HOW TO MAKE SEX LESS PAINFUL

Since CBD promises to help with pain and stress, people think it would be good for painful sex, but there is insufficient evidence to prove this. Painful sex is a common problem, and this article shares tips on managing it, including behavioral therapy, lubes, going slow, and changing things altogether.

Although sex should be pleasurable for both parties, many women find it painful, taking the pleasure away. Yet, some do not speak about it, and the few that manage to do it feel that doctors might not help. As the hype and demands for CBD grow, people use it for everything, and you may wonder if it can help you manage painful sex. While studies show that it can help reduce pain and stress, there is insufficient evidence to back up CBD for painful sex. Thankfully, this article shares suggestions on how to go about painful sex, but let's first see how CBD relates to this.

CBD Basics

Before looking at the plight of CBD in painful sex, you must get the basics about it. What is CBD, and why do many relate to it? According to Mascal et al. (2019), CBD is the non-psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis plants, mostly extracted from hemp. It comes in many forms, including tinctures, edibles, and topicals you want to use to explore its benefits. Besides, you can enjoy it in three different formulations; isolate, full-, and broad-spectrum, differing in composition. Regardless of the product or formulation you choose, rest assured of getting CBD benefits.

Can CBD Make Sex Less Painful?

Can CBD help with painful sex? According to Watt & Karl (2017), CBD is therapeutic, and many want to tap into it for this. Still, how therapeutic can the cannabinoid be? Can you use it to manage painful sex? According to Vučković et al. (2018), CBD can help reduce acute and chronic pain from cancer, fibromyalgia, and neuropathy. However, this does not mean you can take it to reduce pain during sex. Shannon et al. (2019) also found the cannabinoid great for pain and stress, suggesting that it could help you manage the stress that comes with painful sex, although there is insufficient evidence to prove this. That said, below are the suggestions you want to tap into to manage pain during sex.

Try Cognitive Therapy

According to Mitchell et al. (2017), more than 7.5% of 7,000 women in a UK study find sex painful, and 2% experience it more often, showing that painful sex is a menace. One way to manage painful sex is by trying cognitive behavioral therapy. According to Bergeron et al. (2008), biofeedback, surgery, and therapy helped women experience less pain during sex for at least 2.5 years. The study suggests that the therapy includes pelvic floor care.

Take it Slow

According to Women’s Health, many women mistake sexual excitement and arousal for being ready for intercourse when this is not the case. The page adds that it is usual for a woman to feel excited when she is not fully lubricated and ready for sex. Thus, it is best to take the process slow until the body is fully ready.

Get Enough Lube

The Women’s Health page referred to in the above section adds that you must ensure you get enough lubrication to enjoy sex and make it less painful. When one feels excited and in the mood for sex, it is easy for her to act fast, which might lead to pain during intercourse and after. Meanwhile, lubrication ensures the genitals are wet, allowing smooth and enjoyable sex. While the thrust and friction result in pleasure, they are not worth the pain that follows.

Check Out for Allergies

Do you feel itchy down there? Is your v-spot dry? Many things could lead to vaginal dryness, including birth control pills, hormonal imbalance, and some foods. Besides, anecdotal evidence shows that stress might make a woman less interested in sex and dry. However, do not rule out the possibility of allergies being behind the pain you feel during sex. You might have to keep a journal on what you use and how the body responds to know if you are allergic to any product.

Change Positions

If the methods above fail and your pain won't go away, go the extra mile and try different positions. Some women fight positions that allow for thrusts (including doggie styles) painful. Meanwhile, some feel that sex positions allowing women to be in control, including missionary, allow less painful sex. Thus, you could try different sex positions to see if things improve.

Change Things Altogether

According to Insider and Health, you can change things up altogether to see if the pain you feel during sex will go away. This might mean using props, toys, and pillows to see if things improve. Since there are many things you could try regarding this suggestion, take things slow since it takes patience to determine what works the best for you.

De-Stress

According to Shannon et al. (2019), CBD can reduce pain and stress, and many fans ride on this while using the cannabinoid to manage painful and stressful sex. Yet, other methods can also help you de-stress and manage pain during sex. Many find it helpful to exercise, take a deep breath, relax, do gratitude journaling, and listen to music. Still, you must get enough sleep and eat the right foods to boost your immunity, preparing it to manage stress better.

Communicate

As you try any of the suggestions in the above section, remember to communicate with your partner. Sex is not a one-person game, and talking to your fellow goes a long way to help you handle the stress. Besides, taking the burden as two sounds better than shouldering it as one. When you decide to speak, open up and suggest how you would want things to happen henceforth. Many have done so, and keep counting on how successful their sex life has been

Conclusion

Painful sex is a challenge many people experience. It can result from hormonal imbalance, allergies, birth control pills, rushing during the process, and stress. Can CBD help make things better? It promises to reduce stress and pain, but there is insufficient evidence to show that you can use it for painful sex. This article shares tips on managing pain during sex, including communication, seeking therapy, going slow, and getting enough lube.

References

Bergeron, S., Khalifé, S., Glazer, H. I., & Binik, Y. M. (2008). Surgical and behavioral treatments for vestibulodynia: two-and-one-half year follow-up and predictors of outcome. Obstetrics and gynecology, 111(1), 159–166.

Elms, L., Shannon, S., Hughes, S., & Lewis, N. (2019). Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Series. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 25(4), 392–397.

Health. Sexual Health. https://www.health.com/condition/sexual-health

Insider. 9 Ways to Make Sex Less Painful. https://www.insider.com/how-to-stop-pain-during-sex-2018-6

Mascal, M., Hafezi, N., Wang, D., Hu, Y., Serra, G., Dallas, M. L., & Spencer, J. P. (2019). Synthetic, non-intoxicating 8, 9-dihydrocannabidiol for the mitigation of seizures. Scientific reports, 9(1), 1-6.

Mitchell, K. R., Geary, R., Graham, C. A., Datta, J., Wellings, K., Sonnenberg, P., ... & Mercer, C. H. (2017). Painful sex (dyspareunia) in women: prevalence and associated factors in a British population probability survey. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 124(11), 1689-1697.

Vučković, S., Srebro, D., Vujović, K. S., Vučetić, Č., & Prostran, M. (2018). Cannabinoids and pain: new insights from old molecules. Frontiers in pharmacology, 1259.

Watt, G., & Karl, T. (2017). In vivo evidence for therapeutic properties of cannabidiol (CBD) for Alzheimer's disease. Frontiers in pharmacology, 8, 20.

Women’s Health. Make Sex Less Painful. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/relationships/a19982300/sex-hurts/