Causes
Some causes are:
- Prostatitis—swelling of the prostate
- Urethritis—swelling of the urethra
- Inflammation of the foreskin
- Trauma to the penis
- Herpes or genital warts
- Allergies or irritations of the penis
- Peyronie disease
Symptoms
A person who has pain during sex may feel:
- Pain during any or all phases of sexual contact
- Stabbing or aching pain
- Itching and burning
Diagnosis
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. You will also be asked about your sexual history. A physical exam will be done. This is often enough to make the diagnosis.
Other tests may be done to look for a cause.
Treatment
The cause will need to be treated. Some choices are:
- Supportive care, such as soaking the hip and buttocks in warm water
- Mental health therapy
People who are not helped by these methods may need surgery. It may be done to treat foreskin and erectile problems.
RESOURCES
Family Health—American Academy of Family Physicians https://www.familydoctor.org
Urology Care Foundation—American Urological Association https://www.urologyhealth.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Canadian Urological Association https://www.cua.org
Health Canada https://www.canada.ca
References
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/chronic-prostatitis-chronic-pelvic-pain-syndrome. Accessed February 25, 2021.
Engeler D, Baranowski AP, et al. European Association of Urology (EAU). EAU guidelines on chronic pelvic pain. EAU 2015.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD
- Review Date: 06/2021
- Update Date: 06/22/2021