Few women feel comfortable discussing painful intercourse, much less deep penetration pain. However, many women experience pain that lasts after initial entry. Some women report that, “It feels like my partner is hitting something.” Other women experience a broader ache in their pelvis.

So what can cause this type of pain? Below are three common culprits:

Tailbone: A fall onto the tailbone can cause it to be pushed forward or to the side. If the ligaments and tissues attached to the tailbone are also injured, the tailbone can heal in this position. Women with this condition experience painful intercourse, pain with bowel movements, and difficulty sitting for long periods.

Cervix: The cervix is held in its midline position by ligaments that attach to tall sides. If infection, inflammation, surgery, or trauma occurs in the vagina, adhesions can form and pull the cervix out of alignment. Adhesions can also tighten the cervix, causing significant pain when impacted by deep penetration.

IUD: An IUD is designed to prevent pregnancy by causing inflammation in the uterus. If the uterus is inflamed, a woman may experience pain during intercourse. Inflammation also causes adhesions to form in the uterus and cervix. Even if the IUD has been removed, a woman can still experience pain during intercourse due to these adhesions.

Our therapists, trained to reduce adhesions, have had great success treating intercourse pain. In our latest study, 96% of patients experienced a decrease in intercourse pain. To read more about our treatment for sexual dysfunction and painful intercourse, please visit our site.