What it means if it hurts ‘down there’ when you become aroused
Topics: Women's Health, Sex and Relationships, Health, Life, Periods
Madison Burgess
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
Topics: Women's Health, Sex and Relationships, Health, Life, Periods
Sex is supposed to be a pleasurable experience so experiencing any kind of pain can be off-putting - especially if it's happening when you get aroused.
According to the NHS, some estimates suggest that around 15 percent of women experience some kind of pain during sexual intercourse, and because some people won't seek help, it's highly likely that the figure is actually much higher.
Meanwhile, Cleveland Clinic noted that up to 28 percent of all people in the United States will experience painful sex at least once, so if this is you, trust us, you're not as alone as you may feel.
Whether it's pain during penetrative intercourse or pelvic pain when you get turned on, there are various reasons that could be behind the phenomenon, which is known as dyspareunia.
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Dyspareunia is a fancy word for genital pain just before, during or after sexual intercourse - you could feel pain externally on your vulva or internally in your vagina, uterus or pelvis.
The most common signs and symptoms include a sharp pain during penetration or at entry, or even when using a tampon, deep pain during thrusting, throbbing or aching after intercourse, pelvic cramping, muscle tightness or spasms and bladder pain.
Some women even report stomach pain when they’re sexually excited, which can seem scary at first, but there's a wide array of answers to why it could be happening.
There is no straightforward answer to what it means as it can be different for everyone, but doctors and women's health experts have outlined an array of the most common potential reasons.
Psychological factors such as stress and anxiety can plan a bigger role than you'd think and if you've had a difficult day, it can be harder to relax and get into it in the bedroom.
Experts at period tracking app Flo say the body responds to stress by tightening the pelvic floor muscles, which can make sexual arousal and intercourse painful.
Mental health factors like self-esteem, anxiety, and depression can all play a role in sexual arousal, for example, fear of an emotional relationship with another person can cause you to experience pain during arousal and sex.
Some women who have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse also experience vaginal pain during sex.
If you don't think any of this applies to you, it could be an indicator that something's not quite right health wise.
It could be a sign of an infection, whether that's thrush or an STI like chlamydia, gonorrhoea or genital herpes. Or, as Flo outlines, painful sex can be caused by an allergy to latex condoms or lube you may not be aware you have.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an illness caused in many cases by a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and if left untreated, it can cause severe pain during intercourse and affect your fertility.
Menopause, endometriosis, fibroids, IBS and constipation and vaginismus are all other potential causes.
The most important thing is not to feel embarrassed and if you're worried about pain keep track of your symptoms, when the pain occurs, and see a GP.
As the experts say, pain in your vagina during sex is not normal and many women go through long periods of pain, thinking that it’s just how sex is, but it’s not supposed to harm you.