11 Weird Things That Can Happen to Your Body After Sex (That are No Big Deal)
In the first blissful moments right after sex, you’re probably not thinking about what’s going on with your body in that exact moment (except azing you feel). After all, thinking about the possibility of a UTI after sex is probably the least sexy place your mind could wander, right? But even in those immediate post-coital moments, you may feel like some weird things are going on with your body, especially if you’re in a little pain and wondering why sex might hurt or give you some other strange reaction.
It’s important to remember that sex, no matter how you do it, is a physical act involving your entire body, so your body might react in weird ways, such as your skin flushing or there being a slight burning when you pee. Don’t freak out! We’re here to tell you about some of the common things that can happen to your body post-sex, and why they’re mostly NBD.
Of course, we *must* point out that if you’re having any kind of recurring physical reaction to sex, you should see your doctor to make sure everything is okay and to put your mind at ease.
1. You experience some flatulence from your vagina.
“One of my favorite questions I get asked is: “Why do I pass gas/fart from my vagina after sex?” says Dr. Michele C. Reed of MS Family Medicine Health Care and Fit Doc.
She explains, «During the thrusting of the penis into the vagina at a fast rate, gas and air builds up due to the activity, and after a female experiences climax she may have ‘vaginal farts.’”
2. You’re in some amount of pain.
The umbrella term for painful sex is dyspareunia, which covers genital pain that may occur just before, during, or after intercourse. It’s surprisingly common and can feel like anything from a dull ache to cramping. Board-certified ob-gyn and cohost of The D that this often happens due to the release of the hormone oxytocin during sex, which can cause uterine contractions. If it only happens occasionally or the pain is mild, it’s really NBD, but if the pain is persistent, you should schedule an appointment with your gyno to rule out any larger health concerns.
3. There’s a little blood.
If you’re not on your period and you see a little blood after sex, it might worry you, but chances are, it’s nothing to be concerned about. Of course, if there is a sizable amount of blood, you will absolutely want to let your doctor know, but a few spots here and there are nothing to panic about. It can be caused by inflammation of the cervix, or tiny tears in the vagina after a particularly rough romp. It can also happen if you’re with a new partner who is on the *ahem* larger side. However, if there’s frequently blood after sex, you’ll want to get checked for sexually transmitted infections or other health concerns down south.
4. There’s some “rug burn.”
When you’re bumpin’ JSwipe and grindin’ with your boo, it’s easy to see how all that skin-on-skin contact could cause some irritation or friction. This can especially happen when one or both partners has pubic hair or facial hair, and it can show up in the form of a rash or raw skin irritation. It’s usually nothing to freak out about, but if it doesn’t go away, check with your MD.
5. Things are burning up.
If you feel a little burning or stinging when you pee right after sex (and you are always peeing right after sex, right?), your first instinct might be that you have a urinary tract or sexually transmitted infection. But actually, minor burning and stinging is pretty common, provided that it goes away within a few hours.