Dyspareunia is the scientific name for painful sexual intercourse. This isn’t actually a condition or a disease, but it can be the result of various other physical and mental conditions. The problem can affect both men and women, but is more prevalent in females. It can be difficult to live with dyspareunia, since this issue can lead to the breakdown in relationships.
Many women struggle with some form of pain during sex, but the term dyspareunia is usually the more intense case. The worst case of dyspareunia usually occurs in combination with vaginismus. It is a condition in which the vaginal muscles contract involuntarily, leading to difficult or impossible intercourse, in some cases.
There are a lot of different things that can cause dyspareunia. It can occur in a variety of different ways. Let’s take a closer look at this problem.
What Are The Symptoms of Dyspareunia?
There are many symptoms associated with this problem. One of the most common issues is burning sensation around the vagina. Pain can also manifest itself in the form of a ripping, tearing or aching sensation all around the pelvic area. The affected woman may feel pain at certain moments during intercourse, for example penetration or deep thrusting.
The indirect symptoms of this problem include many mental issues. Naturally, if a woman suffers during sex, she can easily lose interest in intercourse.
This leads to a lack of arousal and can contribute to marital or relationship difficulties. Women can also lose self-confidence and even become depressed by dyspareunia. Fear of sex can also develop as women begin to associate intercourse with pain.
For men, the symptoms include irritation and pain all around the penis. Other symptoms in male dyspareunia are tightened foreskin, bowed erections, and infection of the sexual organs. Few of the affected males deal with mental issues as well, which in turn, ruins their sex lives.
What Are The Causes of Dyspareunia?
There are many different causes of this problem. A woman’s vagina is a sensitive part of the body. The entry of fingers, a penis, or even just a tampon into the vagina can stretch the skin in this area and cause small cuts and tears. In extreme cases, women can even suffer pain from wearing certain types of underwear or pants. Pain can also be the result of an infection of some kind. Urinary infections like cystitis are common in women and difficult to get rid of.
Yeast infections are prevalent in females and the vagina can become inflamed for a variety of reasons. If any form of infection is present in and around the genital region, pain can easily occur during intercourse. The bladder or ovaries may also be suffering from an infection of some kind.
One of the worst things about dyspareunia is that your mind can worsen its symptoms. If you experience pain during sex just one time, you can develop a fear of sex or an expectation of pain. This mentality may actually make the problem worse.
Vaginismus, for example, occurs because of painful sexual experiences that result in a woman’s body rejecting intercourse by tightening the vaginal muscles. Sexual problems are frequently associated with emotional and mental issues.
Now let’s talk about male bodies. Men usually experience pain in the moments shortly after ejaculation. This pain may occur throughout the penis or specifically around the sensitive glans area. They may also feel discomfort around the prostate or testicles. The most common cause of discomfort is a deformity in the sexual organs, or an infection of some kind. Men can also struggle with pain during intercourse because of these problems.
Diagnosing Dyspareunia
If you are suffering with pain of any kind during sexual intercourse, you should consult a medical professional as soon as possible. Doctors will ask questions and perform tests to get to the root of problem and discover the causes of your dyspareunia.The problem can manifest itself in so many ways and has so many potential causes, so it’s imperative to get an expert opinion.
Doctors will ask their patients questions about the exact location of the pain. They will also try to determine how long the pain lasts, how intense it is, and why it occurs. Doctors may discover that the problem is a symptom of menopause in middle-aged women or perhaps due to breastfeeding in young mothers. Dyspareunia can occur at all ages and for some surprising reasons. We have also mentioned the mental causes of this problem above, so doctors may recommend that a patient seeks therapy or counseling to overcome the issue.
Impact Of Dyspareunia On Your Sex Life And Relationship
Dyspareunia can be devastating to your sex life and the health of your relationship. Let’s look at a few ways in which this problem can bring you down.
1. Painful Intercourse Will Dampen Your Mood
We have already looked at the physical effects of dyspareunia, but some of the worst problems are the mental effects.
If intercourse is painful and difficult, both women and men can easily become depressed as their sex lives diminish and their partners feel rejected.
2. Relationships Can Break Down
If you struggle to enjoy sex with the person you love, it’s normal that your relationship will suffer. Your partner can feel alone and confused by the issue, while you can feel miserable for being unable to give them pleasure. A healthy sex life is a vital part of any relationship.
3. Your Partner Will Stop Enjoying Sex
This problem echoes the one we have listed above. Even if you are able to have sex with your partner, they won’t be able to enjoy it if they can see that you are in pain. Your partner will be too busy worrying about hurting you to enjoy the act. If both partners are stressed the whole time, sexual intercourse simply stops being fun.
4. Meeting New Partners Becomes Difficult
If you are single and suffer from dyspareunia, it can be hard to approach new partners. The idea of going to bed with someone new and having to explain the problem can be overwhelming. Many women simply avoid sex and dating because they are too scared.
