Symptoms of Pain During Sex
Naturally, pain during sex is one of the primary symptoms. There are a good few more that you might not expect, though:
- Pain when anything is inserted into the vagina
- Pain when your partner penetrates you
- A pain deep inside when your partner is thrusting
- Aching or burning pain later on
- A throbbing ache that sticks around for hours
What Causes Pain During Sex?
The cause of pain during sex can be challenging to determine. Why? There are so many factors that could come into play here. Your first step in identifying the cause is noting where you feel the pain.
Is it Pain on Entry?
This could be due to a few factors:
- Insufficient lubrication
- Irritation, trauma, or injury
- Inflammation or a skin disorder
- A congenital defect
Is the Pain Deeper?
Are some positions worse than others? Deep pain might be caused by:
- A medical condition like cystitis
- Scarring from surgery
Could the Pain Have an Emotional Component?
The mind is complex. Problems at work or home can lead to problems in the bedroom:
- Mental health issues: Perhaps you’re depressed. You might have a fear of intimacy. In these situations, sex might prove uncomfortable
- Stress and anxiety: In the same way that stress can make your shoulders tense, it can affect the pelvic floor. These muscles tighten, and so intercourse becomes more painful.
- Sexual Abuse: If you’ve been sexually abused, this could affect your experience of sex in the future. In this case, the walls of the vagina tighten up and make penetration very uncomfortable.
Ways to Treat Pain During Sex
You’ve got a few options here, let’s go through them.
Start with an Appointment with Your Gynecologist
There are many potential causes for this condition. Some of these can have serious consequences. An untreated STD like Chlamydia or Gonorrhea, for example, can lead to infertility. In some instances, pain could indicate growths that might be cancerous.
Give yourself peace of mind by making your gynecologist the first stop. Your gynecologist can conduct a thorough pelvic exam to reassure you. They can also recommend different exercises that could help you to relax your vagina more.
Consider Going to Counselling
If you’ve ruled out medical causes, it might be worth attending counseling sessions. With the counselor, you can work out what the root cause of the issue is. It could be sexual abuse, or it might even be an argument that you had with your partner.
Attending counseling is one of the best ways to deal with pain during sex.
Try Using a Water-Based Lube
If you’ve always enjoyed sex before, pain during sex can be something of a mystery. If the problem isn’t due to a mental problem or physical ailment, it could be inadequate lubrication. As women get older, vaginal dryness can become an issue.
Vaginal dryness is often a result of lower estrogen production after menopause. That said, it can affect women of all ages. For more information on this condition, check out our post, “CBD Oil and Vaginal Dryness – Can CBD Really Help?”
In the meantime, consider adding a water-based lube to your routine. There are some lubes containing CBD out there. If you choose one of these, check if it’s oil- or water-based. If its oil-based, you can’t use condoms.
The oil will degrade the latex of the condom, making it more prone to break.
CBD Oil for Pain During Sex
We tend to think of cannabis as a new treatment. That’s mainly because the substance was banned for so long. In Ancient Mesopotamia, your doctor would have given you a treatment made from hemp seeds and beer.
See all CBD oil benefits here.
We tend to forget that it wasn’t until the 1800s that widespread bans on cannabis came into effect. Before that, it was considered a medicinal herb in most countries.
That’s enough history, let’s look at how CBD oil might help pain during sex:
- The anxiolytic effect of CBD could possibly be the most helpful property here. Pain during sex will make you fearful of sex again. CBD oil can soothe your nerves.
- The vasodilatory effects of CBD speed the flow of blood to the area. This, in turn, increases arousal and also lubrication of the vaginal walls.
- CBD does have an analgesic effect. This could be effective in combatting pain. Getting the timing right, though, could be problematic.
- CBD oil has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. If your pain is as a result of infection, this could be helpful. That said, it’s best to ask your gynecologist for treatment options. STDs need a definitive treatment protocol.
- If the pain is due to irritation, CBD oil’s anti-inflammatory action could prove useful.
CBD for Mental Wellness
Research shows that CBD oil is a highly effective calming agent. If you’re anxious about experiencing pain during sex, take CBD oil about an hour or so before you’re ready to get started.
Some studies have also tested the effectiveness of CBD as an anti-depressant. Most studies have concentrated on animal rather than human testing. Tests did show that CBD exhibited anti-depressant properties in rats.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the same anti-depressant effects have been seen in some humans.
