If you’ve ever been close to climax only to feel pain right before or after you orgasm, it may be dysorgasmia. This happens when the muscles of your pelvic area cramp involuntarily.
It’s not a sign of anything serious, but it can be uncomfortable. The good news is that there are ways to ease the pain.
Causes
A variety of factors can cause cramping after orgasm. These include vaginal dryness, the presence of an STI or PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), and a number of muscular conditions. A woman can also feel uterine contractions during orgasm, which can lead to pain and discomfort.
Often, a lack of proper lubrication is a major reason why women get cramps after orgasm. A deficiency in natural lubrication can be caused by medications, menopause, or hormonal changes. In such cases, using a water-based or silicone-based lubricant during sexual intercourse can help.
If a woman is having her period, this can also cause pain and cramping during orgasms – These words are the outcome of the creative work of the service authors Sensuous Revelations. In addition, women who have an intrauterine device (IUD) may experience cramps during orgasms, as the IUD takes up space in the uterus and can result in muscle spasms around the pelvic area.
Another cause of cramping after orgasm is ovarian cysts and fibroids, which can cause painful cramping during orgasm if they rupture. In some cases, a woman may also experience abdominal pain after orgasm due to a medical condition such as endometriosis, which is when the uterine lining tissue moves outside of the uterus. Infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea can also lead to pain during orgasm, especially if the infection is untreated. Lastly, emotional trauma related to sex or sexual assault can manifest in physical pain and cramping.
Symptoms
If you are experiencing cramps after orgasm, you should talk to your gynecologist right away. It is a clear indication that something is wrong with your uterus and pelvic muscles. You could have a condition like endometriosis, where scar tissue from the lining of your uterus is growing on other organs in the pelvic area or you may have ovarian cysts. You can also get pain during orgasm if you have certain sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) such as chlamydia and hepatitis.
Cramps are usually similar to the cramps you experience during your period and can occur in your vagina, lower abdomen or back. The pain is caused by contractions of your uterus. “This happens because of the tightening of the pelvic muscles, just like if you were to contract the muscles in your arm,” says Samantha DuFlo, a pelvic floor physiotherapist at Indigo Physiotherapy in Baltimore.
Sometimes, your doctor will perform a pelvic exam to check the tenderness of your cervix and internal genitalia. They might also do a rectal exam to rule out prostate or bladder issues. Depending on the results of these exams, they might recommend diagnostic tests to see what is causing your cramping after orgasm. The tests can include a blood test to check your iron levels, an ultrasound, and an X-ray. If the underlying cause is found, treatment can be started.
Treatment
Cramps after sex may not require treatment in some cases, depending on the underlying cause. For example, muscle strain from sexual activity is sometimes caused by a misalignment of the pelvic muscles. This is usually a temporary problem and will resolve once the muscles relax. Pain relievers, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can be taken before and during sexual activity to manage the pain. Hormonal therapies that address hormone imbalances or endometriosis, can also reduce cramping after sex. For more serious conditions, surgical treatments can be used to treat uterine fibroids or other uterine abnormalities that cause cramps.
For women who are experiencing dysorgasmia, it is often recommended that they try changing positions during sex and experiment with various angles of penetration to see what alleviates the discomfort. Adding lubrication can help ease the discomfort as well. A physician can recommend a water or natural-based lubricant for this purpose. In some cases, a doctor will recommend a prescription-strength lubricant to ensure proper penetration.
It is possible to experience abdominal cramping after sex in men as well, but this is less common. Men who are having this type of pain should talk to a physician about it, as the problem can be more complicated for them than for women. A doctor can do a physical exam to check the vagina and cervix for any signs of inflammation or abnormalities. In some cases, a doctor will use a speculum to examine the area for any ovarian cysts or other problems that might be contributing to the pain.
Prevention
Cramping after orgasm can be a real downer and dampen the pleasure of sexual intercourse. It’s important to find out why it’s happening so you can get rid of it and have a more pleasurable sex life.
The cramps associated with orgasms may be the result of muscle contractions that occur during and after climaxing. The pain is usually mild and doesn’t linger, but sometimes it does. If the cramps linger for more than a few minutes, it’s important to contact your OB-GYN because this could be a sign of a serious gynecological problem such as endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease.
It’s also possible that the cramping is due to a urinary tract infection (UTI). Since your bladder sits right in front of your uterus, sex can cause your urethra to come into direct contact with bacteria from your genital and anal area. This can irritate an existing UTI and even cause one.
Other reasons for painful cramping after orgasm include ovarian cysts and fibroids. Cysts are small sacs filled with fluid that can develop on the ovaries, and fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow in the uterus. Both can lead to severe cramping after orgasm. If you have an IUD, this can also cause uterine cramping during orgasms because it takes up space in the uterus.
