FAQ’s About Painful Sex

What are some less serious, common causes of pain with sex?

If you’re trying to have intercourse when you’re not aroused, lack of lubrication can cause friction and lead to pain. Even if you are aroused, decreased lubrication caused by hormonal deficiencies (such as atrophic vaginitis, which can occur when estrogen levels are low after menopause or while breastfeeding) can lead to pain.

Holy Vagina, Batman! One week until the release of What's Up Down There? Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend! In anticipation of the big launch day (Sept 28), this week we are pleased to publish exclusive excerpts and blogs by our very own Dr. Lissa Rankin. Today's excerpt is on the time that shall not be named - well anywhere else, that is: Menopause. Check out Lissa's experiences and personal exploration of this time that most women dread and how we can embrace it with the kick-butt power and grace that make us uniquely female... Enjoy!

I used to dread menopause, as many of my patients do.

Who wants to endure hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, brain fog, insomnia, vaginal dryness, skin changes, and weight gain? But as this life transition draws closer to me, I find myself shedding my fear and beginning to embrace it. I would never want to move backwards in my life. Each year is filled with lessons learned and growth experiences. God forbid I should ever have to relive my twenties, full of insecurities, vanity, pride, and selfish choices. And my thirties, while vastly better than my twenties, were largely a time of walking through life like a zombie, asleep to my true calling, too busy DOING to just BE. Now, I’m in my forties, and I’m loving it.  I’m getting smile lines and grey hair and age spots, but I really don’t give a flip. Sure, the radiance of youth may fade as we age, but we glow with a different kind of light as we step into who we are truly meant to be.

Dr. Lissa Rankin addresses common medical questions from Pinkies in her medical blog based on her upcoming book What's Up Down There? Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend, which you can preorder here. If you have a question you'd like Dr. Lissa Rankin to answer in her blog, please join the What's Up Down There posse in our Owning Pink community.

Q: I’m postmenopausal, and I’ve been experiencing vaginal dryness and irritation that makes sex uncomfortable. So a few months ago, I started using a local estrogen ring. But I recently heard on the news that hormone therapy use and breast cancer are likely linked. Obviously, I’d rather just stick with lube if the alternative will up my risk for breast cancer. Should I stop using the ring?