Pain After Sex

Pain during or after sex which is also known as dyspareunia in medical terminology, is something which can cause problems in sexual relationship of couples. Intercourse pain is really hurting and in addition to physically painful sex, it can also lead to negative emotional effects!

Hence, it is necessary to be educated about this and address it as soon as it arises. Sex is a term which is not discussed very openly and even if the amount of pleasure and contentment you derive is discussed, the painful and hidden aspects never come into picture.

This post will help you in understanding all the aspects related to pain and bleeding sex! If they are normal and should be ignored or should be brought into serious attention is something which you should know!

Bleeding after sex

Vaginal bleeding after sex with no pain can be less or more depending upon the cause. Some women just notice few drops of blood after sex while some have it continuously for one to two days. Bleeding every time after intercourse is a source of worry and can be associated with some disease.

Below are few reasons of bleeding after sex with no pain, some needs to be addressed immediately while some are mild and should heal automatically. Read on further to have proper insight.

1. Inflammation of the cervix, vaginal cuts and tears from childbirth, yeast infections and other sexually transmitted diseases can be reason of blood spotting after sex. If inflammation is not caused by Sexually transmitted diseases then it is a normal infection and might not need treatment. You may choose to treat the primary infection with normal medicines but if the infection is mild, it might heal automatically.
2. If you are a virgin and having sex for the first time, then it is common to bleed for the first time. But if due to friction caused during rough sex is causing this then it can be little painful as roughness can cause injury to the vaginal walls. As a remedy to this, you should talk to your partner and try things doing gently or you may have to incorporate usage of safe lubes to reduce friction during sexual intercourse.
3. Vaginal cuts and tears which you got as a part of childbirth can bleed after sexual intercourse. The bleeding from these cuts should be minor but if it is not then it can be little different and should be consulted.

Pain after sex

While some deal with bleeding some experience pain after sex in abdomen, stomach, vagina, ovary, bladder and anus etc. Many women and men too experience pain after sex but it is not frequently discussed even if it’s not uncommon. This section will guide you about various kinds of pain which may or may not happen. What should you do if you experience and how should you interpret them?

Abdominal pain and cramping is something which most women experience after sex. There are several causes to this sort of pain:

1. Ejaculation: Semen in our body consists of some molecule which is called as prostaglandin. This molecule if gets released to vagina during sex causes cramping and stomach pain. It releases into vagina only if women are sensitive to it.
2. Friction: Due to friction and roughness caused during sex, bladder gets irritated which leads to sharp pain after sex in stomach and also cramps.
3. Endometriosis: It is the tissue which grows on ovaries but sometimes due to sex it grows outside the uterus which thickens the linking of uterus. This swells up and as the blood gets no space to leave the body and thus becomes trapped and creates debilitating pain in stomach. Women experiencing this get cramps as they get during menstrual cycle with no periods which worsen the situation. It also causes the pain during next sexual intercourse and thus should be addressed if pain is increasing!
4. Fibroids or cysts: These are non-cancerous tumours that form on uterus and are very common in women. They also affect the menstrual flow and can cause excessive pain and bleeding. During cyst rupture, women may experience excessive pain and bleeding which can spoil sexual intercourse and give an extreme pain after sex. Although it heals in a span of two to three days but if it is increasing like anything and unable to bear then it is better to consult doctor.
5. Early pregnancy: Pain or cramping after sex also happens if it is an early stage of pregnancy. It is not uncommon and happens especially after an orgasm. Orgasms cause mild uterine contractions and these contractions may feel like cramps and can cause mild pain. It is fine if it is due to early pregnancy but if they are not mild but severe then you may need to see your doctor right away.

Ovary pain

Ovary Pain is one of the other types of pain which can happen after sex. The major cause of ovary pain is ovary cysts which we discussed in above section. Ovaries get knocked down by penis during intercourse and it can lead the cysts to leak fluid.

Cysts sit on ovaries and are a normal part of any menstrual cycle and leaking of them is also quite normal during sex. What create pain are the large cysts which can be a sign of endometriosis. While paining is worrisome, it is normal in young woman but if this is happening in women who have passed their menopause then it can be a sign of ovarian cancer and needs to be consulted at the earliest.

In the middle of the month (when we say month it begins from the day your last period cycle ended and new one arrived) there is a process wherein egg is released from ovary. This process is termed as Mittelschmerz and is a very harmless sort of pain. This pain is not related to sex but if sexual intercourse is done during this cycle then it can make this pain worse.

