About 75% of women experience pain with sex at some point. It’s an extremely common problem, and unfortunately, many women suffer in silence and never bring it up with their doctors.
Attempting to “grin and bear” painful intercourse might seem better than having an awkward conversation with your gynecologist, but pain with sex is never normal — and you should never try to ignore it.
Farly Sejour, MD, Natalie Gould, WHNP-BC, and our team at Solace Women's Care are ready to help. We specialize in compassionate gynecologic care for women of all ages, and we believe you shouldn’t have to accept pain as part of your sexual experience.
Here’s why it’s so important to seek medical attention for painful intercourse.
Everyone deserves to have a satisfying sex life, no matter their age. But when sex is painful, it seriously limits your ability to enjoy intimacy with your partner.
You might feel like sex is no longer worth the pain, or perhaps start avoiding sexual activity altogether. Over time, it can decrease your libido and disrupt your romantic relationship.
It’s tempting to try to ignore painful intercourse or brush sex off as something that’s not very important. But sex is an important part of life, and it shouldn’t be painful. Talking to our team about your symptoms is the first step toward reducing your discomfort and improving your sex life.
Painful sex takes a toll on your emotional well-being. You might feel embarrassed, ashamed, or frustrated by the pain, which can make you start avoiding sexual activity. For some women, painful intercourse contributes to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Along with hurting your mental well-being, painful intercourse can be stressful on your relationship with your partner. Embarrassment or guilt may create distance between the two of you.
Your partner may feel responsible or helpless, leading to communication breakdowns and misunderstandings. Talking to Dr. Sejour and our team can help you begin to understand what's causing your symptoms, so you can start improving communication and intimacy with your partner.
Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong, and painful intercourse could be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, urinary tract infections (UTIs), menopause, and more can cause pain with sex — and all of these conditions require professional medical care.
If left untreated, pain and underlying gynecologic conditions may cause more serious health issues in the long run. Inflammation, scarring, and infections can lead to worsening pain or even infertility. Seeking early diagnosis and treatment helps prevent long-term complications and improve your overall health.
The most important reason why you should never assume you must live with painful intercourse is that it’s treatable. By seeking medical care, you can get a diagnosis and start treatment that relieves your symptoms and improves your quality of life.
Depending on your diagnosis, Dr. Sejour and our team may recommend medication, physical therapy, surgery, or other treatments. We monitor your condition and make adjustments to your treatment plan to help you achieve your best possible health, no matter your age.
Remember, you don’t have to “grin and bear” it. Help is available. Call our Conroe, Texas, office at 936-441-7100 or send our team a message online to get started.
