Sex is supposed to be pleasurable, so when you feel burning sensations or experience pain, it’s normal to be concerned. If your vagina burns after sex, it’s important to know what can cause it and learn how to resolve the issue.

Vaginal burning during or after sex is unpleasant and can ruin the moment. It is estimated that up to 16% of women[1] experience this at some point in their lives. Researchers also suggest that the exact prevalence may be higher than this. If sex is no longer an enjoyable experience due to burning, then you should know there are ways to address the problem. We take a closer look at what causes vaginal burning and provide some helpful tips.

What Does It Mean If Your Vagina Burns After Sex?

When your vagina burns after sex, it can mean many things. It’s actually a very common occurrence among women and can happen at any age, including in menopause. Since there are many things that can cause vaginal burning after or during sexual intercourse, it’s important that you educate yourself on what it means.

Tears, allergies, infection, STDs, friction, and dryness are all factors that you must account for when you want to know what this burning sensation means. Since each person’s situation will be different, you must take a closer look at your own health and sex life to pin down the specifics.

Is A Burning Sensation After Sex Normal?

No, if your vagina hurts after sex or you have a burning sensation, it is generally not considered to be normal. When this happens to you, you need to assess the situation. Continuing with sexual intercourse when it happens may cause an existing problem to become worse. For example, if irritation is causing the burning sensation, the rubbing motion inside your vagina during sex can worsen the irritation and raise your risk for a urinary tract infection.

If you take actions to reduce pain or burning during sex and it does not work, then it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. They may refer you to a specialist, such as a gynecologist, to do further investigation and get to the root of the problem.

What Does Dyspareunia Feel Like?

Dyspareunia is a common condition that can affect men and women. With this said you’re more likely to experience this condition if you are a woman. Studies suggest that as many as 20% of American females[2] experience the symptoms associated with dyspareunia.

Pain is one of the main symptoms associated with dyspareunia[3]. The pain can affect different areas of your vagina. Some women experience the symptoms at the opening of the vagina. Other women rather complain about pain that affects them deeper inside their pelvis area. Apart from pain, you may also experience a feeling of discomfort if you have dyspareunia.

7 Reasons Your Vagina Burns After Sex

Knowing why your vagina burns after sex or even during these activities can be helpful. This gives you an opportunity to better understand your own situation and to take appropriate actions. We are going to look at seven of the most common reasons why you may experience this burning sensation.

  • Dryness: If your vagina is dry while you have sex, then it increases the risk of irritation due to the rubbing motion. The friction can cause you to feel a burning sensation. The sensation may continue to be present after sex. This can not only cause burning but also have sex feel painful.
  • Infection: If you have certain types of infections that affect your vagina or urinary tract, then it’s possible to experience this symptom too. Yeast infections, urethritis, and urinary tract infections, for example, are known to cause discomfort during sex.
  • Allergies: It’s possible that certain products you use during sex can result in an allergic reaction. For example, some women have a latex allergy. Using latex condoms in this case can lead to an allergic reaction that can cause irritation, burning, itchiness, and pain.

  • STDs: There are several sexually transmittable diseases that are also known to cause burning during and after sex If you have gonorrhea or trichomoniasis, then you’re more likely to experience this type of burning sensation.

  • Vaginismus: Another potential cause is vaginismus[4], which is classified as a sexual dysfunction. It’s when you have involuntary contractions of the muscles located in your vagina.
  • Menopause: If you are going through menopause, then it means there are changes happening in your body, including hormonal alterations. Some women develop a condition known as atrophic vaginitis following menopause. This results in inflammation that develops in the vagina. It is the result of the drop in estrogen levels. This is another potential reason if you experience irritation after sex.
  • Injury: When asking how to reduce pain during sex, it’s important that you take injury into consideration too. If you’ve suffered an injury that affected your vagina, then it may take some time to recover and heal. When you don’t wait long enough, you may get hurt or feel like your vagina burns when you have sex.

What Should You Do If You Feel Burning During Or After Sex?

Burning sensation

If you feel a burning sensation when you have sex, or even afterward, it’s important to note that there are things you can do. These strategies can help to make the discomfort go away faster.

  • Cold Compression: A cold compress is a great way to reduce pain in your abdomen, pelvis, and you can even apply it directly on your vagina, depending on where the discomfort is. Using a cold compress may also help to reduce the burning.
  • Medication: If the cause behind the burning is related to irritation or inflammation, then you could also consider taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug. This can help to reduce swelling and pain symptoms.
  • Exercise: Certain types of physical activities can also help, such as Kegel exercises. They help to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. It’s a great way to also prevent future problems during sex.
  • Hypoallergenic Products: If you decide to take a shower or apply any product to the affected area after sex, then it’s important to choose hypoallergenic formulas. This helps to reduce the risk of further irritation and allergic reactions.

How Long Does It Take To Recover From Feeling Burning During Or After Sex?

If your vagina burns after sex, you may be concerned about how long the feeling will be present. In most women, the burning sensation should clear up within a couple of hours after sex. With this said, there are some cases where it may continue to linger for an entire day. If the burning does not go away, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the possibility of infection causing the symptom.

How To Prevent Vaginal Burning?

Apart from treatment, it’s important to note that you can actually prevent vaginal burning during sex in many cases. We are going to take a look at some excellent prevention tips below:

  • Use A Lubricant: Vaginal dryness is one of the leading causes of burning sensations while you have sex. This is why it’s important to start out with a lubricant. If you have allergies or sensitivity issues, choose a lubricant that does not contain any harsh ingredients, such as fragrances.
  • Focus On Foreplay: When you initiate foreplay, it gives you a chance to reduce the risk of vaginal dryness during sex. Foreplay is also a great way to trigger your libido and get yourself “in the mood.”

Apart from these tips, if you have a poor libido and do not feel like sex, you’re also more likely to experience discomfort. Using a supplement like Zenofem Female Libido Enhancer can be a great way to get your libido back to what it used to be.

Treatments For Vaginal Burning After Sex

Treatments for vaginal burning

The ideal treatment if your vagina burns after sex depends on the cause. If it’s due to dryness, try using a lubricant. With this said, sometimes the burning is due to underlying conditions. This could include vaginismus, STDs, or even an infection. If you are concerned that these could be the reasons, it’s important to see your doctor. Infections and certain STDs require antibiotics as a treatment.

Frequently asked questions

What STD causes a burning sensation?

There are a few STDs that can potentially result in a burning sensation while you have sex or afterward. Some of these STDs can also cause a burning sensation when you urinate. Some examples include chlamydia, genital herpes, trichomoniasis, and gonorrhea.

How common are UTIs after sex?

It’s important to note that sex itself does not cause urinary tract infections. Rubbing inside the vagina can, however, cause irritation to the urethra. This allows bacteria to enter the urinary tract easily, which increases the risk for UTIs.

How do you know if you have a vaginal infection?

There are various symptoms that can happen with a vaginal infection. Some examples include painful sex, itching, irritation, and a discharge from the vagina. A regular urgency to urinate and a stinging sensation, when you are urinating, can also be signs.

What should you avoid during sex?

Try to avoid having sex while you have vaginal dryness, and do not participate in any “rough” sexual positions if your vagina burns after sex. This can aggravate the problem and increase the severity of your symptoms.

Conclusion

When your vagina burns after sex, you may find that your libido drops and you feel worried. Fortunately, there are often ways to overcome this problem. Using a high-quality lubricant and focusing on foreplay prior to sexual intercourse are excellent strategies to avoid this type of burning sensation. You should, however, also ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the conditions that could be behind these symptoms.