Dry painful sex is a sign of danger

A common yet hard to discuss sex problem women have is: lack of lubrication during sex, according to a sex expert, Dr Elna Rudolph. A medical doctor and Sexologist working exclusively in the field of sexual medicine, Dr Rudolph explained recently at a sex seminar, that a dry vagina can be the result of a physical illness of the blood or nervous system, or an abnormality of the hormones that affect sex. The more common cause, though, is psychological.“It may start with a bad sex experience and escalate into anxiety and other more complex psychological problems whenever one thinks of sex. Dry sex is painful for women and our brains are created to protect us against pain. So the more you have painful sex, the less you will want to have it,” Dr Rudolph explained. She said dry painful sex is a sign of danger in that you are breaking the vaginal walls even if it’s on a microscopic level and there is no bleeding. “But you are breaking it open increasing your chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. “It is really not good on any level because even for men, there is risk because there will also be injury on his penis, increasing the likelihood of picking up infections as well,” she said. Ignorant men have been known to peddle myths that women with good lubrication are promiscuous, have sexually transmitted diseases and, if married, they have been unfaithful. This has driven some women to use chemicals and herbs to dry the vagina. Dr Rudolph says these myths are dangerous and based on ignorance. The consequences of practices such as drying the vagina by some women can be catastrophic. Killing all the normal flora and altering the interior environment of the vagina, the sex doctor explained, increases the risk of infections such as candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis. In some women however, the dryness is caused by vaginal muscles that are too tight because of anxiety, problems after pregnancy or other nerve conditions. Safer ways to achieve tighter penetration Dr Rudolph, advises couples to rather explore different positions to aid with tightness and friction during intercourse. This largely depends on how the woman’s own muscles work. “Some women will find it easier to contract their muscles when they are on top or from behind. Director of Genuine Fitness and personal trainer, Agatha Atlholang recommends pelvic floor exercises, popularly known as Kegel exercises. These exercises,which mimic the act of trying to stop the flow of urine when one urinates, can be done anywhere and at any time.