Quick Answer
Pain during sex happens due to muscle tension, dryness, hormonal fluctuations, emotional stress, or pelvic floor dysfunction. All of these are fixable with the right approach.
At Proactive For Her, 7 out of 10 women with painful intercourse recover fully when both body and mind are treated together. Our women-led clinicians, gynaecologists, sex therapists, physiotherapists use gentle, trauma-informed methods to identify the cause without invasive exams. The path to pain-free intimacy starts with understanding your body, not blaming it.
Introduction
Painful sex (dyspareunia) is common but never normal. It’s your body signalling that something needs attention, physical, hormonal, or emotional.
Many women in India silently endure pain because:
- “It’s supposed to hurt at first.”
- “I just need to relax.”
- “Maybe it’ll get better after marriage / childbirth.”
But untreated pain often spirals into fear, tightness, and avoidance. Our vaginismus and sexual pain specialists have helped 750+ women reclaim comfort and pleasure with science-backed, shame-free care. You deserve intimacy that feels safe and enjoyable and it’s possible.
Common Causes of Pain During Sex
Pain during sex isn’t random and rarely comes from a single reason. The most common causes include vaginal dryness, low estrogen, pelvic floor tightness, vaginismus, infections, lack of arousal, emotional overload, and postpartum changes. Many women experience a combination, for example, anxiety + dryness + muscle tension.
To diagnose accurately, we take an integrated approach that blends hormonal testing, pelvic floor assessment, and emotional and sexual history mapping.
Hormonal Imbalances and Vaginal Dryness
Low estrogen is one of the most frequent causes of pain. It can occur due to birth control pills, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, perimenopause, or stress-driven hormonal dips. Women often describe it as sudden dryness, friction, or scratchiness that worsens with penetration.
Our gynecologists support recovery through water-based lubricants, vaginal moisturizers, local estrogen therapy (if medically needed), and hydration + nutrition adjustments.
Psychological Factors, When the Mind Guards the Body
Your pelvic floor reacts instantly to emotions. Anxiety, guilt, performance pressure, or fear can activate the body’s protective reflex, making penetration painful. Women in our Vaginismus Program often describe feeling tense even before intimacy begins.
This isn’t mental weakness, it’s the nervous system protecting you from perceived threat. Therapy rewires this response by rebuilding safety, reducing anticipatory fear, practising sensuality instead of performance, and unlearning shame-based conditioning.
Pelvic Floor Tension and Physical Conditions
An overactive pelvic floor can create:
- Sharp pain
- Burning at the entrance
- Difficulty inserting
- A “hitting a wall” sensation
Chronic muscle tension, vaginismus, past infections, childbirth injuries, or long-term stress can all contribute. Physiotherapy at Proactive For Her has helped many women recover comfort and ease intimacy through:
- Pelvic relaxation
- Manual release (external)
- Dilator training
- Breathwork for muscle release
You don’t need surgery, you need guided relaxation and rebuilding comfort.
Body Awareness and Communication
Pain often decreases as women understand what feels good, which positions work for their body, how much depth feels comfortable, and when to pause or slow down. Communication creates safety and reduces tension, leading to better arousal and a more relaxed pelvic floor.
Our therapists teach:
• Consent language
• Communicating needs without discomfort
• Comfort-led intimacy skills
• Supportive partner involvement
Practical Solutions to Reduce Pain
Simple changes can reduce discomfort while underlying causes are treated.
For example:
• Use water-based or silicone-based lubricant to reduce friction
• Practise deep breathing to relax pelvic muscles
• Focus on longer foreplay for better lubrication and relaxation
• Choose positions with depth control (woman-on-top, spooning, or cushions for support)
• Apply warm compresses before intimacy
• Never push through pain, pause and reset
Women who combine lubrication, breathwork, pacing, relaxation, and communication often recover fastest.
When to Seek Professional Help
If sex hurts more than twice, it's time to consult a specialist. Women who reach out within six months of symptom onset recover twice as fast as those who wait years.
Choose care if you notice:
- Burning during entry
- Deep pelvic pain
- Tightness that repeats
- Pain with tampons or exams
- Fear or anxiety increasing
- Orgasms feeling impossible due to tension
You’ll never be rushed or judged at Proactive For Her, your comfort guides everything.
Why Choose Proactive For Her
Proactive For Her is India’s first women-led sexual health clinic offering integrated treatment for painful sex, vaginismus, low libido, pelvic floor tension, and hormonal sexual dysfunction.
What sets us apart
• 750+ women healed from sexual pain
• Multidisciplinary care from OB-GYNs, physiotherapists, and sex therapists
• Only women clinicians
• Trauma-informed, gentle approach
• Zero internal exams unless medically necessary
• Private, confidential, stigma-free care
Proactive For Her is India’s first women-led sexual health clinic offering integrated treatment.
If sex feels painful or uncomfortable, you don’t have to push through it- book a confidential gynecology consultation at Proactive For Her and get clarity, care, and a plan that prioritizes your comfort.
FAQs
1. Why does sex hurt even with lubrication?
A: It may be due to pelvic floor tightening, low estrogen, or early vaginismus- lubrication helps but doesn’t treat the root cause.
2. Can anxiety alone make sex painful?
A: Yes. Anxiety activates the body’s guarding reflex, causing involuntary tightening.
3. Which positions reduce pain?
A: Positions where you control depth and pace, woman-on-top, spooning, cushions under hips.
4. Can this be cured without surgery?
A: Absolutely. Most cases resolve with physiotherapy, lubrication, and therapy, no surgical treatment needed.
5. When should I see a doctor?
A: If sex hurts repeatedly, even mildly, or if tightness or burning becomes consistent.
6. Is painful sex permanent?
A: No. With the right support, most women recover fully, often within weeks.