Painful Intercourse

What is painful intercourse?

Painful intercourse is any type of discomfort that occurs during sexual activity. Many women experience painful intercourse at some point in their lifetime. It’s defined as persistent or recurrent genital pain that happens before, during, or after sex. Symptoms include:

• Pain upon insertion
• Pain with deep penetration
• Throbbing pain
• Burning or aching pain
• Pain that lasts several hours after intercourse

Talk with your doctor at the first sign of painful intercourse to determine what’s causing the pain. Providers at Rockville Gynecology develop an appropriate treatment plan that best matches your individual needs. 

What causes painful intercourse?

Numerous factors can lead to painful intercourse. Some are simply a nuisance, while others indicate a medical condition requiring treatment. Possible causes of painful intercourse might include:

• Stress or a history of sexual abuse
• Injury, trauma, or infection
• Congenital abnormalities
• Endometriosis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Uterine prolapse
• Uterine fibroids
• Ovarian cysts
• Retroverted uterus
• Vaginal dryness

Vaginal dryness is often caused by drops in estrogen levels associated with menopause, childbirth, or breastfeeding. Some medications decrease sexual arousal, which can lead to decreases in vaginal lubrication and pain with intercourse. 

What is the treatment for painful intercourse?

The treatment for painful intercourse that’s best for you depends on what’s causing the pain. At Rockville Gynecology, numerous gynecological treatments are available for conditions associated with painful intercourse. These include:

Minimally invasive surgeriese

Minimally invasive surgeries treat certain gynecological conditions associated with painful intercourse, such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and congenital abnormalities. These surgeries produce less pain, minimal scarring, and faster recovery times. 

At Rockville Gynecology, providers use the innovative da Vinci® robotic surgical system for many minimally invasive surgeries, and have advanced training in complex laparoscopy and hysteroscopy.

Menopausal medicine

Certain medications or hormone replacement therapy can reduce vaginal dryness and painful intercourse associated with it.

MonaLisa Touch®

MonaLisa Touch is a revolutionary laser treatment that restores vaginal tissue, increases vaginal lubrication, decreases pain with intercourse, tightens the vagina, and decreases urinary incontinence. It’s a painless procedure that requires just three five-minute sessions. 

Natural remedies

In some cases natural remedies, such as weight loss, exercise, stress reduction, counseling for emotional trauma, acupuncture, herbal supplements, and soy products or isoflavones can reduce vaginal dryness and other symptoms of menopause.

Don’t let painful intercourse ruin your sex life. Call Rockville Gynecology to learn more about your treatment options or schedule an appointment online today.