Sex? Not always good for everyone, it seems

A survey of nearly 7,000 sexually active women found that around 10% of British women finds sex painful, many due to a medical condition but there are also women with psychological and emotional factors causing intercourse to be painful.

The survey, published in An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, suggests this medical problem – called dyspareunia – is common and affects women of all ages. Women in their late 50s and early 60s are most likely to be affected, followed by women aged 16-24, the BBC reported.

Doctors say there are treatments that can help if women seek advice but it was found that many still find the subject embarrassing and taboo, the survey results show.

Painful sex was strongly linked to other sexual problems, including vaginal dryness, feeling anxious during sex, and lack of enjoyment of sex as well as different physical, psychological and emotional factors which can be complex to treat. Some women said they avoided intercourse because they were so afraid of the pain.

The national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles was carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), University College London and NatCen Social Research.

Of those who reported painful sex (7.5%), a quarter had experienced symptoms frequently or every time they had had intercourse in the last six months or more. Around a third of these women said they were dissatisfied with their sex life, compared with one tenth of the women who didn’t report painful sex.

Lead researcher, Dr Kirstin Mitchell, from LSHTM and the University of Glasgow, the said there could be a whole range of reasons for dyspareunia.

“In younger women, it might be that they are starting out in their sexual lives and they are going along with things that their partner wants but they are not particularly aroused by. Or they might be feeling tense because they are new to sex and they are not feeling 100% comfortable with their partner,” she told the BBC.

However, there could be psychological or emotional reasons which cause undue anxiety and problems around the sexual act and these can be treated by a counsellor, sex therapist or clinical hypnotherapist.

The National Council for Hypnotherapy is the UK’s largest not-for-profit professional body for hypnotherapy with around 1,800 highly-qualified therapists on its register.

Hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy has a proven track record in both easing anxiety and removing the fears around childbirth, sex and parenting. The NCH says hypnotherapy can ‘help partners to explore and overcome such psychological barriers and to trust their bodies’.

Through hypnotherapy, hypnosis will work at a subconscious level, changing perceptions about sexual intercourse so that it can be seen as a positive experience and the treatment will also negate the effects of over-anxiety, which lead to stress, which can make a significant impact on the quality of life and wellbeing.

Says the NCH: “You may be one of those people but are now ready to explore ways of freeing yourself from anxiety and living a fulfilled and happy life, free to do things that bring you joy.”

Anxiety and stress can manifest itself differently for everyone but there are often physical and psychological side effects which can be alleviated through hypnotherapy.

“Anxiety is a fear or concern that is exaggerated, and is out of proportion to the situation, although sometimes it may not feel like this,” says the NCH. “You may feel as if you are on high alert as well, unable to calm down or relax, your mind may race unable to focus or quieten down.”

To see or speak to an NCH hypnotherapist in confidence, find a therapist near to you by using the NCH directory – it can be a life-changing decision.