Let’s talk about sex.
I know it’s “taboo” according to society (which is ridiculous), but I don’t care.
This is SUCH an important topic…
And something I see stopping too many women from embracing their sexuality and divine femininity.
Sex is an essential part of life, and when things are not going right in the bedroom, it can create a heap of stress, anxiety, and strain for even the strongest of relationships.
I know this first hand…
…After the birth of my daughter, I had pelvic pain that kept me from sitting, moving and having sex with my husband. Every time I looked at my daughter I wondered what was going to happen to my life. As I held this baby, I felt hopeless, trapped and confused.
… The doctors kept telling me my “pain” was normal and to keep on doing kegels. So I did what the doctor told me and ended up in more pain. I didn’t know it but
I was suffering from “Kegel Tension Syndrome.” That’s when you start to work out an overly uptight vagina when in reality your vaginal muscles are waving the white flag saying “I need to relax.”
In those days I didn’t know enough to help myself. It’s not like now. There weren’t any Facebook groups, social media and all these different outlets that we have now, which I believe are essential for community and for dispelling bad health information. Gosh, there wasn’t even a community like the one I have here with you guys. So I was truly lost.
…Let’s take a look at my client Loretta. Every time she had sex with her husband, she felt like she had a UTI and had this incredible feeling to go to bathroom right in the middle of lovemaking. We discovered that Loretta had a prolapsed bladder and the positions she was having sex in were causing her bladder to go into a tizzy. We modified her sexual positions, and the bladder burning went away.
The last thing any of us need is an exacerbation of our current pain or worse, a flare-up that makes us swear off intimacy forever. Click here to get my Sexual Position Pain Reliever Checklist. It’s not what you think.
Sex is a physical act that can sometimes cause an exacerbation of pre-existing injury and contribute to more bladder pain, vaginal pain, and urgency. Many of my patients and clients have blown out their backs in the throes of passion or worse still had so much pain afterward they couldn’t even sit.
… Others tell me sex doesn’t feel right and they are always changing positions to avoid discomfort.
… Others say that their hips and backs hurt and certain positions just don’t feel right.
How can we continue to have a thriving sex life as we age and how do we deal with our medical conditions during sexual activity? I have treated thousands of women and men with pelvic floor conditions and discuss sex with them at great length.
I was featured in Prevention Magazine on the topic of sex at any age, and I enjoyed giving the interview. The questions that Hallie Levine asked me gave me food for thought, and I decided to write this blog and shed additional light what causes pain during sex.
Certain sexual positions work, and others don’t, and many of us are not aware that sexual position we choose is probably one of the drivers of our pain. It’s plain and simple. It’s a biomechanical issue, and we must follow certain principles if we are going to prevent or limit pain during our lovemaking sessions. Our bodies crave correct alignment even when it comes to sex. We must be in the most optimal position for bones, muscles, fascia and enjoyment. For instance, if you have a lumbar herniated disc it’s not a good idea to have sex on your back. Instead, you should choose a position where your lumbar spine is neutral or slightly extended. I go into great detail in my chart so check it out.
I selected the top orthopedic and pelvic conditions I frequently see at my healing center and created a cheat sheet for to use. When in pain modify your sexual positions so you don’t give yourself any extra pain or a flare-up. Remember that pain during sex is your body’s way of communicating with you that something is wrong and needs to change. Don’t ever ignore your pain signals and always get them checked out by health professionals.
7 Ways Pain Is Sometimes Misdiagnosed (from US News & World Report)