Ovary pain after sex can also happen if the sex is deeply penetrating which has hit your cervix. This leads to release of cervical mucus and the heat at the top of your vagina liquefies the semen to allow the sperm to escape and as you try to force it shallower, it makes your ovary and lower abdomen hurt.

Vaginal pain

Soreness after sex is common especially in vagina. Vaginal pain can happen during sex, mensuration and even while urinating. Although vaginal pain can happen without sexual activity also but the reasons are sexually related! For instance, low libido i.e., sex drive or inability to achieve orgasm due to discomfort can also lead to vaginal pain.

But pain in vagina reduces your attraction towards sex as it hurtful which is obviously not good for your relationship. Since there are many causes of vaginal pain it is necessary that it is detected and diagnosed properly so that you can enjoy your sexual pleasure again! Following are the causes of vaginal pain after and during sex:

1. Vaginal dryness and lack of sufficient vaginal lubrication is one of common reasons of pain after sex. It generally happens when the levels of oestrogen hormones decreases which cause thinning of vaginal walls and thus dries vaginal secretions leading to pain. If sex is uncomfortable due to this dryness then you should drink more water to keep yourself hydrated and make more of your natural lubrication and prevent friction and chaffing. If you want to increase lubrication naturally, then inclusion of fish oil supplements and healthy fats in your diet can help you achieve it. Grape oil and almond oil also are natural lubricating agents but they should not be used if you are using condoms. If you want to stay lubricated at the time you are using condoms then there are many water-based lubricants available in drug stores.
2. Strains or sprains: If you are down with weakness or strains and sprains in any part of the body then that can too lead to pain in vagina. It is because tension, anxiety and weakness impact you nerve cells immediately which affects the circulation in the body and thus decreases sexual desire causing sort of irritation and itchiness in vagina. If this increases, it leads to severe pain and swelling too if rubbed harshly.
3. Rushing into sex: If you are doing sex for the first time or you haven’t had it for long then it is probable that you may rush into it way too fast. When you do it fast, your body is not very ready and acceptable and thus tissues need time to adjust and get used to this! This leads to pain in vagina afterwards and thus it is always recommended to have it gently and smoothly! If the pain is due to this only then you may need to warm up before penetrating. Twenty minutes of foreplay before you intercourse is enough! These twenty minutes allow you build a connection between mind and body and are thus best idea!
4. Also, as a result of breast feeding, childbirth, douching, chemical in feminine products which you use and due to chemotherapy and other antibiotics also, vagina becomes dry. This is because all these products contain artificial preservatives and can lead to itchiness and dryness down there. So you should always use the products which are duly tested and certified and made for usage only for your genital organs. It is also necessary to void after sex and when you wash with plenty of lukewarm water make sure you are not using these scented products.
5. Some of the yeast and bacterial infections are also a major cause of vaginal pain. These infections can transmit to you by your partner and some of them can also happen due to non-maintenance of cleanliness or due to usage of harmful chemical containing products.
   

   Colony of yeast

   So always pay attention to such types of infections as they need to be treated well in time otherwise they will not stop pain and can also be transmitted to your partner. .

6. Fibroids, cysts and endometriosis as described in sections above can also lead to vaginal pain.

It is all about giving pleasure to each other and since women are allergic to protection products like condoms or spermicides and thus if this is causing her soarness and itching then you should stop using it.

Chest & back pain

Not only the genital organs but you can also experience pain in your chest and back after sex. Chest pain also known as Angina happen among people as sex is one of the physical activity and people suffering from it feel a type of chest discomfort due to poor blood flow through the blood vessels.

It leads to shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue. If this happens to you when you are in bed with your partner then try to sit up on bed and take deep breaths. Don’t panic, it just happens! Call your doctor is it’s getting worse otherwise, it should be good after a span of five minutes.

Position is important in sex and if you just do it without taking care of your position then due to Angina your blood flow might interrupt causing pain. Similarly back pain can happen if you haven’t taken care of position during sex. Both back and chest pain interferes with sexual intimacy of a couple and it is good to talk about it.

Conversation and planning can make sex better. If you pack and chest sore after sex then you can consider taking pain reliever before sex or you can even try taking hot water bath to relieve muscle spasms. You can also apply ice on the aching area as it relieves any overstimulation of muscles! This is the reason that athletes and players put up ice on the body parts that get injured while playing.

