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You may have learned in sex ed and conversations that some pain may accompany the loss of your virginity, but what if that pain persists after the fact? How can women know if pain after losing virginity is normal?
Many factors go into the degree of pain you may experience when you have sex the first or third time, such as foreplay, lubrication or extra hymen tissue. Here’s the reassuring and not-so-reassuring news: All kinds of seemingly out-of-the-ordinary things will happen down there as you age.
Where there are questions, there is a plethora of answers. Here’s how to figure out which symptoms after virginity loss are normal and which ones may be worth looking into more.
First, let’s debunk a persistent myth — “The first time is always painful.” No. Pain during the loss of virginity doesn’t have to happen. Not everyone feels pain while having sex, and that mainly comes down to making the experience mutually satisfying, but also other natural factors that can be outside of your control.
The first time doesn’t have to be painful, and neither do the times you have sex afterward. Even if the first time is not super comfortable, don’t jump to internalize a negative experience or think sex equals “pain” or “bad.” Do some research into how you can both make it more comfortable for you next time. It’s always best to be with someone who is gentle, patient and cares about how you feel.
Some women experience pelvic pain and stomach cramps after losing their virginity, and this may continue the first few times they have sex. They increasingly worry when that pain persists, and understandably so.
However, pain after losing virginity happens to many women, so you’re not facing this worry alone. In fact, there’s a variety of changes in the female body after losing virginity that can occur. In women, a few common symptoms after losing virginity include firmer breasts, more sensitive nipples and delayed periods.
Your first period after losing your virginity may be lighter, heavier or late, and your periods after losing your virginity may also be irregular for a bit, depending on your body. A missed period after losing virginity should still be looked into though with a doctor, as it could signal pregnancy. Some unusual discharge after losing your virginity is also one of the many normal symptoms after losing your virginity, although that is also worth looking into with a doctor if it persists.
Often, pain after losing your virginity is temporary and goes away in a few days. You may have more hymen tissue than other women, or you may be experiencing ovulation or period pain that coincidentally occurred around the same window of your first time. Interestingly, sex can help soothe period pain, but more on that later. Here are seven reasons you may experience pain after losing your virginity.
Your partner may have felt resistance due to the tissue inside the vagina called the hymen. In sex ed, you probably learned the hymen would tear and cause a little bleeding during your first time, but here’s what you don’t know: Hymen tissue ranges from thin to thick, and some women don’t have a hymen at all.
The assumption that a woman’s vagina will be tight just because she is a virgin is false. But tightness may signal tension in your body — your body tells itself it’s not ready. So, you need to loosen up more emotionally and physically, which is where foreplay comes in. Also, you should know that women’s vaginal grip differs and has nothing to do with how many partners they’ve had.
The vaginal canal does open after birth and due to hormonal changes. Pain after losing virginity or during intercourse may also occur due to an awkward position — some positions aren’t realistic. Your type of vaginal opening may also give you an idea of what sex positions may work best for you, such as more tightly closed lips signaling a position where you have more control, like cowgirl.
OK, you loving-it-up couple. You may have rushed into the whole this-part-connects-to-that-part business of intercourse, and you may simply need more lubrication. While medication can interfere with your natural lubrication, you can encourage natural lubrication through foreplay, such as sensual touch and massage.
The joy of being a woman means deciphering what the heck your body is trying to tell you. Pain after losing virginity may also accompany other symptoms that signal irritation, yeast issues, cysts or an STI.
Feel pain and itch? You may have a yeast infection or irritation from sex, bath products or douching. Peeing after sex won’t prevent pregnancy, but it may help prevent a yeast infection. Your vagina naturally cleans itself, so you don’t need to douche.
Did you have protected sex with a condom? Did your partner recently get tested? Symptoms of most sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur a few days to a few months after sex, but 70 percent of women don’t have symptoms. It depends on the STI, but if you notice unusual discharge, smell, sores or irritation, make an appointment for STI testing to be safe, since many infections are treatable.
What you may think is a weird bump resulting from an STI may turn out to be a cyst, and cysts can also occur on your ovaries. It’s better to know!
Do you feel a rawness, throbbing or burning? You may have vulvodynia, or vulvar pain, and experience irritation, dryness and itching with the condition, too.
