Aug 13, 2026 · 24 min
Painful sex signals a treatable health issue
If sex is painful, you have options
Persistent pain during sex can reflect medical or pelvic-floor problems, but shame and misinformation often delay care.
- 1Pain during or after sex is common but should not be dismissed, especially when it persists, worsens, or brings other symptoms.
- 2Causes range from hormonal changes and dryness to infections, endometriosis, trauma, and pelvic floor tension.
- 3Care may include diagnosis, treatment for underlying conditions, pelvic floor physical therapy, communication, and gentle relaxation exercises.
Don't miss
Janelle Frederick walks through what pelvic floor physical therapy actually involves, from the intake questions to examination, home tools, and realistic timelines.
The brief
Pain during sex is common around menopause and after childbirth, but the episode argues that common does not mean normal—and shame can keep people from seeking help.
Janelle Frederick, a pelvic floor physical therapist, explains how to raise the subject with a partner outside the bedroom without sharing more than feels comfortable.
The discussion names dyspareunia and traces it to varied causes, including dryness, hormonal changes, vaginismus, vulvodynia, infections, endometriosis, fibroids, trauma, and pelvic tension.
New, worsening, bleeding-associated, or otherwise concerning pain warrants medical evaluation; treatment depends on the cause and may include medication, therapy, or pelvic floor physical therapy.
Frederick describes pelvic floor therapy’s intake and examination, possible home tools such as dilators, and stretches like child’s pose and happy baby paired with deep breathing.
The episode’s practical message is direct: listen to the body, communicate with partners and clinicians, and treat pain-free sex as a legitimate health goal.
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