As many as 3 out of 4 women experience pain during intimate intercourse at some point in their lives
Sexual dysfunction is a medical condition that includes painful sexual intercourse, painful spasms of the vaginal muscles, and problems with libido, arousal and orgasm.
The need for a healthy sex life and sexual intercourse is one of the basic biological needs. Sexual relations are an important factor in physical and mental health and general quality of life.
Sexual dysfunction is a medical condition that includes painful sexual intercourse, painful spasms of the vaginal muscles, and problems with libido, arousal and orgasm.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as many as 3 out of 4 women experience painful sexual intercourse during their lifetime.
Our thoughts and feelings, as well as the body, i.e. the nervous, circulatory and endocrine systems, are involved in maintaining normal sexual function.
Painful sexual intercourse can lead to a lack of desire for sex, difficulty in achieving arousal and lead to impaired mental health and relationships with a partner.
Sexual satisfaction is a relevant component of human sexuality, according to the World Health Organization it is also one of the backbones of sexual health.
Therefore, pain during intercourse (dysppereunia) should not be ignored, it is an alarm sign in our body.
Painful sexual intercourse is a medical problem and requires gynecological examination, consultation and, if necessary, treatment.
Painful intercourse or pain during sexual intercourse can occur in women of all ages, even in people who have not had any difficulties before.
Pain during sexual intercourse, professionally called dyspareunia, can occur in the vulva area, at the entrance to the vagina or deep in the vagina. Pain can also occur in the lower abdomen or back.
The pain varies from person to person, the pain can be sharp and intense. In addition to discomfort and local pain, painful sexual intercourse can lead to dissatisfaction and problems in partner relationships.
Against the background of painful sexual intercourse, there may be organic or psychological causes. Organic causes are related to various diseases of the urinary and genital organs or other systems involved in maintaining sexual function.
Psychological causes can be related to anxiety, insecurity or dissatisfaction with physical appearance. They make it difficult to achieve arousal, which leads to discomfort and pain during intercourse.
Mostly, the treatment of painful sexual intercourse is approached by first excluding all organic causes, and then taking into account psychological causes.
One of the most common causes of painful intercourse is reduced lubrication. The sexual organs respond to sexual arousal with increased production of secretions.
If the vagina is not moist enough, friction during penetration causes pain and can lead to visible tissue damage.
Reduced lubrication can occur in pre- and postmenopausal periods, due to reduced estrogen secretion. It can also occur after childbirth or due to taking hormonal contraceptives.
Reduced lubrication is treated with the use of lubricants or other agents that relieve dryness of the vaginal mucosa. In some cases, treatment with hormone therapy is possible.
Painful sexual intercourse can also be caused by allergic inflammation of the vulva , which occurs due to hypersensitivity to substances contained in hygiene products for intimate care or, for example, an allergy to condoms.
Pain that occurs in the labia, clitoris and vaginal opening due to hypersensitivity to mechanical stimuli is called vulvodynia.
It does not have a clear cause of occurrence. It is assumed that vulvodynia can occur due to long-term infection and due to irritation or injury to the nerves in this area.
Treatment of vulvodynia is mainly based on changing lifestyle habits in order to reduce painful sexual intercourse.
Painful sexual intercourse is also caused by vaginismus, a reflex muscle spasm in the vaginal opening that prevents penetration. It is a disorder that occurs due to fear of injury or due to previous trauma.
Vaginismus can be diagnosed during a gynecological examination because it causes muscle contraction when penetrating any object (for example, when trying to apply tampons), which leads to painful intercourse.
According to research, this disorder occurs relatively often. Vaginismus affects from 5 to 17% of women. Treatment of vaginismus is usually complex and depends on the cause of the pain.
Sexually transmitted infections such as trichomoniasis or genital herpes can be the cause of painful sexual intercourse.
In case of delaying the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, complications such as abscesses, the formation of connective tissue adhesions that cause painful intercourse may occur.
In the case of sexually transmitted diseases, in addition to pain during sexual intercourse, accompanying symptoms such as the appearance of discharge of altered consistency and unpleasant odor usually occur.
This disease is characterized by the growth of tissue of the uterine lining (endometrium) outside the uterus, which causes primarily chronic pain, painful sexual intercourse, and can also cause infertility.
Endometriosis affects a total of about 10% of women of reproductive age in the world. It is a chronic disease associated with severe pain that affects normal functioning, and occurs during menstruation, sexual intercourse, bowel movements and/or urination.
Inflammatory diseases of the uterus and vagina can cause pain of various intensities. Pain usually occurs during penetration, in the lower abdomen and for a short time after sexual intercourse.
Cysts, fibroids or tumors of the genital organs can cause deep pain when penetrating. Injuries to the vulva or vagina due to trauma, childbirth, scar episiotomy – perineal incision during natural childbirth can lead to painful sexual intercourse.
Injuries caused by pubic hair removal, surgery or radiation can also be the cause of painful relationships.
The influence of psychological factors on sexual relations is very important. Emotional states such as fear, embarrassment, shyness or feelings of guilt significantly affect the state of relaxation when entering into sexual intercourse.
Due to the inability to relax, it is more difficult to achieve a state of sexual arousal, so pain can occur due to the lack of vaginal moisture. Stress and fatigue can also reduce libido, which contributes to low levels of arousal and leads to painful sexual intercourse.
A partner’s difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection can also negatively affect women. Lack of intimate connection with a partner or guilt associated with sexual intercourse can cause painful sexual intercourse.
It is possible to determine the psychological causes of painful relationships after possible organic causes have been ruled out.
If you feel frequent or severe pain during sexual intercourse, a gynecological examination should be performed first.
During the examination, it is possible to determine the root cause of painful intercourse with a thorough medical history, examination of the external genital organs and ultrasound examination of the internal genital organs.
Depending on the outcome of the examination, the gynecologist may refer you for additional tests, such as cervical swabs or urethral swabs to rule out sexually transmitted diseases.
During the examination, it is important to honestly answer questions about your medical and sexual history. Detailed information makes it possible to determine the true cause of the pain.
The gynecologist will ask you where you feel the pain, how severe it is and what are the characteristics of the pain (sharp, dull pain, etc.).
It is also important to provide information if you are using hormonal contraceptives or other medications. It is also necessary to bring all the medical documentation you have from before to the examination.
Treatment of painful sexual intercourse is usually complex, depends on the cause of the pain and requires a multidisciplinary approach.
In some cases, the treatment of painful sexual intercourse does not require medical intervention. For example, if vaginal dryness is a problem, it is necessary to try lubricants that are soluble in water.
If the lack of lubrication is due to menopause, the gynecologist may prescribe estrogen-based medications or preparations.
In case of infection or inflammation, treatment consists of the administration of antibiotics, that is, antifungals. Depending on the cause of inflammation.
If, after eliminating the physical causes, pain during sexual intercourse is still present, psychotherapy or sex therapy is recommended. It is desirable to approach therapy with a partner, given that sexual problems affect both partners.
The main goal of LF Polyclinic is to improve the quality of life and health of our clients by providing them with top-notch healthcare services.
