Dyspareunia, or pain during penetrative intercourse, is more common than you might think and will likely have an existing solution. There are many possible explanations for what you are experiencing. For some individuals, dyspareunia can be caused by anxiety toward sex, a lack of enjoyment during sex, or other aspects of your relationship with the person(s) you are having intercourse with. For others, it can be explained by various conditions that are worth asking your doctor about. These include:
- Specific aspects of your sexual function (ex: notable vaginal dryness during intercourse)
- Endometriosis
- Vaginal adhesions (scar tissue)
- Uterine fibroids or myomas
- Ovarian cysts
- Infections or inflammation
- Vaginismus
- Psychological conditions
Find out here on how to access gynecological care near you.
References
- Alimi Y, Iwanaga J, Oskouian RJ, Loukas M, Tubbs RS. The clinical anatomy of dyspareunia: A review. Clinical Anatomy. 2018 Oct;31(7):1013-7.
- Caruso S, Monaco C. Dyspareunia in Women: Updates in Mechanisms and Current/Novel Therapies. Current Sexual Health Reports. 2019 Mar 15;11(1):9-20.
- Mitchell KR, Geary R, Graham CA, et al. OBGYN. Obstetrics and Gynecologyhttps://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1471-0528.14518 (2017, accessed August 18, 2020).
- Molin B, Sand A, Berger AK, Georgsson S. Raising awareness about chronic pain and dyspareunia among women–a Swedish survey 8 months after childbirth. Scandinavian Journal of Pain. 2020 May 8;1(ahead-of-print).
Thank you so much for taking the time to read our article! We hope you appreciated the effort that went into bringing it to you today. As a small not-for-profit, we are heavily reliant on generous donations to helps us stay afloat. Please consider donating to help ensure we can regularly provide health information for young people across Canada. Every donation makes an impact!
