Pain During Intercourse
Medical Author:
John G McManus Jr, MD
Coauthor:
Richard D Warren, MD
Medical Editor:
Joseph A Salomone III, MD
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
Richard Harrigan, MD
Pain During Intercourse OverviewPain during intercourse (dyspareunia) is pain or discomfort in a woman's labial, vaginal, or pelvic areas during or after sexual intercourse. The word dyspareunia comes from early Greek language, and its meanings include "difficulty mating" or "badly mated." Pain during intercourse is described in medical literature dating back to the ancient Egyptian scrolls. Early Hebrews regarded this condition as sufficient cause for divorce. Today, the causes of dyspareunia may be easily discovered and treated. The number of women who experience pain during intercourse is unknown because the symptoms vary. Also, both doctors and women fail to freely discuss sexual practices.Recent studies suggest that more than 60% of women report current or previous episodes of pain during sexual relations. Fewer than half of these women discussed this pain with their doctors. |
Sex & Relationships
Get tips to boost your love life.
From WebMD
Healthy Resources
Featured Centers
- Ask the Nutritionist: Weight Loss Tips
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Gout: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Pain During Intercourse
Menopause Overview
Menopause, the time when a woman stops having menstrual periods, is not a disease or an illness. It is a transition between two phases of a woman's life.
Many women experience a variety of symptoms as a result of the hormonal changes associated with the transition through menopause. Around the time of menopause, women often lose bone density and their blood cholesterol levels may worsen, increasing their risk of heart disease.
Premature menopause: The average age of US women at the time of menopause is 51 years. The most common age range at which women experience menopause is 48-55 years. If menopause occurs in a woman younger than 40 years, it is considered to be premature. Menopause is considered late if it occurs in a woman older than 55 years. For most women, menopause is a normal occurrence.
- Menopause is more likely to occur at a slightly earlier age in women who smoke, have never been pregnant, or live at ...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Penile Fracture and Trauma »
Traumatic penile injury can be due to multiple factors.
Featured Topics
Medical Dictionary
Pill Identifier on RxList
- quick,
easy,
pill identification
Find a Local Pharmacy
- including
24 hour
pharmacies