Researchers are still working to uncover the cause of vulvar pain, but suspect it may derive from nerve injury, hormonal changes, frequent use of antibiotics or chemical allergies. You may also have vulvodynia if you have a high sensitivity to antibiotic use, abnormal response to vulvar trauma or genetic factors that affect the vulva’s response to chronic inflammation. Researchers estimate up to 6 million women have vulvodynia. You will also feel the symptoms outside of intercourse, including inserting a tampon, sitting, walking or biking.
Is it normal to feel sick after losing your virginity? Many women do experience pain during ovulation and menstruation, so you should keep this in mind if you’re experiencing stomach pain after losing virginity.
Do you feel pain on one side, signaling your egg dropping from your Fallopian tube into your uterus? Do you feel cramps like the ones you usually get during your menses? Period cramps start a day or two into menstruation, lasting 12 to 72 hours.
If you want to prevent pregnancy, you may have gotten an IUD, which will last three to ten years, depending on the type you chose. You may also experience stomach pain after losing virginity due to issues with your IUD. So, if you have pain during sex and afterward, call your health care provider immediately. Other signs and symptoms of a problem with your IUD include fever, chills, strange discharge or odor from your vagina, or you feel the IUD at your cervix.
Many women mistakenly believe that pain during intercourse indicates their partner has somehow penetrated their cervix. The cervix, the tough muscular opening to the uterus can let a baby pass through, but it’s strictly a one-way street. Even the smallest dildos will not penetrate the cervix, so you can rest assured that your partner hasn’t really ripped through and punctured your uterus or any other internal organ!
Women do feel pressure on their cervix, and this can prove painful. Typically, a woman’s vagina expands during intercourse to prevent their partner from striking this sensitive area. However, smaller women with well-endowed partners may find certain positions, such as “doggie style,” painful. Experiment with different positions to find those that are mutually enjoyable and pain-free.
The cervix contains mucus, which changes in consistency throughout the menstrual cycle. Women practicing the rhythm method of birth control for religious or personal reasons often can track their fertile periods through observing changes in their vaginal discharge. Normal discharge appears clear or slightly off-white with little odor, so if you experience dark yellow or discolored discharge with a foul smell, make an appointment with the gynecologist to rule out infection.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) normally occurs as a result of an untreated STD, but it also strikes women who become sexually active before age 25 for no discernible reason. PID can cause issues with fertility down the line, so seeking professional medical care if you suspect you may have the disease is paramount if you’re hoping to have children someday.
Symptoms of PID include pain in lower abdomen, fever, burning when urinating and bleeding between periods. Fortunately, PID responds well to early treatment, although women who put off visiting the doctor can develop scar tissue leading to infertility. To decrease your chances of contracting PID, get screened for STDs with a regular pap smear each year.
Vaginismus refers to an involuntary muscle spasm in the vaginal region that makes intercourse extremely painful, if not altogether impossible. Some women with severe vaginismus refrain from tampon use, as this can trigger the reaction. Some cases of vaginismus occur seemingly randomly, while others happen due to a previously painful sexual encounter.
The treatment for vaginismus parallels that of treating many phobias, with gradual exposure to the type of contact that causes fear. Sex therapists can guide women through a progression of touching that eventually leads to being able to insert a finger into the vagina without pain. Women suffering from vaginismus benefit from a waiting period while they grow comfortable with touching themselves before attempting intercourse with their partner.
Many women expect hormonal changes when they reach menopause, but even when women remain in their sexual infancy, hormonal fluctuations can make sex painful. Too much or too little estrogen can lead to a lack of vaginal lubrication, and penetration without the aid of a supplemental lubricant can create painful tears in the vaginal wall.
Reproductive hormones aren’t the only chemical substances in the body that can wreak havoc on a woman’s sex life. Many women suffer from hypothyroidism, which can likewise disrupt the balance of vaginal flora. Those suffering from adrenal disease may find increased cortisone levels decrease libido.
Normal pain after losing virginity typically goes away within a few days, and if abnormal, it will persist for longer periods and may be accompanied by additional symptoms. This list isn’t comprehensive but does include common causes. Visit your gynecologist with any of your questions or concerns, so you can stay safe and healthy. And remember to slow down and get to know your body in a way that makes you feel good.
