Painful sex: Isn't normal

Painful sex isn't normal, although for those assigned female at birth it can be common. Read more for advice, help and how to refind pleasure Dyspareunia ( Painful Intercourse) Dyspareunia is genital pain during or after sexual intercourse. You may feel pain externally on your vulva or internally in your vagina, uterus or pelvis. Factors like underlying medical conditions or infections can cause painful sex . Treatment involves identifying the underlying cause of the pain . When sex hurts, it can leave everyone involved feeling anxious. Find out the causes of painful sex and when you should speak to a doctor. Overview Painful intercourse can happen for reasons that range from structural problems to psychological concerns. Many people have painful intercourse at some point in their lives. The medical term for painful intercourse is dyspareunia (dis-puh-ROO-nee-uh). It is lasting or recurrent genital pain that occurs just before, during or after sex . Talk with your healthcare professional if you're having painful intercourse. Treatments focus on the cause and can help stop or ease this common problem.