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Heather Jeffcoat in Cosmo
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Positions to Try if Penetrative Sex Is Painful

Looking for Positions to Try if Penetrative Sex Is Painful?

Since its inception Cosmopolitan Magazine has been a "go-to" source of valuable information for women looking to improve their sex lives. In a recently released online article, Heather Jeffcoat, DPT was their first source of insight when it comes to overcoming painful intercourse due to endometriosis and other factors.

There can be many reasons for pain during vaginal intercourse. Conditions like vaginismus and vulvodynia can make penetration hurt even if you're super turned on and just put on plenty of lube. Sexual trauma could be one cause; endometriosis, a condition where the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside of it, is another.

Sex, of course, should never be narrowly defined as just penetration. But, if you find yourself wanting to have intercourse, there are some angles and positions that can potentially reduce, or even fully avoid, discomfort. For instance, “Women with endometriosis typically have pain upon deeper thrusting, so positions that limit the depth of penetration are key,” says Heather Jeffcoat, a doctor of physical therapy and author of Sex Without Pain: A Self Treatment Guide to the Sex Life You Deserve. If this all sounds familiar, here are five positions you can try (and, of course, if you've never seen a gynecologist about this, please do so first!):

The Goddess

"Consider additional erotic activities that don't include penetration," says Jenni Skyler, PhD, a certified sex therapist and sex expert for AdamEve.com. "Penetration can be the side dish for sex while the other activities dominate. Pleasure is the goal, so creatively figuring this out is key."

The Cowgirl Crouch

"The person with the vagina gets on top and kneels over the person who's prone to control the depth and speed of penetration," says Carol Queen, PhD, Good Vibrations staff sexologist, curator of the Antique Vibrator Museum, and co-author of The Sex and Pleasure Book with Shar Rednour.

Curious about more positions to try if penetrative sex Is painful? The full article can be found here.

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What Our Patients Have to Say

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Testimonial by J.H.

My last appointment with Heather was over 6 years ago but I still think of her every day. I don’t take for granted that I can easily get out of bed, care for my two active and busy young boys, run, play tennis, clean my house, or sit at a desk for several hours at a time. None of these tasks were easy for me before meeting Heather. Eight years ago my car was struck from behind by a tractor trailer that was estimated to have been speeding. I spent 3 years working with different PTs and Drs trying to heal and move on with my life. When I became pregnant and the hormone relaxin that “relaxes” all the joints of the body and the additional weight gain erased all my progress and I was suddenly in a lot of pain again. My OB sent me to Heather for one last try.

Read more: Testimonial by J.H.

Testimonial by R.S.

I wanted to thank you so much for helping me get through something I thought I may never be able to. We have achieved pain-free intercourse and this has really solidified our marriage. We are so grateful to you for all the work you do! Thank you!!

-- R.S.

Testimonial by Jamie M.

I have been going to see Heather for a while now, and I can't tell you enough how much she has improved my quality of life. Heather specializes in issues like pelvic floor, but I see her for other orthopedic issues.

I have a lot of chronic joint pain and dysfunction issues (back, hips, neck) that require that have ongoing physical therapy maintenance. The effects of my problem joints/areas overlap and interconnect with each other in complex ways, so helping me requires really having a complete understanding of the entire skeletal and muscular system. Pain does not always appear where the problem actually is, the human body is a twisty, many-layered puzzle. I have an exercise program I do at home and I am very functional, but there are just something things I need a PT to help me out with.

Read more: Testimonial by Jamie M.

Testimonial by Fritzette H.

I went to Heather after the birth of my third child. It was lucky, really, that I was referred to her, because my doctor had referred me to a surgeon for a possible hysterectomy or pelvic wall rebuild. Thankfully, I went to Heather before undergoing either surgery, she was able to fix the problem. She has studied extensively in women's health--even written a book about it--and was able to diagnose my problem, suggest a course of treatment (6 weeks), and then follow through with said treatment. By the end, as she said, I was as good as gold. Boy, was it worth it! Though uncomfortable to talk about, much less write about, it is worth getting the word out there. If you have painful intercourse, especially after birth or other trauma, the treatment may be as simple as Physical Therapy (with Heather, of course). I highly recommend her.

-- Fritzette H., 3/24/16 via Yelp!

Testimonial by J.B.

My husband and I were having problems with painful intercourse. My therapist recommended that I go and get a pelvic floor evaluation from a physical therapist. Having never been treated by a physical therapist, I wondered how this really was going to help me. My husband who is a physician was very supportive and agreed that a PT evaluation would be a great idea. So i made the appointment and was blown away by what I learned. I had no idea that pelvic floor muscles could get tight and have trigger points just like any other muscle in the body. I'm a massage therapist and very familiar with tight muscles, and this new thought really amazed me. Heather's program to help relax and strengthen these muscles made such a difference. I can say that I am 100% pain free during intercourse now. Yippee! Going to the PT appointments and doing the at-home exercises was definitely a discipline, but it's 100% worth it! The rewards are amazing.

-- J.B.

Testimonial by S.B.

As someone who suffered the debilitating physical and emotional effects of vaginismus (as well as a complicated history of back injuries) for more than 15 years, I thought a "normal" life was just a fantasy. Then I found Heather.

Read more: Testimonial by S.B.

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