Studies show painful sex is endured by a lot of women. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says 75% of all women will experience painful sex at some point during their lives. Are you experiencing painful sex?

We ladies of color may be more at risk for painful sex, especially as we experience pain differently. Latina women are more at risk of cervical cancer due to HPV which may cause painful sex, and Black women are more prone to fibroids, as well as uterine cancer which can make sex hurt.

Sex is supposed to be pleasurable, which means about talking this issue with your “gurls” isn’t always easy. So, SuzyKnew!‘s here to help.

Making sex pleasurable may be as simple as changing your sexual position or putting some pillows in the right place, more foreplay or better lube as Madame Noire highlights for you. Or, it could be an easy remedy such as eliminating all those sprays, powders, bubble baths and deodorants, SuzyKnew! has been telling you to stop putting down there. Soaps, detergents, lotions, etc. can act as irritants, a.k.a. sexual pleasure killers. Keep it healthy.

But, painful sex can be due to a medical condition or psychological challenge or a combination of the two. There are a lot of factors to consider. Some causes are straight-forward like a yeast infection while others may be age related like menopause. Then there are more complex issues of dyspareunia that should be considered. If you’re experiencing painful sex not that is not caused by what has already been mentioned, then, it may be worth taking some time to read Sexual Pain Disorders in Clinician Reviews that takes you through all the possibilities and issues to consider and work through with a health provider.

Debbie Herbinick published an article in the Journal of Sexual Medicine based on a 2015 survey that showed that 30% of women as compared to only 5% of men experience painful sex. Perhaps a key to addressing all these reasons why sex may be painful is making sex “normal.” In this very popular TED talk, Debbie walks us through the importance of talking about our sexual experiences to get to the pleasure or acceptance we ladies yearn for.