 

Adopting positions which supports lower back should be encouraged so that the pain doesn’t end up nullifying the pleasure you got from sex. Also, if you suffer from arthritis or spinal stenosis then this can increase after sex. Mild discomfort is still acceptable during sex but not stronger pain. You may consult your physician and carry out some of the exercises to improve the bending capability to improve and heal back pain.

Penis pain

Not only females, but men also suffer from pain in penis after sex. Although it is not associated with some serious problem but if the symptoms are prolonged then it is necessary to seek medical advice. The most common cause of sore penis is unaccustomed or prolonged sex.

So there are two situations involved here! Either you never had sex or didn’t have much, your first experience might make it sore if you don’t keep control or do it in too much haste. The friction caused during sex makes the skin of your penis sore and dry which leads to pain afterwards.

This soreness in penis happens at the top layer which creates redness if you are fair skinned and make it darker if your skin is dark. So this can swell your penis and can also make you feel painful while urination. Penis may also pain if you use condom.

Since condoms for men are made of latex, it can cause allergies! You may choose to opt for condoms which are not made of latex to avoid this. Soreness in penis can also be accompanied by cut or bleeding, in such cases just avoid sex for further few days and apply some bland cream to soothe it!

Unless it is very serious and extremely painful, don’t opt for any medication containing drugs. This itching, burning or throbbing sensation can affect males of any age and should be considered as normal.

Anal pain

Pain in anal after sex is referred to as rectal pain. In the excitement phase of sexual response cycle, penis becomes erect which leads to increase in blood flow and this can lead to pain in genital area. This can also be termed as temporary fluid congestion and lead to redness, pain and tenderness.

 

Rectal pain can also happen due to haemorrhoids. There are some internal and external veins in rectal canal which can swell near the opening of anus and thus cause pain. The situation might become more intense after sexual intercourse due to excess fluid and congestion in that area. Sexual intercourse puts more pressure which can cause pain in anal after sex. Even a small tear in lining of anus called an anus fissure can be extremely painful as it happens at the very opening of anus. Over the counter medications and cream can help you in healing this swollen anus.

One of the rare but serious complications that can happen in anal after sex is a hole in colon. This hole is very dangerous and might even require surgery to repair it. It happens if the abdomen is pressurised too much. It is necessary to soak the painful anal area in warm water and use stool softeners to avoid re-injuring this sensitive area.

Uterus pain

Pain in uterus is quite severe even though it is common and known problem. It happens because as you intercourse, your inner part of uterus abnormally grows out of uterus which causes extreme pain during menstrual period.

This can also lead to severe pelvic pain after sex and can cause discomfort in bladder and thus in urination. If the pain is extreme and unbearable then you should rush to doctor immediately. This uterus pain can also lead to difficulties in pregnancy and thus you should not avoid it.

When should you consult the doctor?

Many people are doubtful that when should they consult the doctor? Does this pain after sex needs immediate medical attention or they should wait for some time. The answer to this question depends upon severity of the pain.

If the pain is too much and unbearable that you give 10 out of 10 and getting worse and worse, then it needs immediate medical attention. But if it is something which vanishes away in matter of minutes then you need not rush to doctor immediately.

You can refer to posts available on web and see if there is some natural healing method for the pain. But you deserve to feel comfortable during and after intercourse and thus if you are in doubt it is necessary to seek advice of medical professional.

Feel free to share

If pain and bleeding after sex is affecting your mood and is hurting you then you should consult with your doctor immediately. Refer to this post and note down the signs you should take care of and then whatever seems to be abnormal should to be addressed.

You deserve to have a healthy sex life and there is nothing to be embarrassed if you if some things are not right. It happens with everybody and your doctor is here to realize you that! Nearly three out of four women have pain during intercourse! If you won’t share then you may get trapped in vicious circle with pain leading to nervousness about sex and nervousness leading to dryness and further pain. Figuring out what is causing the pain will help you and your doctor to come up with best solution.

 

It is necessary that you talk to your partner about any sort of discomfort that you are experiencing during sex. It is because thread of sex is unique among any couple and keeps them connected to each other solely. Sex is supposed to be pleasurable but when it’s associated with pain and bleeding, it can introduce fear. So it is very significant to be vocal about it while you are in process of intercourse and share your pleasure as well as your pain. Your partner should know how you are feeling so that your pain should not become the reason of strain in your relationship.

So you must have seen that the causes in most of the pain and bleeding cases are similar. In some cases you suffer severe pain after sex and in some bleeding! But everything is known and there is nothing to panic in case something is painful.