Painful sex
Closest connections · tap one to go there
Pain just before, during or after sex. It's very common (around 3 in 4 women have it at some point) and always worth raising rather than pushing through.
You might notice
- pain at the entrance when anything goes in
- a deep ache with deeper penetration
- burning or stinging afterwards
- dryness that makes sex uncomfortable
- tensing up because you expect it to hurt
- a bladder ache or urge to pee after sex
Who can help
- Erica Simonich · Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP-BC)Also works with endometriosisProfile →
- Dr. Tenesha Wards · Chiropractor (DC) · Functional MedicineAlso works with endometriosisProfile →
- Dr. Laura Ismail · M.D., Obstetrics & GynaecologyAlso works with endometriosisProfile →
A naturopathic doctor, nurse practitioner or women's health doctor is a good first stop. Acupuncture is often a gentle support alongside.
See everyone for your cycle →Where it can overlap
- Endometriosis
Painful sex is a recognised feature of endometriosis. Established
- Pelvic floor issues
Painful sex can be part of pelvic floor issues. Established
- Adenomyosis
Painful sex can be part of adenomyosis. Established
- IC / bladder pain
Painful sex can be part of IC / bladder pain. Established
- Pelvic pain
Painful sex can overlap with pelvic pain. Established
2 more threads +Fewer threads −
- IBS
Painful sex can show up alongside IBS. Associated
- Recurrent UTIs
Painful sex can show up alongside recurrent UTIs. Associated
Established: well documented · Associated: linked, not a cause · Emerging: early research · Woo exploration: worth exploring, not yet sourced. A link isn't a cause.
Keep exploring
4 sources · how we checked
Everything on this page was researched from clinical guidance, government health sources and published reviews first, then single studies. Where a connection is only worth exploring, it says so.
- Adenomyosis Cleveland Clinic · 2023 · Academic medical centre
- Dyspareunia (Painful Intercourse) Cleveland Clinic · 2024 · Academic medical centre
- Endometriosis NHS (UK National Health Service) · 2024 · Government health source
- Pelvic Pain MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine (NIH) · 2024 · Government health source
A note from Woo: Body Map is here to help you explore and ask better questions. It isn't a diagnostic tool or a substitute for medical care. Relationships shown here represent areas that may be associated or worth exploring, not a diagnosis or statement of cause.
if this landed, here’s where to go next
Article · On our SubstackWho Should You See? What is a Practitioner? Back on the mapEverything in Urinary + pelvic Step back inside the area and see what lives beside it.On The WooTalk it through in Body & Cycles Questions and what helped, from Woo girls.Quiz · 8 questionsWhat's Your Aura? A little read on how you move through the world. Take the quiz.