For now, we’re cautiously optimistic about the anti-depressant effects of the oil. If you’re already on medication for depression, talk to your doctor about CBD instead. Don’t just stop taking your medication.
The withdrawal symptoms of some anti-depressants can be quite severe. It’s far better to taper off your dosage over a period of a few months.
CBD taken orally is best here. Topical applications may work as well, but it’s hard to establish the right dosage with a cream.
Could a Vasodilator Help?
CBD is proven to have vasodilatory effects. If applied topically inside the vagina, CBD oil will cause the vessels in the walls to expand, allowing blood flow to increase. This increases the amount of oxygenated blood flowing into the area.
In theory, at least, this could have the effect of increasing lubrication. We’re on the fence here, but we’d be willing to give it a try.
Would this be our go-to solution? Probably not. Inserting a vaginal suppository is messy, and it’s hard to get the timing right. Some users report the effect only being felt four hours after insertion. Others say that it’s a lot faster than waiting for the oil to work its way through the digestive tract.
Pain Relief
CBD is an effective analgesic. We’ve seen this for ourselves. We’ve often rubbed some CBD cream into tight muscles after a strenuous workout. So, yes, we can confirm from experience that it soothes and relaxes sore muscles.
Using a vaginal suppository would be a convenient way to deliver the oil. Again, though, you’d have to experiment to get the timing right.
Please don’t jump to this step if you haven’t seen your gynecologist. There could be a medical reason why the pain is present. By continuing to have sex regardless, you could do more harm then good.
Anti-Fungal and Anti-Microbial Properties
This study confirmed that cannabis has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. CBD oil is promising for treating thrush and infections. That said, it shouldn’t be your first treatment option. It’s always a good idea to confirm what infection you have before treating it.
What if you think its thrush, and it turns out to be a bacterial infection? Do yourself a favor and get medical advice.
If you’re positive that you have thrush, it could be helpful to use a vaginal suppository. We do need to caution that there’s not a lot of scientific evidence specifically dealing with CBD oil here. Most of the current research is based on the use of whole cannabis.
There might be compounds present in the whole plant that is responsible for its anti-fungal action. Still, it’s worth trying.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
This study focused on the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD oil. It proved that CBD oil does have strong anti-inflammatory properties. It might, therefore, be useful to use CBD oil to heal minor irritation in the vaginal cavity.
You’d have to apply it topically, so a suppository would be a good option. CBD taken orally will also help to reduce inflammation. The effects, however, will be throughout the whole body.
What’s the Verdict?
Can CBD oil help with pain during sex? Considering that it’s helpful with disorders like anxiety and depression, is anti-inflammatory, and could possibly boost lubrication, we’d say, “Yes.”
That is, naturally, depending on what’s causing the pain in the first place. Once you’ve ruled out medical conditions that could contribute to your symptoms, it could be worth trying.
We just have a couple of caveats here. If you’re taking anti-depressants or tranquilizers, it’s crucial to find out what the drug interactions are first. CBD oil makes you sleepy. Taking it in conjunction with tranquilizers amplifies this effect.
Quitting your anti-depressant medication sharply could lead to a painful withdrawal. In some cases, it could even lead to suicidal thoughts. Don’t think about quitting it alone. Speak to your doctor about reducing your dosage safely first.
FAQs About CBD Oil for Pain
Question: Can CBD oil help to ease pain during sex?
Answer: CBD oil can help you ease pain during intercourse because of its anxiolytic effect. Pain during sex will make you fearful of sex again. CBD oil can soothe your nerves.
Question:What are the common symptoms of pain during sex?
Answer: You should be concerned if you experience pain when your partner is thrusting, pain when anything is inserted into the vagina when your experience aches or burning sensation after intercourse or throbbing aches that stick around for hours.
Question: What is the cause of pain during sex?
Answer: Insufficient lubrication, Irritation or trauma, skin disorder, and congenital defects are just some of the common causes of pain during intercourse.
Question: Can your emotions makes you experience pain during sex?
Answer: Yes. some of the most common cause of emotional related pains are mental health issues, stress or anxiety, and having experienced a sexual abuse.
Question: Can CBD oil be used as a pain relief?
Answer: CBD is an effective analgesic. Base on the experience of most people, it soothes and relaxes sore muscles.
Question: Are there studies showing that CBD oil has anti-inflammatory effects?
Answer: Yes. One study focused on the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD oil. It proved that CBD oil does have strong anti-inflammatory properties. It might, therefore, be useful to use CBD oil to heal minor irritation in the vaginal cavity.
