Men and painful sex
Painful sex for men, which is felt during an erection or with ejaculation, can be the sign of an underlying health problem, so is not to be ignored...
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Let’s take a look at the two main types of painful sex for men: penis-related and ejaculation-related pain.
Penis-related pain
Penis-related pain is experienced in two main circumstances: abnormal curvature of the penis and foreskin/frenulum medical conditions.
- A degree of penile curvature, called Peyronie's disease, is due to a fibrous envelope surrounding the penile corpora cavernosa. This fibrous envelope sometimes thickens, hardens and hampers penetration, all the more so since the penis systematically deviates towards the fibrous side. This condition generally requires surgical treatment to straighten the penis and/or remove the fibrous plaque;
- Inability to retract the foreskin, called phimosis, can cause problems during erection and be painful during sex. It is often accompanied by a frenulum breve (or short frenulum), often discovered if ruptured during sex and which causes bleeding, although not serious. Sometimes phimosis leads to the penis being strangled: this is called paraphimosis and is a medical emergency;
- Penis pain can also be observed in prostate cancers. That's why any ongoing or regular pain should not be ignored, especially after the age of 50.
Ejaculation-related pain
Ejaculation-related pain is experienced when there is:
- A urethra infection (urethritis) which is a sexually transmitted infection usually accompanied by discharge from the urinary meatus;
- A urinary tract infection and often a burning sensation when urinating;
- More rarely, a sperm infection. Chlamydia is a germ most frequently found in young adults and must be considered systematically, especially if the partner also presents pelvic symptoms;
- Pain can also be an indicator of shrinkage of the urethra canal, or be due to chronic bacterial or non-bacterial prostatitis.
All these types of pain should lead a man to consult his GP or urologist to eliminate or treat any underlying cause. Often a bacteriological examination of urine, urinary discharge or sperm needs to be carried out and an endorectal scan of the prostate may also be carried out.
So, if you are recognise any of the symptoms or problems described above, do consult your GP - painful sex is definitely not normal.
Copyright © 2010 Doctissimo
Posted 28.07.2010
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