How Common is Painful Sex for Women?
A burning sensation. Pelvic pain. Overall discomfort in the vagina. According to new study, at least 1 in 10 women experience some or more of these symptoms during sex.
That such a significant number of women reported painful sex during their lifetime is noteworthy considering many other statistics estimated that it affected between 8 to 21 percent of women. But after surveying 7,000 women the British study, which was published in BJOG: An International Journal Obstetrics and Gynaecology, discovered that dyspareunia is extremely common.
The study included British women between the ages of 16-74 and researchers discovered that painful sex was most common for the subjects in their late 50s to early 60s followed by the 16-24 crowd. Since menopause can lead to vaginal dryness it makes sense that the older population reports the highest incidence of issues.
Dyspareunia, a condition that causes pain during intercourse, can be triggered by a variety of factors with vaginal dryness being the most prevalent one. This pain can be felt in a variety of areas including: the vulva, vestibule (the area surrounding the opening of the vagina), vagina, perineum, lower back, pelvic region, bladder or uterus.
With so many women reporting such anguish during intercourse, it’s a wonder that any of them even want to head to bed with their partners. But according to the study, many of these women said the pain does and is affecting their sex lives. Some said they were so anxious during sex and worried about the possibility of pain that it has become difficult to become aroused. And if a woman isn’t aroused before penetration, the vagina is usually dry and the muscles that become tense.
Some cases of dyspareunia are temporary and can be alleviated with lubricants. Others may be indicative of underlying issues. Although common, sex and pain shouldn’t be synonymous. Any women experiencing persistent pain during intercourse should talk to their Ob/Gyn. Sex can and should be enjoyable and pain-free.
Dr. Ghozland specializes in dyspareunia treatment. Contact his office at 310-299-7143 today to schedule a free consultation.