by Kaylen Jackson
Sex doesn’t always leave you feeling tired yet satisfied. It can leave you feeling sore, chafed or worse. Here are ten common sex injuries and how to avoid them.
Concussions
Believe it or not, you can get a concussion during sex if you end up banging your head hard enough on something. This isn’t uncommon – having vigorous sex can lead to a concussion if one or both partners get going fast enough and bang their head on the headboard or wall. Also, slipping in the shower during sex is also common and can lead to concussions or even more serious injuries.
How To Stay Safe
Consider purchasing a padded headboard if you’ve knocked your noggin against it more than once or twice. You can also try different sex positions that don’t involve your head being so close to the headboard or wall. If you’re having sex in the shower, make sure you’ve put down slip resistant pads or a temporary, suction-cupped mat that will prevent slipping.
Chafing
Chafing is a common sex injury when a woman isn’t lubed up enough. This can happen with vaginal or anal sex, however, chafing during anal sex can be a lot more painful because without enough lube, the anus can actually tear and bleed. Many women assume that their own natural lubrication is enough, but during vigorous sex, it might not be. A man can also experience chafing on his penis if there’s too much friction during intercourse and not enough lubrication.
How To Stay Safe
Use lube! A bottle of good, water based lube is cheap and you can even get it from the grocery store or supermarket. Plus, sex feels a lot better with lubrication!
Raw Knees And Elbows
Carpet burn, anyone? When having sex doggy style or giving a blowjob, women can often experience raw knees and elbows from rubbing against the carpet. This isn’t limited to women though – men in certain sex positions may find that they get raw knees or elbows as well. It’s pretty obvious what you’ve been doing if you walk into work the next day with cherry-red knees and elbows.
How To Stay Safe
Ladies, put a pillow on the floor to give a blowjob. Guys, if she doesn’t do it, insist! You’ll get a longer blowjob this way. If you’re doing it doggy style and don’t want to do it on the bed or couch, lay a blanket on the floor to protect from carpet burn.
Chapped Lips
Giving oral sex might seem that it makes your lips smoother to start out with, but after a few hours, your lips may feel dry and uncomfortable. Even though oral sex is supposed to be a “wet” activity, you may not have enough saliva to keep it going smoothly. Chapped lips, if not treated, will feel really uncomfortable and may crack and bleed.
How To Stay Safe
Don’t think you have to suck back in all your saliva during sex. Let it drip over your partner’s genitals and use it to lubricate the area well. Don’t be afraid to let things get a little “wet and wild” because it’s just better that way! Use flavored lube during oral sex if you can’t produce enough saliva. Also, keep a good lip balm on hand to use afterwards.
Vaginal Soreness
Most women who are sexually active have experienced soreness in the vagina after sex at some point or another. Women who are exceptionally small may experience it more often, especially if their partners are particularly well endowed. Soreness can come from one of two things – not using enough lube or rough sex that goes a little too far. Vaginal soreness may be mild, or it may feel like your partner was trying to shish-ka-bob you with his penis.
How To Stay Safe
Again, use lube. There’s no reason not to. It will just feel better. If your partner is large and you’re very small, try different sex positions that don’t allow him to penetrate your vagina so deeply. If you’re always experiencing soreness after sex, see your doctor. There may be more than meets the eye – and more than you’re equipped to deal with alone.
Pulled Muscles
A pulled muscle is probably the most common sex injury on the planet. It can happen from vigorous sex, but most often happens from trying to get into sex positions that you’re just not flexible enough for. Most of the time, a pulled muscle will stop hurting a few hours after sex if it’s mild, however, a pulled muscle that doesn’t stop hurting may require medical attention.
How To Stay Safe
Don’t try any really wacky sex positions unless you’re positive you and your partner can pull them off without hurting yourselves. If you do pull a muscle, use the RICE method – rest, ice, compression and elevation. If this doesn’t help and the pain doesn’t go away in a few hours, you may want to make an appointment with your doctor.
Handprints On Your Rear
Spanking and slapping can be fun, but sometimes it leaves you with blaring red evidence and a sore bum. Depending on how wild you got, it may even hurt to sit down for long periods of time! Masochists will enjoy this pain while others may just wish they wouldn’t have gotten so rough.
How To Stay Safe
Always get consent from your partner before doing anything like spanking, slapping or biting. Not everyone is into BDSM. Also, use a safe word. If things get too out of control, use the safe word and agree that all activity stops when someone uses it. If you’re using a paddle, try using a padded one that is designed specifically for spanking and BDSM.
Lost Sex Toys
Sex toys can’t get lost in the vagina, so guess where? Yes, you can lose a sex toy (or any other object, for that matter) up your bum and yes, you’ll need a doctor to get it out.
How To Stay Safe
NEVER use objects in the anus that aren’t designed for anal sex. Never use anything sharp that may cut or bleed - sharp objects can be very dangerous and possibly even fatal if they cut the inside of the intestinal lining. Anything you use for anal sex must have a WIDE base that will prevent it from slipping inside the anus.
Penis Fracture
Penile fractures are rare, but they can happen, especially during vigorous sex and masturbation. A penile fracture is very painful! It is characterized by a loud “cracking” sound, immediately followed by intense pain and lots of sudden bruising on the penis.
How To Stay Safe
If you think you’ve had a penile fracture, seek medical attention immediately! It’s unlikely that permanent damage will be caused, but ONLY if you get medical help ASAP as soon as it happens. You can do serious damage to yourself if you hang out and “see if it gets better.” Don’t try sex positions that put your penis at an awkward angle and if you experience pain during sex or masturbation, try something different.
UTI’s And Vaginal Infections
It’s common for sex to cause urinary tract infections and vaginal infections. Ladies, you may try as hard as you can to keep from contracting an infection during sex, but it may happen anyways. UTI’s can be caused by the “pumping” action during sex literally pushing bacteria inside the urethra. Infections can cause burning during urination, lots of discharge that may or may not have an odor and vaginal soreness.
How To Stay Safe
First of all, use a condom during sex! This will help prevent sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Women that experience frequent UTI’s, especially after sex, will want to try different sex positions that don’t involve the urethra bumping up against the man’s penis or groin such as doggy style or reverse cowgirl.
