My penis hurts during vaginal sex. What’s going on?

Sex shouldn’t hurt. When it does, something isn’t right.

You shouldn’t ignore or tolerate pain during sex in the hope it will go away by itself. Instead, take it as a sign that something needs to be fixed.

Here are some of the most common causes of painful sex in men:

1. Thrush (candidiasis), a yeast infection caused by a candida (a type of fungus), which usually affects the head of the penis. 

Thrush can cause itching, severe irritation, and pain when urinating (peeing) or having sex. The infection can be cured easily with an antifungal cream.

2. Genital herpes is another potential source of pain. If a sore appears on the penis, sex can become pretty painful. 

There is no cure for herpes, but its symptoms can be treated. 

Please keep in mind that when sores appear on your body, the risk of contagion is very high; it’s highly recommended that you avoid sex during that period.

3. In some men the foreskin (the skin covering the head of the penis) is too tight to retract completely, and this condition is called phimosis. 

During sex the foreskin gets repeatedly pushed down by friction with the vaginal walls and stretched to its limit; after a while this movement can cause a man serious pain. 

Using a condom, and maybe adding some drops of lubricant, should solve the problem in the short term, but it’s best to consult your doctor for a longer-term solution. 

It is essential for uncircumcised men to be able to completely retract their foreskin in order to keep the penis head clean and to avoid infections.

4. Urinary tract infections (UTIS) can sometimes cause pain during sex. Your doctor can help you cure a UTI with the appropriate antibiotics.
5. Prostatitis—inflammation of the prostate gland—can cause pain during sex as well as painful ejaculation.
6. Peyronie’s disease (the abnormal bending of the erect penis), although uncommon in young men, could be the cause of serious pain during sex. 

Your doctor can help you select the best course of action to solve the problem.