If a larger toy is uncomfortable at first, you can practice with a series of vaginal dilators that will help your vagina stretch slowly over time.īirth control, too, can sometimes cause a bit of hormonal upheaval for some people and cause dryness (and, in turn, painful sex). This way, you’re in total control and can gradually help stretch your vagina and make penetration feel more comfortable for you. “And if they don’t have intercourse at all, it can become very uncomfortable,” she says. Khalil says, meaning it literally gets more narrow. Sometimes a postmenopausal vagina also atrophies a little bit, Dr. This is something you should bring up with your doctor, who can recommend an over-the-counter vaginal lubricant, or possibly a prescription estrogen cream or hormone replacement therapy.įor some people, menopause messes with more than just lubrication. As a result, you may feel a sensation of tightness or irritation during sex. You went through a hormonal shift.ĭuring menopause, your body experiences a drop in estrogen, which can lead to dryness and the thinning of vaginal tissues, the Mayo Clinic explains. Here are a few common reasons why it may feel as if your vagina is too tight for sex, plus how to find relief. For instance, “Certain medical conditions can mimic the feeling of tightness,” Dr.

So if it’s not a problem of stretch, what’s the issue? Well, there are a variety of factors that might be at play. Think about it: Lots of people push babies out of that tiny hole, so it’s gotta give. The truth is, vaginas are ridiculously stretchy, says ob-gyn Susan Khalil, MD, director of sexual health for the Mount Sinai Health System. But it’s a misconception that feeling a sensation of tightness means you actually have less elasticity down there-and thinking this may prevent you from finding a real (and, in many cases, easy!) solution.

There are several reasons for why you might feel like you’re too tight for vaginal penetration, and it’s actually a pretty common problem that gynecologists hear about. It’s a logical conclusion: If it hurts when a partner tries to put their penis or a toy inside of you, or if they can’t get all the way inside, then it must be a problem of tightness, right? Ehhh, not exactly.

How to stretch your vag