Sex should be a pleasurable experience. Yet, many women experience pain in the pelvic region after sex, a condition called dyspareunia. This pain can vary in its intensity, location, and duration. Whether or not your pelvic pain is intense, you may be concerned about the potential underlying cause and what it means for your sexual health.
Post-intercourse pelvic pain is not uncommon as roughly 75% of women will experience it at some point in their lives. The good news? Most underlying causes are identifiable and treatable.
Board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist Gary Willen, MD, MBA, frequently sees women for pelvic pain here at Tahoe Women’s Care in Carson City, Nevada. He explores every possible avenue to identify the cause so you can enjoy more positive sexual experiences moving forward. While pelvic pain after sex is common, it’s often preventable.
Pelvic pain after sex might occur because of some underlying condition, or it may be circumstantial. In any case, knowing the cause of your post-sex pelvic pain is a vital step in making intimacy more comfortable.
A few of the most common causes of pelvic pain during and after sex are:
Sex-related pain can be distressing, especially when you’re not sure whether the cause is serious or needs treatment. Dr. Willen guides you through the process of identifying the cause of your pain and finding a treatment or solution.
Dr. Willen encourages you to share the details of your pelvic pain as an initial step in identifying its cause. Note exactly where the pain occurs, what it feels like, and when you first started experiencing it.
After a complete examination, Dr. Willen may recommend diagnostic tests, including imaging or blood tests, to identify or rule out medical conditions related to pelvic pain.
Your next steps depend on your diagnosis or the probable cause of your pelvic pain. If it’s something like a tilted uterus or a large penis size, you might need to consider other sexual positions or activities. Infections like STDs and bacterial vaginosis are often treatable with antibiotics.
Hormonal birth control may be recommended for pain caused by ovarian cysts, while psychological counseling may help with emotional causes of pelvic pain after sex. Rarely, surgery is an option to address the cause of this type of pelvic pain.
To schedule a visit to Tahoe Women’s Care, call our office or request an appointment online today.
