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Have you recently had a sexual experience that left you wallowing in excruciating pain afterwards?
While sex can be a satisfying and intimate activity between two consenting adults, it’s not unusual to face some hiccups during and after the act.
These periods of injury can be so severe, you end up browsing the Internet for potential reasons of the pain’s origins.
Sound familiar?
Whether you’re facing a case of cramping after sex, stomach pain, or lower abdominal pain, it’s advisable to know the origins of these aches to catch an underlying health condition before it starts to worsen.
Here are six common causes of pain in men after engaging in sexual intercourse.
1. Muscle Strain
If you held a challenging position during sexual intercourse, the body part that felt the brunt of the pressure during the act may start to feel sore.
This pain is similar to when a man over-exerts himself during exercise. When your body is contorted in an awkward position, you may accidentally pull and overstretch a muscle.
Muscle strains can happen in various parts of the body. Some of the most common areas where men can feel this soreness include:
- Lower back
- Neck
- Shoulder
- Hamstring
A strained muscle is considered to be the most common form of injury men can face after sex. Fortunately, it’s also the most treatable and most likely to dissipate without treatment. To initiate the recovery process, you can wait a few minutes for the pain to subside.
If the pain still persists after a few hours, you may use a cold or heated compress as well as anti-inflammatory medications to deal with the pain.
2. Prostatitis
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland that can cause pain during urination, ejaculation, and/or sexual intercourse.
The prostate gland is a small bean-shaped gland below the pelvis, right between the penis and the bladder. It’s responsible for seminal production and transport.
Prostatitis, like sexual stamina, commonly hits men as they age, affecting men in their 30s to 50s. According to one study involving 10,617 men, about 873 of them had met various criteria for prostatitis, or about 8.2% of the study’s participants.
There are two primary types of prostatitis:
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis: This type of prostatitis develops due to a bacterial infection. Symptoms are slow-growing but ejaculatory and urinary pain are symptoms that may occur.
- Acute bacterial prostatitis: Bacteria recently entered the urinary tract, causing a range of urinary tract symptoms, such as dysuria, urinary frequency, and urinary retention. Patients would need immediate medical treatment.
While most cases of bacterial prostatitis can be treated with antibiotics, it can take up to four weeks to resume regular sexual activity.
Some forms of prostatitis may also be asymptomatic, so if you want to get evaluated, reach out to a doctor to determine your health status.
3. Peyronie’s Disease
Peyronie’s disease is a condition affecting 1 in 200 adult males that causes the development of scar tissue inside the penis. This scar tissue can make the penis severely bend or curve during an erection. Peyronie’s disease can also cause pain during intercourse because the scar tissue may prevent the penis from stretching as it normally would during an erection.
Some forms of Peyronie’s disease can happen with or without an erection. Aside from penile curvature and pain, common symptoms of this disease include:
- Penile shortening
- Penile deformity
- Erectile dysfunction
Fortunately, there are Peyronie’s disease exercises designed to relieve men with this condition. Regardless, it’s important to see a local ED physician quickly to restore your erectile function.
4. Urinary Tract Infection
If you feel a burning sensation following sexual intercourse, you may have a UTI. Urinary tract infections are pain that occurs when bacteria travel up the urethra and into your bladder. The bacteria can further reach your kidneys and the tubes connecting these lower abdominal organs.
Men can suffer from various forms of UTIs. This includes:
- Cystitis: This UTI is an inflammation of the bladder.
- Urethritis: This UTI refers to an inflammation of the urethra.
- Pyelonephritis: This UTI is a kidney infection; it needs immediate medical treatment.
Fortunately, there are medications available to treat some milder forms of UTI. These medications can clear the disease in a few days to a week.
However, if the bacteria has traveled to the upper pelvic region, it may take longer to treat the upper pelvic pain. Pain medications and an antibiotic are usually prescribed to treat lower abdomen pain and UTIs.
5. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)
If you had unprotected sex in the past, you run the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection, or an STI.
These infections get transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids, which is common during sex. Vaginal sex, anal sex, and oral sex with an infected person can put you at risk of catching an infection yourself. In some rare cases, skin contact may also spread an STI.
There are several types of sexually transmitted infections. Some of the most common ones include:
- Chlamydia: Chlamydia can cause severe pain during sex, stomach pain, and lower abdominal pain.
- Gonorrhea: Pain can be felt during urination and discharge.
- Trichomoniasis: This STI causes a burning sensation and pain during urination and sex.
- Genital herpes: Symptoms may appear months or years after the initial infection. This infection causes painful blisters around the penis.
Living with sexually-transmitted infections can be difficult. Contact a doctor to help you manage your disease.
6. Bowel Conditions
Problems in the digestive system can lead to cramping during and after sex. Pain medication can usually relieve symptoms of constipation and nausea, but underlying health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may need more specialized treatment.
Contact Orlando’s Top Male Health Clinic for a Medical Consultation
In most cases, pain after sexual intercourse is nothing to worry about and will resolve on its own; however, if the pain persists, it could be a sign of a more serious condition.
If you’re experiencing persistent pain after sex, it’s important to see a doctor so they can rule out any underlying conditions.
Need medical assistance? Contact a doctor to book a consultation and get a personalized treatment plan.
Working with experienced medical professionals like those at Orlando male clinic Premier Men’s Medical Center for a proper clinical evaluation leads to better outcomes for men with ED, PE, Low-T, and other sexual concerns. Give our team a call today to schedule your appointment.