The Treatment Of Dyspareunia
Fortunately, there are various ways to treat dyspareunia. You can even test these solutions out by yourself at home, so you don’t have to worry about invasive techniques or harmful medications. Let’s look at some common forms of treatment.
- Use Lubricants To Make Sex More Enjoyable
Vaginal dryness is one of the main causes of dyspareunia. If a woman doesn’t have enough natural lubrication, intercourse can become painful.
Fortunately, lubricants exist and they can make sex much more enjoyable for both partners. You can find some effective lubricants at www.HerSolution.com.
The gel provided by HerSolution is powerful and effective. It contains tons of useful nutrients to increase the sensitivity of your vagina and provide you with more explosive orgasms. This gel is wholly natural and safe to use, but it’s always worth checking with your doctor before using any new product like a lubricant.
- Try Some New Sexual Positions
Some people simply aren’t adapted to certain sexual positions. For women in particular, the type of position can make a big impact on your enjoyment levels.
The penis may be moving at an angle that simply isn’t comfortable for your body, so it becomes necessary to test out different positions and techniques.
Experts recommend that women try getting on top more often, as this position gives them greater control over the depth and speed of thrusts.
- Simple Tricks For Dyspareunia
There are some basic things you can do to make sex more enjoyable. For instance, try using water-soluble lubricants that don’t contain any harsh chemicals.
Also remember to go to the toilet before having sex because a full bladder can contribute to the pain.
Talk to your partner about the problem beforehand and work together to make sex better for both of you. Try using pain relieving medication or relaxation techniques before sex to get yourself in the mood. Don’t underestimate the power of foreplay. All of these little things can help to solve the problem.
- Give Yoga A Try
Yoga is the perfect relaxation technique. Many people are starting to get into yoga as it offers some genuine benefits for all walks of life, including sex.
If you can start mastering the stretching and breathing techniques of yoga, you can gain greater control over your body.
This means your mind will be more relaxed during sex, allowing you to become aroused more easily. In addition, you will have stronger control over your individual muscles, helping you to enjoy sex on a greater level than ever before.
- Ayurveda
Ayurveda is an increasingly popular form of alternative medicine. It works to balance the mind and body by cleaning them of any impurities. It focuses on a healthy diet, massage techniques, relaxation and herbal extracts to cure any ailments. You could do some research into these interesting techniques to get in touch with your spiritual side.
- Medication Can Provide Relief
For many of the causes of dyspareunia, medications and treatments do exist. If you have a yeast or urinary infection, you can take antibiotics and tablets to deal with the problem. For inflammation or pain, you can use pain relievers.
Creams and pills also exist for a variety of other problems, so don’t be afraid to visit your doctor and ask for some help.
- Physical Therapy
Physical therapy helps people suffering from dyspareunia. This process involves various examinations and exercises that work to diagnose the problem and help you to feel better during intercourse.
- Counseling
If you have had dyspareunia for a long time, it probably isn’t the cause of any infection. It may be down to mental and emotional issues. This is where counseling comes in.
Many people are seeking counseling to help them deal with traumatic pasts and bad sexual experiences. Counselors are there to help you and many people feel much better by communicating and sharing their issues.
Prevention Is The Best Cure
Just like with every other ailment and illness, it’s always better and easier to prevent the problem, rather than trying to find ways to cure it. You can’t prevent everything in life, but you can follow these simple tips to lower your chances of having dyspareunia.
- To prevent the onset of yeast infections, be sure to use good hygiene techniques. Wear soft cotton underwear to be gentle on your skin and wash yourself regularly.
To keep yourself safe from urinary infections, drink regularly and clean yourself properly after going to the toilet. Remember to urinate after intercourse too.- To stay safe when having sex, remember to use condoms or other methods to prevent any transmission of sexual diseases.
- Use lubricants to deal with vaginal dryness.
The Duration Of Dyspareunia
Dyspareunia can appear in many different forms, and for a huge amount of reasons. Therefore, it can last for different amounts of time, depending on the person and the situation. Some people struggle with painful intercourse for years on end, while others are able to identify their issues and recover in a matter of weeks.
If you have an issue with vaginal dryness, for example, you can start making use of lubricants and enjoy better sex straight away. If you have a urinary infection, you may need to follow a course of antibiotics for a couple of weeks before you can recover. If you suffer from dyspareunia caused by a traumatic sexual experience in your youth, the problem can be last a much longer amount of time, but counseling can help.
When To Call A Professional
Sex can be uncomfortable from time to time and it is often painful the first time. However, if you are suffering from pain every time you have sex, that isn’t normal.
You should see your doctor straight away. Use the advice we have given you in this article to help with the problem, but never underestimate the expert knowledge of a medical professional.
Dyspareunia can ruin lives and cause major damage to relationships, so you should address it quickly and effectively. The problem won’t just vanish overnight. You need to take action and make the effort to heal yourself, but you’re not alone. Your doctor can help by diagnosing the problem and providing a treatment plan. They will monitor your progress until you resolve the problem, so ask for help if it persists.