- Dyspareunia in Men
- How to Spot the Problem: Signs and Symptoms
- What Causes Painful Sex In Men?
- Who Is More Susceptible to Dyspareunia?
- When To Consult a Healthcare Provider
- Typical Diagnostic Procedure for Dyspareunia
- Treatment
- Home Remedies for Relief
- Is It Possible to Prevent Dyspareunia From Occurring?
- Conclusion
- Source
Roughly 1% in 5% of men have pain during sexual intercourse.
But, because of the stigma surrounding it, many of these numbers remain unreported.
For women, the global prevalence ranges from 3% to 18%, with a lifetime prevalence of 10% to 28%.
A lot more women seek treatment for painful sex compared to men.
However, if you want to keep the pain under control and enjoy better intercourse, you should know precisely what you are dealing with.
This is a detailed analysis of painful intercourse in men.
We compiled the latest statistics that talk about sexual pain, how it affects the body, and the best ways to manage it.
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Dyspareunia in Men
Dyspareunia is a chronic pain that appears during sex.
It affects about 10% to 20% of American women. But this has only a 5% global prevalence rate in men.
When left unmanaged, the condition can profoundly impact body image, relationships, mental, and physical health.
This pain happens just before, during, or after sex.
It adds a lot of pressure to the genital area, which makes penetration very uncomfortable.
The pain can be felt in the:
- Pelvic floor
- Penis foreskin
- Lower back
- Bladder
The levels of pain, however, vary.
They can range from moderate to severe.
Sometimes they require adequate treatment and medical attention.
Those struggling with painful intercourse often have a fear of sexual intimacy.
They tend to show poor sexual desire, satisfaction, and arousal.
To top it all off, achieving an orgasm can be even more challenging.
Considering the amount of deep pain affecting the pelvic muscles, it is difficult to enjoy intercourse.
For many, it puts a strain on their relationship and affects their decision to start a family.
How to Spot the Problem: Signs and Symptoms
Sexual pain is easy to spot.
The pelvic floor muscles tighten, becoming contracted, triggering pain during intercourse.
The most typical signs of deep dyspareunia include:
- Aching and burning sensations
- Deep pain with thrusting
- Aches during any kind of penetration
- Aches only during sexual intercourse
What Causes Painful Sex In Men?
Deep pain during intercourse can happen for many reasons.
It could be a psychological or a structural problem.
In men, painful sex can happen due to a tight foreskin, prostatitis, or Peyronie’s disease.
The involuntary spasm or damage to the pudendal nerve can make intercourse uncomfortable.
Dyspareunia impacts the scar tissue, making the penis curve, bend, or lose its girth.
Men can feel the scar tissue through their skin.
As it forms, it causes pain, eventually leading to sexual dysfunction.
Both women and men can contract a urinary tract infection or a sexually transmitted disease.
If you ignore the infection, it can become a serious inflammation and add pressure to the urinary tract system, causing sexual pain.
Skin irritation or disorder can also cause dyspareunia.
It can occur from eczema, lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, or any other skin problems.
Being allergic to some laundry detergents, hygiene products, or fabric can also cause pain during intercourse.
When it comes to deep dyspareunia pain, other medical conditions are often the cause of the problem.
This includes pelvic inflammatory disease, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or pelvic organ prolapse.
Having pelvic surgery or cancer treatment can lead to pain during intercourse.
Another thing is depression and anxiety.
When a person struggles with their self-image or can’t accept their physical appearance, they often develop a fear of intimacy.
Data shows that more than a third of adults (35%) feel depressed or anxious (34%) due to their body image.
For teenagers, appearance anxiety is a serious issue. It affects their day-to-day lives.
This fear causes a poor level of arousal, which eventually results in discomfort or pain during intercourse.
The pelvic floor tightens in response to depression, anxiety, and stress.
So, whenever they have intercourse, it gets in the way of their sexual activity.
Who Is More Susceptible to Dyspareunia?
Anyone can develop dyspareunia or painful sex.
But, more women seem to experience the condition, especially after menopause.
People are at risk of developing dyspareunia if they:
- Have vaginal dryness regularly
- Take medicine that causes vaginal dryness
- Have a bacterial infection or viral infection
- Have recently entered menopause
When To Consult a Healthcare Provider
As soon as you start experiencing persistent pain during intercourse, talk to a doctor.
Typical Diagnostic Procedure for Dyspareunia
When dealing with painful intercourse, talk to your physician.
They will ask you about your medical history and do a pelvic exam.
The exam can help identify the cause of pelvic pain.
But, for a proper diagnosis, you should explain the timing, length, and location of your pain.
Whatever the case may be, you would need to elaborate on your reproductive history and sexual experience.
During a pelvic floor examination, the doctor will check for signs of structural or infectious abnormalities.
In men, doctors will manually and visually observe the genitals.
They will look for any abnormalities that might be causing uncomfortable intercourse.
Treatment
The treatment for pain during intercourse varies depending on what’s causing the problem.
If a medical issue or an infection is the trigger, then a doctor will suggest you change the medication.
Using more lubrication during sex can help eliminate friction.
Other options include sex therapy or counseling and desensitization therapy.
But, regardless of the treatment you select, be sure to consult with a doctor first.
Home Remedies for Relief
To minimize the pain, communicate with your partner.
Ask them to change the position and go slowly.
As long as you don’t rush into it and use longer foreplay, it can trigger natural lubrication and avoid pain.
Until the problem becomes less painful, you can look for other ways to be intimate with your partner.
Mutual masturbation, kissing, and sensual massages work best.
These options will make you feel comfortable with one another and still get you aroused.
Use them as a temporary solution until your doctor gets the dyspareunia, or painful sex, in check.
Is It Possible to Prevent Dyspareunia From Occurring?
Your sexual problems can begin when you are not aware.
So, there isn’t a guaranteed method that will prevent that from happening.
What you can do is focus on obtaining sexual arousal before having sex.
Don’t rush it since natural lubrication will make penetration a lot easier.
Conclusion
Painful sex can happen to anyone.
The aches can range from moderate to severe and have a drastic impact on your intimate relationships.
The reasons for this issue in men could be either psychological or physiological.
To understand the problem, you must recognize the symptoms.
The throbbing, aching, and burning sensations during sex can be debilitating.
With adequate medication, counseling, and treatment, men can get their pain under control.
A doctor can suggest the most viable option for treatment or medical therapy.
Other than that, those affected can try at-home treatment methods.
With management strategies such as these, you can get your sex life back on track.
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