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When Sex Is a Pain: Part 2
by Tamekia Reece, 03.26.04
Sex should be a pleasure, so don't let it be a pain! |
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In our first pain primer, we covered puberty, anxiety, and the hymen. Here are a few more "advanced" issues and how you can cope!
Painful Prob #4: Lack of Foreplay/Lube
It's common for vaginal intercourse to be painful if a woman isn't aroused enough. As a woman becomes sexually aroused, more blood flows into her genitals. This increased blood flow allows her vaginal canal to lengthen and widen. It also stimulates the production of vaginal lubrication. All these changes allow insertive sex to be more comfortable.
Sometimes sex will be painful if there hasn't been enough foreplay. But in other cases, no matter how much foreplay happens, the vagina doesn't produce enough lubrication to make sex comfortable. (This happens to many women, and it's totally normal.) And to make matters more complicated, sometimes certain medications can stand in the way of a well-lubricated vagina.
Painless Solution
If a lack of foreplay is the issue, communicating your needs to a partner is crucial. It's perfectly OK to say, "I'm not quite ready yet ... let's take it slow." Guys tend to become aroused more quickly than girls, and sometimes the vagina just needs a little warm-up time!
But sometimes there's plenty of foreplay and still not enough lubrication. In this case, using an artificial lubricant can help make sex more comfortable. Remember, only water-based lubricants — like K-Y® jelly and Astroglide® — can be used with latex condoms. Never use an oil-based lubricant with a condom, because oil damages latex, which makes the condom more likely to break. Many condoms are already lubricated. Using more lube with condoms can make penetration more comfortable, and also makes condoms safer!
Painful Prob #5: Condom Issues
Speaking of condoms, if you feel pain or discomfort while "wrapping it up," you may be allergic to latex, the material that makes up most male condoms. In fact, one to two percent of people are allergic to latex, and they complain of itching, rashes, swelling, tingling, nausea, and even breathing problems.
Painless Solution
Switching brands of condoms may solve the problem because it's often sensitivity to the spermicide, not the latex, that's the issue. If you think this may be the case, you could also try using unlubricated condoms and adding your own water-based lubricant, like K-Y® jelly or Astroglide®.
But if latex is definitely the problem, female condoms, which are made of polyurethane, are a good alternative. They're up to 95 percent effective against pregnancy. Polyurethane male condoms are also available, but they are somewhat more likely to break than latex condoms. Remember, only male and female condoms reduce the risk of infection as well as pregnancy!
Painful Prob. #6: Vulvodynia
Vulvodynia is a condition that's more common than researchers once believed. Women with vulvodynia have nerves in the vulva area that are extra sensitive, leading to chronic pain — often a burning sensation — that can be mild to severe. Pain can be made worse by vaginal intercourse, using tampons, or wearing tight clothing.
Painless Solution
Vulvodynia can be treated with drugs that control nerve sensitivity and sometimes with physical therapy.
Painful Problem #7: Infections
Perhaps the most painful sexual experiences are caused by urinary tract infections (UTIs), yeast infections, or sexually transmitted infections. Pain during sex can be a sign of any of these.
Painless Solution
Since many infections have the same symptoms, you'd need to make an appointment with your clinician to determine what the problem is. Women who have frequent UTIs or yeast infections can learn to prevent them, or treat them with over-the-counter medications, but often more serious infections are mistaken for UTIs or yeast infections. That's why is important see a clinician, and not to rely on self-diagnosis. To make an appointment with a Planned Parenthood clinician in your area, call 1-800-230-PLAN. And it's best to hold off on sex while you have an infection — for your own protection and that of others.
Sex should be a pleasure, so don't let it be a pain! Pay attention to your body, use birth control, communicate with your partner, and consult a clinician when in doubt. Here's to your health! |
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