Is Painful Sex During Menopause Normal?
5 Strategies to Make It More Comfortable
Lubricants and moisturizers
Treatment options
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Managing stress
Regular sexual activity
Regular sexual activity
What you can do:
Regular sexual activity, with or without a partner, may help support vaginal health. You can focus on arousal and foreplay and avoid penetration if it’s painful.
Why it helps:
Sexual arousal is important for sexual health because it helps the vagina make natural lubrication, which keeps vaginal tissue healthy. Regular activity also supports elasticity and flexibility. Desire and arousal can also be affected by hormones, blood flow, stress, and connection with your partner.
Pelvic floor physical therapy
What you can do:
Working with a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor muscles can help.
Why it helps:
Pelvic muscles can tighten in menopausal women and may become “guarded” if your body anticipates pain, which can make sex more uncomfortable. Loss of hormones can cause the tissue to atrophy and lose strength, so improving muscle function can help reduce discomfort.
Managing stress
What you can do:
You can learn breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, to help relax the pelvic floor and reduce tension. It may also help to talk to your healthcare team about stress and seek support, including mental health counseling or psychotherapy.
Why it helps:
Emotional stress can cause the pelvic floor muscles to tighten and become guarded, especially if your body tends to hold tension. Relaxing these muscles can improve mobility and make sexual activity less painful.
Lubricants and moisturizers
What you can do:
Lubricants and moisturizers may work for some people. Lubricants are applied inside the vagina and at the vaginal opening before sex. Vaginal moisturizers are used regularly, not just before sex, to help keep the skin hydrated.
Why it helps:
For less severe cases of painful sex, over-the-counter vaginal lubricants and moisturizers may ease symptoms and make sexual intimacy more comfortable. Moisturizers can provide longer-lasting relief than lubricants for vaginal dryness.
Treatment options
What you can do:
Several hormonal and nonhormonal treatment options are available to help ease painful sex. Low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy is a type of hormone therapy. It’s considered the most effective treatment for vaginal dryness and other symptoms of GSM that may contribute to painful sex.
Why it helps:
Vaginal estrogen has been shown to thicken the skin of the vulva and vagina, restore the vagina’s natural pH levels, and lower the risk of urinary tract infections.
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Transcript
Is Painful Sex During Menopause Normal?
5 Strategies to Make It More Comfortable
Lubricants and moisturizers
Treatment options
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Managing stress
Regular sexual activity
Regular sexual activity
What you can do:
Regular sexual activity, with or without a partner, may help support vaginal health. You can focus on arousal and foreplay and avoid penetration if it’s painful.
Why it helps:
Sexual arousal is important for sexual health because it helps the vagina make natural lubrication, which keeps vaginal tissue healthy. Regular activity also supports elasticity and flexibility. Desire and arousal can also be affected by hormones, blood flow, stress, and connection with your partner.
Pelvic floor physical therapy
What you can do:
Working with a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor muscles can help.
Why it helps:
Pelvic muscles can tighten in menopausal women and may become “guarded” if your body anticipates pain, which can make sex more uncomfortable. Loss of hormones can cause the tissue to atrophy and lose strength, so improving muscle function can help reduce discomfort.
Managing stress
What you can do:
You can learn breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, to help relax the pelvic floor and reduce tension. It may also help to talk to your healthcare team about stress and seek support, including mental health counseling or psychotherapy.
Why it helps:
Emotional stress can cause the pelvic floor muscles to tighten and become guarded, especially if your body tends to hold tension. Relaxing these muscles can improve mobility and make sexual activity less painful.
Lubricants and moisturizers
What you can do:
Lubricants and moisturizers may work for some people. Lubricants are applied inside the vagina and at the vaginal opening before sex. Vaginal moisturizers are used regularly, not just before sex, to help keep the skin hydrated.
Why it helps:
For less severe cases of painful sex, over-the-counter vaginal lubricants and moisturizers may ease symptoms and make sexual intimacy more comfortable. Moisturizers can provide longer-lasting relief than lubricants for vaginal dryness.
Treatment options
What you can do:
Several hormonal and nonhormonal treatment options are available to help ease painful sex. Low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy is a type of hormone therapy. It’s considered the most effective treatment for vaginal dryness and other symptoms of GSM that may contribute to painful sex.
Why it helps:
Vaginal estrogen has been shown to thicken the skin of the vulva and vagina, restore the vagina’s natural pH levels, and lower the risk of urinary tract infections.