Sexual Health

Experiencing pain during Intercourse

At some stage in their life most women will suffer from some pain or discomfort during intercourse. Fortunately for most women it is usually only temporary and for a specific reason. However for some women, experiencing pain during (vaginal) intercourse can become a regular and upsetting feature of their sex life.

If you have been suffering from painful intercourse for sometime, it is crucial that you visit your doctor so they can check for any underlying health conditions that could be causing the pain. Common causes include ovarian cysts, endometriosis and other pelvic conditions.

Sexual Arousal

A lack of sufficient sexual arousal is probably the most common cause of painful intercourse. Many women report that they feel they get caught in a vicious cycle. For example the pain caused during intercourse or ‘the fear of pain’ prevent them from feeling more sexually aroused. As a result of a lack of sufficient arousal the pain persists and the cycle continues.

Under normal circumstances during arousal the vagina expands in both length and width. It is naturally lubricated with secretions to reduce friction in preparation for penetrative sex.

Ways To Increase Arousal

  • Prepare your mood – your mind, your heart and your body need to be in harmony to create the right mood for sex. If you have problems in your relationship, try to sort these out before you get in bed.
  • Relax – you need to relax your mind and body. Increased tension can lead to increased more pain. Relaxation is one of the most important forms of prevention. You might like to try deep breathing techniques, relaxation tapes or massage which are all effective ways of relaxing.
  • Enjoy being sensual before sexual – take time together to focus on creating intimacy and enjoying the pleasurable sensations of touching, hugging and kissing before moving on to sexual touching.
  • Try to fantasize – and try to remove all the stresses from work, home, children or other distractions in your life. Try to get yourselves in the mood by fantasizing about your favorite sexual encounter.
  • Stimulate your sympathetic nervous system – through exercise, (or watching a scary movie) or anything that will increase your heart rate. Research suggests that 15-30 minutes after mild exercise your body is more sexually responsive.
  • Lubricate – have a tube of water base lubricant (such as like K-Y jelly) by the bedside. It is hard to stimulate a dry clitoris, use some lube to speed up the process.

Common Physical Problems Causing Painful Intercourse

  • After child birth – many women find intercourse painful especially after an episiotomy.
  • Menopause – which leads to vaginal dryness and thinning of the vagina can easily causing irritation. This can be easily treated with the help of an estrogen cream that you doctor can prescribe.
  • Infection and irritations – There are a number of infections that can cause discomfort. These include bladder infections, thrush, vaginitis and genital warts. Once underlying conditions has been diagnosed, appropriate treatment can cure the problem or alleviate any symptoms.
  • Retroverted (tilted) uterus – This is a natural and common condition. Pain during intercourse can be avoided by using different sexual positions.
  • Pelvic gynecological disorders – some common gynecological disorders may cause painful intercourse. These include endometriosis, uterine prolapse, ovarian cysts and fibroid and pelvic inflammatory disease.

At the HK Sexual Health Centre we have certified sex therapists and a doctor who can help you to work out the underlying causes of your problems and help you return to an active and pain free sex life. For an appointment, please call (852) 2338-0427.