Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDescribing PainSex and Cervix BruisingNon-Sexual CausesHow to Relieve PainHealing TimePrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Describing Pain
Sex and Cervix Bruising
Non-Sexual Causes
How to Relieve Pain
Healing Time
Prevention
Yourcervixis the small, muscular opening between the uterus and the vagina. Some people experience a bruised cervix, typically after deep sexual penetration. A bruised cervix isn’t usually cause for concern. However, it can be uncomfortable.
In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about a bruised cervix, from why it happens to how to relieve the pain and how long it usually takes to heal.
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Describing Bruised Cervix Pain
Many people describe the pain of a bruised cervix as deep, aching pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen and lower back. This typically starts right after having sex.
You may also experience:
If your cervix is bruised during sex, you’ll probably feel the pain right away, immediately after having sex. It’s more likely to happen if you are having rough sex or using a large sex toy.
Alternative Sex PositionsSex positions that involve deeper penetration, such as doggy style, are more likely to lead to a bruised cervix. Instead, you can try positions that allow for more control and “shallow” penetration, such as:Cowgirl (receptive partner on top)Reverse cowgirlSpooningLotus (facing each other with legs wrapped around one another, chest-to-chest)Standing
Alternative Sex Positions
Sex positions that involve deeper penetration, such as doggy style, are more likely to lead to a bruised cervix. Instead, you can try positions that allow for more control and “shallow” penetration, such as:Cowgirl (receptive partner on top)Reverse cowgirlSpooningLotus (facing each other with legs wrapped around one another, chest-to-chest)Standing
Sex positions that involve deeper penetration, such as doggy style, are more likely to lead to a bruised cervix. Instead, you can try positions that allow for more control and “shallow” penetration, such as:
Nonsexual Causes of Bruised Cervix
The primary cause of a bruised cervix is sexual penetration. However, you may develop vulvodynia (vulval pain) or experience pain during sex for many other reasons, including:
How to Relieve Bruised Cervix Pain and Cramping
The main way to relieve the pain and other symptoms from a bruised cervix is to avoid penetration for several days. You can also:
The pain from a bruised cervix shouldn’t last long. You should start to feel better after avoiding penetration for a few days.
If your symptoms continue for more than a week or start to get worse, or if you have other symptoms, such as persistent or heavy bleeding or unusualvaginal discharge, you should reach out to a healthcare provider. There may be another reason for your pain.
How to Avoid Future Cervix Bruising
Summary
If you continue to experience pain and cramping or your symptoms get worse, reach out to a healthcare provider for further evaluation. You could have another condition, such as an infection.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Planned Parenthood.Cervical health 101: Exploring your cervix for health and pleasure.
Hensel DJ, von Hippel CD, Lapage CC, Perkins RH.Women’s techniques for making vaginal penetration more pleasurable: Results from a nationally representative study of adult women in the United States.PLoS One. 2021;16(4):e0249242. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0249242
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.When sex is painful.
National Health Service.Vulvodynia (vulval pain).
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Pelvic pain.
MedlinePlus.Women and sexual problems.
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