner and less able to stretch. "It'due south similar trying to stretch a rubber band that'south lost its elasticity," says Lawson. In this case, sexual practice can oft cause microscopic cuts, which can pb to burning and irritation.
  • Lichen sclerosus: Postmenopausal women might also endure from lichen sclerosus, a condition in which the skin on the genitals becomes scaly and inflamed.
  • Previous sexual abuse or injury: Women who take experienced sexual trauma might associate sexual activity with pain, leading to tense muscles.

How to Make Sex Less Painful

Your doctor volition hash out your sexual history and perform an internal exam. If your doctor suspects a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis (an infection of the vagina caused past leaner), he or she will take a sample of your vaginal discharge and look at it under a microscope for signs of infection. Doctors also check the pH levels in your vagina. A too-high pH points to vaginosis, just a yeast infection ordinarily has a normal vaginal pH.

Your doctor will also look at your vagina and your vulva, the exterior of your genitals, for other lesions that might contribute to pain. You might too exist screened for STDs through a urine exam or vaginal swab.

Depending on the cause, common treatment options for painful sex include:

  • Topical estrogen creams: If you have vaginal atrophy, or thinning and inflammation of the vagina, estrogen creams tin help restore thickness and elasticity to vaginal peel.
  • Antibiotics: If you lot have an STD or bacterial vaginosis, antibiotics frequently cure the infection within two weeks.
  • Antifungal creams or tablets: If you have a yeast infection, your medico might prescribe a cream or pill to get rid of the fungus.

Getting Help for Sexual Corruption

If you lot accept suffered sexual abuse or trauma, your doctor might refer you to a psychiatrist, therapist and pelvic floor physical therapist, who can work to release tense and tight pelvic muscles.

"I can't emphasize plenty that patients with a previous history of sexual abuse might experience painful sex activity due to psychosocial causes — only information technology can be addressed with help," Lawson says.

So put your worries to bed: No matter what the reason for painful sex activity, it'south usually temporary and can nearly always be treated.

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