Why does sex hurt?

Pain during or after sex can be caused by a few things, including illness, infection, physiology, or even a psychological problem.

If you get pain during or after sex your body may be telling you that something is wrong, so don’t ignore it. If you do experience pain, then you should go to your GP or a sexual health clinic to have a check up.

Painful sex in women

Women can experience pain during or after sex in their pelvis or even in their vagina. Vaginal pain can be caused by a variety of different things. This includes:

• an infection like thrush or an STI
• menopause
• lack of sexual arousal
• vaginismus
• genital irritation from condoms or soaps

If you feel pain inside your pelvis then this can be caused by a few different issues, including:

• pelvic inflammatory disease
• endometriosis
• fibroids near your vagina
• IBS
• constipation

If you have any of these issues then we recommend you see your doctor or go to a sexual health clinic.

Painful sex in men

There are a few different causes of painful sex in men, they include:

• infections like thrush or STIs
• a tight foreskin
• tears in the foreskin
• prostatitis
• testicle swelling

Again, if you have any pains then we recommend that you visit your GP or visit your sexual health clinic as soon as possible.