These cone-shaped devices help you gain control of your pelvic floor and learn to release the involuntary muscular reaction you experience before penetration. In addition to sex therapy or talk therapy, your doctor will work with you to use vaginal dilators or trainers. Treatment involves a combination of therapies. Some people with this condition also have difficulty using tampons or having a pelvic exam. This condition may be caused by anxiety or fear. Before penetration, the condition causes the pelvic floor muscles to tighten so much that a penis or sex toy can’t enter. Vaginismus causes involuntary contractions of your pelvic floor muscles. Even after the tissue is torn, it may be painful when hit during sex. During sex, a penis or sex toy pushing against the hymen may feel painful. Some women are born with hymens that are thick or inflexible. If you’ve ever been sexually assaulted, any sexual encounter may be difficult without adequate therapy. Wait until you’ve fully healed before engaging in sexual activity. However, they can make sex more painful.Īn injury to your pelvis or your genitals may make sex painful. Infections, including sexually transmitted infections, don’t change the shape or tightness of your vagina. But if penetration still feels difficult even after foreplay, use a store-bought lubricant to help. Remember, your clitoris is bigger than you think. These conditions include:Īrousal provides the body with natural lubrication. Most of these problems are minor and easily treated. Several conditions may affect how tight a vagina is. This may mean trying new sexual positions or strengthening your pelvic floor muscles to regain strength and tightness. That doesn’t mean it’s not still tight.Ī vagina’s natural shape and elasticity changes over the course of a lifespan, and that means you have to adapt to those changes. Even then, it will return to its normal size.Īfter a vaginal delivery, however, you may feel like your vagina is not quite the same. Your vagina can grow and expand to accommodate the birth of a baby. If the pain or tightness is persistent, make an appointment to see your doctor. One study found that 30 percent of women experience pain during vaginal intercourse. If that’s still not enough, you can use a store-bought, water-based lubricant.īut these natural processes don’t always mean sex is comfortable. Adequate foreplay can help ensure you have enough natural lubricant. If penetration begins too soon and you’re not lubricated, you may experience pain. The vagina also releases a natural lubricant so that when penetration occurs, it’s less painful or difficult. (Although, stimulating the cervix may sometimes be pleasurable.) That way, the penis or sex toy doesn’t hit the cervix during penetration and cause discomfort. When you’re turned on, the upper portion of the vagina lengthens and pushes your cervix and uterus inside the body more. The vagina is designed to expand and elongate during arousal. Understanding these changes can help you know when you might have a problem. Both events change the shape and tightness of the vagina. It’s designed to have sex and birth a baby. The vagina changes a lot over a person’s lifetime.