Almost
every woman experiences discomfort during sex at some point in her life.
But many suffer in silence for years because they're embarrassed to ask
for help or because they've been told it's all in their heads. While
sexual pain can be a symptom of stress, depression, or some other
psychological problem, there are a number of physical conditions to rule
out before heading for the therapist's couch. See if any of the following
describes your problem.
Infection
Sometimes pain during
sex is the first sign of an infection. Vaginal yeast and bacterial
infections can reduce lubrication and irritate the opening of the vagina,
and will usually be accompanied by itching or an unusual discharge or
odor. A urinary tract infection will hurt most when you urinate but can
also cause pain during sex because of the pressure on a tender, inflamed
bladder. Abdominal pain with intercourse may be a symptom of the sexually
transmitted disease chlamydia. Left untreated, chlamydia can lead to
pelvic inflammatory disease, which causes inflammation and scarring that
can make sex unbearable. Once diagnosed, most infections are easily
treated with antibiotics or, in the case of yeast, antifungal creams or
pills.
Endometriosis
About 5 million
American women have this painful condition in which tissue from the lining
of the uterus grows into areas outside of the uterus such as the vagina or
pelvis where it becomes inflamed. More than half of these women report
pain with intercourse. Endometriosis can usually be treated with drugs
that temporarily suppress estrogen production or surgery to remove the
wayward tissue. Birth control pills can also help. Using the woman-on-top
position or limiting intercourse to the week or two after you menstruate
may also minimize the discomfort.
Interstitial
Cystitis
When you feel as if
you have a urinary tract infection, but antibiotics won't make it go away,
the problem is probably interstitial cystitis. Experts don't know what
triggers this condition, in which your bladder becomes chronically
inflamed, leading to severe pelvic pain that tends to worsen during sex.
Like vulvodynia, this condition is difficult to diagnose and treat.
Sufferers may find relief from one of a variety of treatments, such as the
drug Elmiron, but no single therapy seems to work for everyone. The
woman-on-top position may help you avoid the discomfort that comes with
deep penetration.
Vulvodynia
If burning pain at
the opening of the vagina has made sex impossible but your doctor can't
find a cause, you may have vulvodynia, a condition in which part of the
vulva is chronically inflamed. No one knows how many women suffer from it
or what first sets off the pain, which may be a constant torture or may
flare up just during sex. Experimental treatments include cutting certain
foods out of your diet or learning to use a biofeedback device to control
muscle spasms that may be contributing to the pain. Surgery to remove the
inflamed skin has resolved the problem for some women, but should be
considered only as a last resort.
Hormones
If you're
breastfeeding or approaching menopause, your sexual discomfort may be due
to hormonal changes. In both cases, falling estrogen levels can dry up
your natural lubrication and make your vaginal tissue fragile. New moms
may want to use a drugstore lubricant until their estrogen levels return
to normal when they stop breastfeeding. Older women with this complaint
may consider going on hormone replacement therapy or using an estrogen
cream.
Ayurvedic
Supplements :
To tune up muscles and tandem of the reproductive
organ, which are beneficial for prevention and relief of the
above symptoms :
SUNDARI
KALP FORTE
ASHOKARISHTA
PUSHYANUG
CHURNA
RAJAHPRAVARTINI
BATI
