Breaking the Stigma Around Painful Sex: Causes and Solutions

Painful sex can place stress on an experience that should be enjoyable. Occasional pain during sex is normal and can have a variety of reasons, such as certain sexual positions or accidental deep penetration.  But if pain regularly interferes with sexual activity or causes you to avoid it altogether, you deserve treatment from a compassionate and understanding intimate health provider. Painful sex isn’t often talked about, and it’s certainly not something you simply need to push through or accept. Many people mistakenly believe that pain during sex is simply a fact of life, especially in later years. This belief can create significant stigma around talking about it. The reality is that pain during sex can happen to anyone, but the underlying causes are obviously different between genders. Here’s what to know about pain during sex and how you can begin to enjoy yourself again.

What Causes Painful Sex in Women?

Women can experience pain for a variety of reasons tied to their reproductive health. Painful intercourse is often caused by vaginal dryness that comes with aging. Although using lubrication can help with sexual stimulation, some postmenopausal women find it’s still not enough or that it causes vaginal irritation.

Another type of sexual pain comes from issues like pelvic inflammatory disease (sometimes caused by sexually transmitted infections) or disruptions in the pelvic floor muscles. Severe types of pelvic floor dysfunction, such as vaginismus, can make it exceedingly difficult to insert anything in the vaginal opening without pain. And for women who have a history of sexual abuse, physical responses and psychological factors can cause deep pain and discomfort during sex.

What Treatments Are Available for Women?

Treatments like hormone replacement therapy can be invaluable for postmenopausal women who are experiencing vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. By elevating hormone levels, vaginal lubrication can be restored.

For other causes of painful intercourse, an intimate health provider can learn more about your situation and recommend options. For example, physical therapy can help train the pelvic floor muscles to tighten or relax for better functioning. Our intimate health providers can also recommend a mental health professional to help work through feelings of distress from sexual abuse, helping you overcome emotional factors and better express yourself during sex.

What Causes Painful Sex in Men?

For men, Peyronie’s disease is one of the most common causes of pain during sex. Peyronie’s disease means that scar tissue in the penis prevents it from becoming fully straight when erect, which can cause significant pain during sexual intercourse. Men who are not circumcised can also experience issues like phimosis (where the foreskin can’t stretch to fully retract or accommodate an erection) or even small tears in the sensitive skin that can be very painful.

Men can also experience some of the same issues during sex as women. Pelvic floor dysfunction can cause tightness in the pelvic muscles, and bladder issues can cause discomfort as well. Men who have underlying health conditions like an inflamed prostate can experience painful sex, too.

What Treatments Are Available for Men?

Peyronie’s disease has a few developing treatments that have shown to be effective. Shockwave therapy can help break up scar tissue and straighten the penis, reducing pain during erection.

Physical therapy can also be beneficial for men who have pelvic floor dysfunction. We can also work with your care team to help you find ways to enjoy sex if you have underlying health issues that might be disrupting your sexual function.

Painful Sex Treatment in Long Island, New York

If painful sex is bothering you, our intimate health providers can help. To schedule a consultation and learn more about your treatment options, contact us today by calling or filling out our online form. We conveniently serve the greater Long Island and Queens, NY areas.