Painful Intercourse (Dyspareunia)

Dyspareunia is the medical name given to painful intercourse or pain during sex. This is a really common problem, affecting nearly 10% of females at some point in their life. There is usually a simple solution.

Kegel8 Guide to Painful Intercourse Dyspareunia

Causes of Painful Intercourse

There’s quite a few different things that can cause painful intercourse, and these include:

  • Lack of lubrication
  • Positioning
  • Dyspareunia (pain in the vagina, clitoris or labia during or after sex)
  • Vaginismus (where your vaginal muscles clench involuntarily)
  • Infection such as thrush
  • Vulvodynia (where your whole intimate area is painful)
  • Endometriosis (where the womb lining cells grow outside the womb)
  • Fibroids (benign tumours that grow in and around the womb)
  • A sensitive cervix
  • Injury
  • Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

This list doesn’t cover everything, so if you are suffering from pain during intercourse, it’s good to see either your GP or visit your local GUM
for advice and to get checked.

Treatment for Painful Intercourse

Painful Intercourse & Dyspareunia

The treatment given for dyspareunia or painful intercourse depends on what’s causing the pain. One of the first things that you will be recommended to do is to take things slowly and try using plenty of water-based, body-friendly lubricant such as our own KE Gel.

It’s also really common to suffer from painful intercourse after the menopause, because the walls of the vagina can become thinner in what’s called vaginal atrophy. This is easily solved with an oestrogen cream from your doctor.

If it’s vaginismus that’s causing painful intercourse, there are things that can help. Vaginal dilators, such as those sold by our friends at StressNoMore.co.uk can help you to learn to relax your muscles during penetration, and when used with lots of lubricant, they are a simple and effective, drug-free vaginismus treatment.

Our new Kegel8 Ultra features a pain relief programme designed to relax your muscles, and on the new unit, this can be used in conjunction with skin electrodes if using a probe would just be too painful.

If you’re suffering from dyspareunia or pain during intercourse, it’s important to see your doctor, there are simple solutions that can really help you to live your life and enjoy your relationship again.