Painful sex isn’t your fault. You’re not doing anything wrong. In a perfect world, sex wouldn’t hurt. Unfortunately, painful sex (dyspareunia) is more common than you might think. In this article, we’ll discuss the most common causes of painful sex.

Dyspareunia – When Sex Hurts

When sex hurts, it affects your entire life. Your relationships, your moods, your confidence, and your sense of self as a woman can all be compromised when sex hurts. Women going through menopause sometimes experience painful sex due to vaginal dryness but younger women often struggle with vaginal pain too.

Common Causes of Painful Sex in Women

1. Chronic Candidiasis

Yeast infections are common. Almost every single woman has experienced at least one in her lifetime. However, for some women, yeast infections are chronic. Chronic candidiasis is a condition characterized by an overgrowth of candida yeast in the intestinal and vaginal tract.

You may use over-the-counter creams to treat them but find they keep coming back no matter what you do. You may also feel fatigued, irritable, congested, and have chronic stomach complaints. These symptoms are a sign that yeast has overgrown out of control and is affecting your immune system.

Instead of treating yeast infections with over-the-counter creams, try cutting the sugar and processed foods out of your diet. Eat plenty of garlic, cayenne, onion, and oregano as these are potent yeast killers. Switch to all-natural tampons and pads as the bleach in feminine products has been known to increase likelihood of developing chronic yeast infections.

2. Tipped Uterus

Women with a tipped uterus may also experience pain during sexual intercourse because the end of the penis hits up against the cervix. If you’re a woman with a tilted uterus, try experimenting with certain sexual positions for women with a tipped uterus. It may be all you need to do to improve your sex life and make painful sex a thing of the past.

3. Vulvodynia/Vulvar Vestibulitis

This diagnosis can be frustrating for women because it basically means your vagina hurts but the doctor has no idea why. There’s no infection, injury or trauma but yet you often experience unexplained vaginal pain and discharge.

Chronic vaginal pain and irritation is sometimes caused by an excess amount of oxalates in the body. Oxalates are a common food chemical that are indigestible to humans. In woman with a healthy digestive system, the gut will resist absorbing them. In a woman with compromised gut health, these oxalates are absorbed and excreted through the urine. These miniscule crystalline particles collect in the vaginal tissues and cause irritation and inflammation.

This website offers information on oxalates and low oxalate diet for women with chronic vaginal pain.

4. Urinary Tract Infection

Women with frequent urinary tract infections often experience painful sex because their urethra’s are swollen and inflamed. This can make sexual intercourse uncomfortable because of its close proximity to the vaginal opening. 100% unsweetened cranberry juice is an excellent way to beat chronic UTI infections without an antibiotics prescription.

5. Vaginismus

Vaginismus is a condition that can make sexual intercourse difficult or even impossible for women. This occurs when the pubococcygeus (PC) muscle spasms and contracts involuntarily whenever penetration is introduced. Essentially, the vaginal cavity completely tightens up. This can make even having a PAP smear or inserting a tampon difficult and very painful.

There are two types of vaginismus: Primary and secondary. Women with primary vaginismus have never been able to have penetrative sex and may not even be aware of the problem until they try. Women with secondary vaginismus have been able to successfully enjoy sexual intercourse in the past but are unable to now. Urinary tract infections, vulvodynia, chronic yeast infections, sexual trauma, and fear of pain during sex are the most common causes of vaginismus.

The treatment of vaginismus varies and may include psychotherapy, physical therapy, and anti-depressant medications.

You can also treat vaginismus yourself at home by purchasing a vaginismus dilator set. They are phallic-shaped latex-free objects you can use to gently and carefully open your vaginal walls. When doing this, it may help to imagine a sexual scenario that turns you on so your vaginal walls become lubricated and ready for penetration. This has been an effective treatment for many women.

If painful sex is a problem for you, rest assured, you’re not alone. Vaginal pain can be frustrating but it won’t last forever with the right treatment. If you are unable to treat the condition on your own, visit with a trusted holistic physician for a second opinion and alternative treatment options.

Painful sex can sometimes be caused by anxiety and low libido. Enjoy pain-free sex again with Her Solution!