Nothing ruins the temper fairly like bloating after intercourse. Those that’ve skilled it firsthand comprehend it tends to strike on the worst occasions, leaving you with ache and discomfort as a substitute of delight. However though it may appear unusual to bloat after intercourse — and even a bit awkward — it isn’t completely uncommon. In reality, bloating after intercourse occurs extra typically than you may assume. Fortunately, there are methods to alleviate a few of these disagreeable signs.
With a purpose to efficiently deal with post-sex bloating, you will need to first perceive why it occurs. There are a couple of widespread culprits which may be behind it, together with (shocker) your interval, a bacterial imbalance, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and even sure allergy symptoms. There probably will not be a fast repair, however understanding a few of the potential causes might enable you to resolve your bloating.
That mentioned, everyone seems to be totally different, and you must all the time test with a healthcare skilled for the very best customized medical recommendation. To present you (and your physician) a leaping off level, we requested ob-gyns to interrupt down a few of the commonest causes for bloating after intercourse. Forward, they share their greatest ideas for managing post-sex bloating and stopping it earlier than it even occurs — learn on to study extra and get again to having fun with a pain-free afterglow.
Editor’s observe: We at PS acknowledge that not everybody who has a vagina is a lady. For this explicit story, the consultants we interviewed referred to folks with vaginas as ladies.
Consultants Featured in This Article:
Jennifer Wider, MD, is a ladies’s well being professional, writer, and radio host.
Anna Cabeca, MD, DO, FACOG, is an triple board-certified ob-gyn and writer specializing in sexual well being and practical drugs.
Causes For Bloating After Intercourse
Bloating after intercourse can occur for a myriad of causes, a few of that are extra critical than others. Listed here are a few of the commonest causes to think about, in response to consultants:
- Menstrual cycle and hormones: Hormonal modifications have an effect on the physique in a mess of how (“hormonal stomach” is a first-rate instance). When you’re in your interval, as an example, there could also be a comparatively easy rationalization as to why you are bloating after intercourse. “Oftentimes, ladies will expertise bloating earlier than and/or throughout menstruation, so if they’ve intercourse round that point of the month, it’s more likely to play a task,” says ladies’s well being professional, Jennifer Wider, MD.
- Bacterial imbalance: One other potential trigger might need to do with an imbalance or overgrowth of the pure micro organism in your vagina, says ob-gyn Anna Cabeca, MD, DO, FACOG. This might trigger points like yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. These kinds of irritating infections are typically triggered by semen within the vagina or lubricants with synthetic elements. Douching may also negatively have an effect on your vaginal micro organism, Dr. Cabeca says. To assist, she recommends incorporating extra probiotics (aka fermented meals like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha) into your food regimen to maintain your vaginal micro organism wholesome and balanced. You might also need to keep away from getting semen in your vagina (extra on that under) and avoid private lubricants that use synthetic elements, similar to glycerin, parabens, and any sorts of flavors or fragrances.
- Digestive points: A extra critical subject that may trigger bloating entails the intestine. You probably have a historical past of digestive points — similar to constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or indigestion — Dr. Wider says you could be liable to bloating after sexual activity. Signs to look out for embrace constipation, cramping, abdomen ache, and diarrhea. You probably have bother with digestion, Dr. Wider recommends avoiding meals that are likely to make folks gassy, like beans and legumes, earlier than sexual activity. When you nonetheless expertise bloating, Dr. Wider additionally suggests consuming ginger, as research have proven it could scale back gastrointestinal ache and bloating.
- Unprotected intercourse: Having unprotected intercourse with somebody who has a penis may also trigger cramps and abdomen ache after intercourse. In response to Dr. Wider, if semen enters your vagina, the prostaglandin (a sort of lipid) present in semen could cause uterine contractions and discomfort, which can embrace bloating. You possibly can keep away from this through the use of a condom throughout intercourse or by having your accomplice pull out earlier than ejaculating. That mentioned, condoms are usually a a lot safer guess.
- Utilizing a condom with a latex allergy: Sadly, intercourse with a latex condom may also trigger bloating for some folks, Dr. Cabeca says, as latex allergy symptoms may end up in irritation and bloating. In response to the Mayo Clinic, different signs of a latex allergy might embrace itching, pores and skin redness, hives or rash, and cold-like signs (similar to sneezing, runny nostril, coughing, or a scratchy throat). When you assume you might need a latex allergy, converse to a physician for correct prognosis and therapy. You may also choose to make use of non-latex condoms, though they will not be as efficient as their latex counterparts (someresearch have proven they’ve increased charges of slipping or breaking).
Whereas the following tips may also help, there nonetheless is not a direct repair for bloating after intercourse. The excellent news is that the bloating ought to dissipate by itself after a couple of hours. If it does not, or in case you expertise it persistently, Dr. Wider recommends consulting a healthcare supplier for extra customized medical recommendation.
— Further reporting by Maggie Ryan, Alexis Jones, and Chandler Plante
Tamara Pridgett was an affiliate editor with PS Health. She’s a NASM-certified private coach and Precision Diet degree 1 coach, and was a Division 1 All-American sprinter.
Alexis Jones is the senior well being and health editor at PS. Her passions and areas of experience embrace ladies’s well being and health, psychological well being, racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, and continual circumstances. Previous to becoming a member of PS, she was the senior editor at Well being journal. Her different bylines could be discovered at Ladies’s Well being, Prevention, Marie Claire, and extra.
Maggie Ryan was an assistant editor at PS. A longtime runner and athlete, Maggie has almost 4 years of expertise protecting subjects within the wellness house, specializing in health, sports activities, vitamin, and psychological well being.
Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and employees author for the Well being & Health crew at Popsugar. She has over 5 years of business expertise, beforehand working as an editorial assistant for Individuals journal, a social media supervisor for Millie journal, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a level in journal journalism from Syracuse College and relies in Los Angeles.