Do You Get a Stomachache After Sex?

Having heavy cramping may be a sign of a more serious condition

Walking side-to-side may seem like a sexual feat to Ariana Grande, but for me, hobbling home with a sore stomach is not the post-sex feeling I'm chasing after. And this type of pain is much more than a little achiness after aggressive thrusting, something typically attributed to a lack of lubrication or pulling a muscle. Right after orgasm, I curl up in a ball and wait for the intense throbbing to pass. It feels similar to menstrual cramps, lasting up to two hours along the lower region of my abdomen and up toward my belly button.

It wasn't until recently that, while twisting in bed feeling frustrated, I decided to dive into WTF was going on with my gut (and beyond). I took to Instagram to ask my community if they've ever felt a stomachache after sex—22 people responded with a resounding, "Yes!"

One person, Macy, 28, an artist in New Jersey, said they usually get a stomachache after sex whether through masturbation or penetrative sex, although it doesn't happen every time. Macy's libido has recently evaporated as well, although they aren't sure if it's linked to their pain. "It feels like a menstrual cramp but, honestly, worse in some ways because instead of just hurting, it also makes me a little nauseous as well," she explained. After 15 minutes, Macy said, the pain subsides, "but those moments feel like forever."

Approximately 10 minutes after orgasm, North Carolina resident Lina, 30, said she experiences a stomachache. Like Macy (and me), it doesn't happen every time she has sex and she's noticed it with different partners—that's right, dick size doesn't matter. "I just recently started tracking my cycle with the pain to see if there is any correlation," she explained, but so far she hasn't noticed anything substantial other than a link to orgasms. Lina, who has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that causes cysts, has always assumed the two were linked but has never visited a doctor about the correlation.

Pain after sex is not normal," said Heather Jeffcoat, D.P.T., a California-based pelvic therapy expert and author of "Sex Without Pain: A Self-Treatment Guide to the Sex Life You Deserve."

Jeffcoat said when she sees patients with this type of issue, there is "either pelvic floor, hip or low back muscle overactivity or connective tissue restrictions to blame."

While it's difficult to diagnose, there could be a few reasons—beyond a lack of lube—for what's causing a stomachache after sex or after an orgasm.

Still wondering why you get a stomachache after sex? Learn more about the issue by reading the full article here.