My partner gets pain on penetration after a period of abstinence. Why?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 58-year-old male. I am healthy, and I do not have erection issues. My partner is 55 years old, and she is healthy. She visited an obstetrician and gynecologist last month. She is celibate for about six years. But now, we are living together for seven months, and we are trying to have a more physical relationship. On my first attempt, she had pain during initial penetration. During my second attempt, she allowed for penetration up to four inches, and she was very comfortable to have further penetration. During the next attempt, she started to have pain even beyond one inch of penetration. Can I know whether inserting finger during lubrication make intercourse uncomfortable during initial penetration?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

At 55 years of age, it is vital to know whether she has reached menopause or still she gets her menses. Even perimenopausal status itself can cause atrophic vaginitis. It results in vaginal dryness and mucous atrophy. The second reason can be PID (pelvic inflammatory disease). It can also initiate a deep pain during penetration. Due to prolonged abstinence, the vagina muscles can be tight, and it can also cause vaginismus. All these features are needed to be evaluated and ruled out before proceeding further.