Dr Amir Khan

Is there, Cherry?

Yes and no.

It depends what you define as normal.

So normal sex isn't how many times you're having sex, what it's like, what your friends are doing, what the internet's telling you you should be doing.

That isn't what normal sex or a normal sex life is.

A normal sex life is something that is consensual, that is enjoyable, pleasurable, desirable, and something that you want to do where you both get fulfilment out of.

That is what it is.

But the onus is on consent.

Yeah, very much so.

And it doesn't have to be penetrative sex.

There's lots of different things that can feel intimate that isn't penetrative sex.

Some people may not be able to have it or don't want to have it.

But there are other ways to get the same joy, pleasure and connection.

So painful sex is common.

It doesn't mean it's normal, though.

And there's lots of different causes for painful sex.

The medical term for painful sex is dyspareunia.

It could be superficial, so you could feel pain around the area where penetration is taking place, or it can be deep as well.

And the causes are different depending on where you feel the pain.

So what are the most common causes for superficial pain?