Pain during or after sex can have several causes, but it’s surprisingly common. An estimated three-quarters of us will experience it at some point in our lives and it even has its own medical name – dyspareunia.
‘The severity of pain can vary,’ says Anne Henderson, consultant gynaecologist and menopause specialist at The Amara Clinic. ‘But most women describe a burning or tearing, throbbing, cramping and occasionally stabbing pain, which can extend from the pelvis to the vagina.’
For some women, it’s just a one-off, but