Pelvic Pain After Sex: Is It Normal?

Experiencing pain after sex is more common than you might think, affecting about 75% of women at some point during their lives. For some the pain is temporary, but for others the pain is persistent, affecting their well-being and intimate relationships.

Pain after sex is never something to ignore. It’s not always a serious health issue, but getting the right diagnosis and treatment may help you enjoy sex again.

At North Atlanta OB/GYN in Alpharetta, Marietta, and Atlanta, Georgia, our board-certified OB/GYNs want to help find the cause of your pelvic pain after sex and treat it.

Causes of pain after sex

Any type of ongoing pain before, during, or after intercourse is called dyspareunia. This pain can stem from a variety of causes including:

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the reproductive organs. It most often develops as a complication of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and can lead to scarring, inflammation, and pain after sex.  Other symptoms include abnormal bleeding, vaginal discharge, or fever.

Because PID can cause long-term damage, seeking prompt medical care is crucial.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a gynecological condition that occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. This misplaced tissue behaves like normal endometrial tissue, thickening and shedding during the menstrual cycle, but it has no way to exit the body, causing pain and inflammation.

Pelvic pain is one of the most common symptoms of endometriosis, including pain after sex. 

Ovarian cysts

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that form on the ovaries. Most cysts come and go without causing any problems. But a large cyst may not resolve on its own, causing pelvic pain before, during, or after sex.  

Hormone changes

Changes in estrogen production during menopause and the years leading up to menopause (perimenopause) may cause vaginal dryness, a common cause of pain during sex. 

Anxiety or relationship issues

Psychological issues such as past trauma, abuse, or anxiety can affect comfort during and after intercourse. Relationship stress may also affect intimate moments, causing muscle tightness or vaginismus, involuntary vaginal spasms brought on by fear. 

Getting relief from pelvic pain

In order to treat pelvic pain after sex, we perform a thorough exam to find the cause. We review your symptoms and sexual history and perform a physical and pelvic exam. We may also test for STDs or request an ultrasound to confirm or rule out a suspected cause.  

Depending on the results of the exam and testing, we may need to do additional testing, like colposcopy, so we can take a closer look at your vaginal walls and cervix to find the cause of your pain. 

Once we determine what’s causing your symptoms, we recommend appropriate therapy that may include:

• Antibiotics for infections and STDs
• Birth control to reduce endometrial growth
• Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) to balance estrogen levels
• Stress management or therapy
• Minimally invasive surgery to treat a structural issue

Over-the-counter pain medication may also help, as might changing sexual positions. 

When to get help

Dyspareunia isn’t something you can control, and there’s not a lot that you can do to prevent it. If you have recurring or severe pain after sex, it’s time to reach out for help. Chronic or severe pelvic pain is never normal, whether it occurs during or after sex or at any other time. 

Getting help for your pain sooner means feeling better sooner.

To find out what’s causing your pelvic pain after sex, call us today or request an appointment online.