Sex is important in a relationship, but you may try to avoid it if you feel pain during or after the act. A painful sexual intercourse would keep a woman from engaging in any type of vaginal sexual activity again, and this could affect a relationship in a negative way. So many things go into making sexual intercourse painful. The pain could be in the clitoris, vagina, or labia. It is natural to feel concerned when you have cramps after intercourse. Let's find out more about the issue.

What Causes Cramps after Sex?

In most cases, you do not need to worry about having a cramping sensation after sex, but there are situations when you should see your doctor. Here are some common causes of feeling some discomfort after sex.

1. You Are Not Sexually Aroused

You are likely to feel pain or cramps during and even after a sexual intercourse when you proceed with vaginal penetration even when you are not fully aroused. When you are not sexually aroused, your vagina is likely to be dry. In the absence of enough lubrication, you are going to feel irritated due to penetration. It can cause pain during and after sex. If that is the cause of your pain, you may communicate better with your partner and consider using some lubrication or spend more time in foreplay to have enough lubrication for easy penetration.

2. You Have an Orgasm

Sometimes, you enjoy your sex session so much that you end with a strong orgasm. It is possible to feel bad cramps in your lower abdomen when you climax, and this orgasmic pain may continue even after you are done with the act.

3. You Have Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

You may experience cramps after sex when you are suffering from pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Usually caused by a sexually transmitted disease called Chlamydia, PID leads to the inflammation of the fallopian tubes and uterus. This can cause pain during and sometimes after sex.

4. You Have Endometriosis

Once the ovulation occurs, the uterine lining becomes thick and prepares the uterus to accommodate the fertilized egg. The lining is shed in case no fertilization takes place. This is when you have your menstrual period. You develop endometriosis when the tissue of the uterine lining overgrows and irritates other organs in the body. If this happens, you will experience problems like painful sex, pelvic pain, and painful periods.

7. You Have Vaginismus

It refers to the tightening of the vaginal muscles whenever your partner tries to enter you. If you have this condition, penetrative sex would become extremely difficult. It could cause several relationship problems. Some common symptoms include loss of sexual desire, fear of having penetrative sex, and stinging pain when your partner tries to penetrate into your vagina.

8. You Have Cysts or Fibroids

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that develop on the uterus. These are quite common and usually harmless. Cysts usually develop on the ovaries. Sometimes, both cysts and fibroids cause severe pain, especially after sex. Fibroids can lead to heavy bleeding during your menstrual periods and may even cause bleeding in between periods. Sometimes, you experience cramps after sex because a cyst ruptures during the act. Talk to your doctor to find out what you can do about this situation.

9. You Are Pregnant

Cramping is one of many early pregnancy signs. This is especially true if you experience pain after an orgasm. That is mainly because orgasms cause uterine contractions that often feel like menstrual cramps. The pain in this case can be mild or severe.

10. You Have Bladder Infection

Also referred to as urinary tract infection (UTI) or cystitis, a bladder infection can infect any part of your urinary tract. Women are at a great risk of developing urinary tract infections because of a shorter urethra. In later stages, urinary tract infections can cause burning sensation when urinating, blood urine, and cramps after sex.

11. You Have Uterine Prolapse

You may experience uterine prolapse when the pelvic muscles become too weak to support the uterus. The problem is more common in aged women, which is mainly due to a reduction in estrogen levels. You may also be at an increased risk of having uterine prolapse if you have had multiple vaginal deliveries. Some common symptoms include heavy feeling in the pelvis, vaginal discharge, and pain after sex. You should seek medical treatment if the prolapse is severe.

12. You Have Vaginal Yeast Infection

Candida fungus is responsible for causing vaginal yeast infection. It naturally occurs in the vagina but its overgrowth can lead to problems. Some common symptoms associated with vaginal yeast infection are itching, vaginal discomfort, and severe pain after sex. You may develop these infections when your immune system is not functioning properly due to hormonal imbalance, stress, antibiotic use, or bad eating habits. Talk to your doctor to find a treatment option. 

13. You Have Gonorrhea Infection

Gonorrhea is a bacterium that can infect moist and warm areas such as vagina, throat, anus, and women's reproductive tract. It can transfer from one person to another through sexual intercourse. If you have unprotected sex with someone who is infected with gonorrhea, you may also contract the infection. It is not easy to identify a gonorrhea infection because sometimes you do not have any symptoms and on other occasions, the symptoms are confused with vaginal yeast infections. Some common symptoms of gonorrhea infection are painful urination, vaginal discharge, pain during intercourse, lower abdominal pain, and cramps after sex.