Pain during sex is familiar to many women all over the world. It is essential to understand that sexual intercourse shouldn’t be painful and unpleasant sensations can mean some underlying condition. If you experience pain and discomfort during sex, it is better to make an appointment with your gynecologist for diagnosis and treatment. In this article, we have gathered seven gynecological conditions that can affect your sex life.
1. Uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that occur on the uterine walls. When fibroids are small, they can develop without any symptoms. But when fibroids become large, they can cause pain during sex, pelvic pressure, lower back pain, spotting, and other unpleasant symptoms.
If your fibroids don’t cause symptoms, they can be left untreated. However, it is essential to keep tracking your condition regularly to monitor their size. But if your fibroids cause severe symptoms, contact the best fibroid specialist for accurate treatment.
2. Vaginismus
Vaginismus is a condition in which an involuntary muscle spasm interferes with penetration into the vagina. Women with vaginismus find sex extremely painful or even impossible. Additionally, some of them can’t even use tampons and undergo pelvic exams because of severe pain.
3. Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition in which the endometrial tissue (the inner lining of the uterus) tends to grow on the pelvic organs. Due to the fact that endometrium sheds during periods, women with endometriosis usually experience severe periods with heavy blood flow.
The other symptoms of endometriosis include lower back pain, spotting, and pain during sex. However, some women may even not know that they have endometriosis since they don’t have any symptoms. Even though there is no cure for endometriosis, treatment can help ease its symptoms.
4. Adenomyosis
Adenomyosis is a condition in which the endometrium grows into the uterine walls. It can lead to the enlargement of the uterus, pain during sex, heavy periods, and other unpleasant symptoms. It often occurs in combination with endometriosis that can complicate the treatment.
5. Vaginal dryness
Vaginal dryness occurs when a woman has a decreased natural lubrication. This condition can occur after childbirth, due to some medications, poor estrogen production, and many other factors. Menopausal women are likely to get this condition due to a decrease in estrogen levels.
Women with vaginal dryness often experience pain during sex and vaginal bleeding because of irritation and microcracks. If you have this condition, you can use additional lubrication to make sex more pleasant. But only professional treatment can help you get rid of vaginal dryness.
6. Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is a dangerous condition that occurs when the cells of the cervix change and overgrow. In the initial stages of cervical cancer, women usually don’t have any symptoms. But when the condition becomes advanced, you may experience vaginal bleeding and pain during sex. It is essential to treat cervical cancer as soon as possible to avoid its spread.
7. Pelvic inflammatory disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a condition that occurs when pelvic organs become infected and inflamed. In most cases, this inflammation is caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections or a naturally-occurring infection like bacterial vaginosis. The most common symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease are:
- Fever
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Abnormal vaginal discharge with a strong odor
- Pain during sex
- Fertility issues
If the condition was caused by STIs, it is essential to contact and examine your sexual partners as well to avoid reinfection. Pelvic inflammatory disease can be treated with antibiotics but this condition can cause adhesions and scars that lead to infertility and can’t be cured.
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