She Strengthens

The Surprising Reasons Why Your Stomach Hurts After Sex

Are you one of the many people who experience stomach pain after sex? You’re not alone. This common phenomenon can be caused by a range of factors, from everyday bodily responses to underlying medical conditions. In this article, we’ll explore the 17 most common reasons why your stomach hurts after sex and when you should seek medical attention.

What Causes Stomach Pain After Sex?

Pain during or after sex can be caused by various factors, including deep penetration, muscle spasms, digestive issues, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It can also be a sign of underlying conditions affecting the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, prostate, or rectum.

Should You Worry About Stomach Pain After Sex?

Most of the time, pain after sex isn’t serious and will resolve on its own. However, it can still be uncomfortable and may be a sign of an underlying condition. You should talk to your doctor if you experience chronic or severe discomfort during or after sex, accompanied by symptoms like fever, painful orgasms, unusual discharge, or urinary problems.

Common Causes of Stomach Pain After Sex

1. Deep Penetration: Deep penetration can cause cramps in your lower abdomen, anus, or vagina. Switching positions and giving your body time to relax can help alleviate the pain.

2. Stress and Anxiety: Sex can be emotionally intense, and past trauma, anxiety, or everyday stress can manifest as discomfort during and after sex. This can lead to tummy troubles like gas, nausea, or diarrhea.

3. Orgasm: Orgasms can cause muscle spasms in the pelvis and lower abdomen, leading to pain. This condition, known as dysorgasmia, may be more common in people with ovarian cysts, endometriosis, or pelvic floor dysfunction.

4. Gas and Bowel Problems: Penetration can push air into the vagina or anus, causing gas cramps and pain in the chest or abdomen. A good bowel movement or switching positions can usually relieve the symptoms.

5. Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): UTIs can cause abdominal pain and pelvic tenderness during sex, accompanied by symptoms like rectal pain, increased urination, and burning sensation during sex.

6. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause abdominal pain and pelvic tenderness during sex, accompanied by symptoms like painful urination, bleeding during sex, and abnormal discharge.

7. Muscle Strains: Sex can cause cramps or dehydration, leading to muscle strains. These usually resolve on their own, but strains can take longer to heal.

8. Interstitial Cystitis: Painful bladder syndrome, also known as interstitial cystitis, can cause pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis, accompanied by symptoms like incontinence, frequent urination, and feeling like you need to pee even when you don’t.

9. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): IBS can trigger a range of poop problems like gas, diarrhea, bloating, and cramping, making penetration painful.

Causes of Lower Stomach Pain After Sex in People with a Vagina

10. Ovarian Cysts: Ovarian cysts can cause lower abdominal pain and painful sex.

11. Tilted Uterus: A tilted uterus can make it more likely for the uterus to be poked during penetrative sex, leading to discomfort or pain.

12. Vaginismus: Vaginismus can cause involuntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, making penetration painful.

13. Fibroids: Uterine fibroids can cause pressure or pain in the pelvis during or after sex.

14. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): PID is an infection of the female reproductive organs, often set off by STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia.

15. Endometriosis: Endometriosis can cause pain in the pelvis, stomach, and lower back, which may worsen during or after penetration.

16. Blocked Fallopian Tube: A blocked fallopian tube can cause pain or tenderness on one side of the pelvis.

Causes of Stomach Pain After Sex in People with a Penis

17. Prostatitis: Prostatitis is the inflammation or swelling of the prostate gland, affecting between 10 to 15 percent of people with a prostate.

Can You Prevent Stomach Pain After Sex?

Treating post-sex pain depends on the underlying cause. It can be an easy fix if the discomfort is due to a specific habit or sex position. However, if there’s a physical or emotional cause, it might not go away on its own. Treatment options may include hormonal medications, procedures to remove cysts or fibroids, antibiotics or other medications to treat an infection, and counseling or therapy to soothe stress and reduce anxiety.

When to Contact Your Doctor

You should talk to your doctor if you experience chronic cramps or discomfort after sex, accompanied by symptoms like abnormal discharge, heavy or irregular periods, severe pain, or fever. Your doctor can review your symptoms, perform a physical examination, and run tests like laparoscopy, ultrasound, or MRI to determine the underlying cause.

The Bottom Line

Generally, pain after sex isn’t serious and tends to go away on its own. However, you should talk to your doctor if the pain is severe or chronic, or if you experience other symptoms like irregular periods, unusual discharge, pain when you ejaculate, or burning urination. By understanding the common causes of stomach pain after sex, you can take steps to prevent it and seek medical attention if needed.