Painful ejaculation causes discomfort or a dull, sharp or burning pain when you ejaculate. It can occur right before, during or right after ejaculation, and it may be brief or last for a long time. Physical or mental health conditions can cause painful ejaculation. Treatment depends on the cause, but may include medications, Kegels or surgery.
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Painful ejaculation is a type of sexual dysfunction that describes discomfort or pain when you ejaculate, usually at the time of orgasm.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Painful ejaculation can be associated with sexual intercourse, masturbation or while you sleep (nocturnal emission or wet dreams). Studies show that between 1 and 10 out of every 100 males experience painful ejaculation at some point in their lives.
It’s not always easy to talk about sensitive areas of your body. But painful ejaculation isn’t normal. Your sexual health is important to your overall quality of life. Contact a healthcare provider if you experience repeated or intense discomfort or pain when you ejaculate.
Other names for painful ejaculation include:
Everyone experiences painful ejaculation differently. You may feel:
It depends on the cause. Painful ejaculation may feel mild or intense. You may feel discomfort. It may also be a sharp, burning or cramping pain during or after orgasm.
It depends on the cause. The pain may last a moment, several minutes or even hours. You also may not experience any pain until a few hours after ejaculating. Sometimes, the pain goes away suddenly without treatment. But other times, you may continue to have ejaculation pain until a healthcare provider can diagnose the cause and prescribe treatment.
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There are many different causes of painful ejaculation. Common causes may include:
Sometimes, emotional or psychological conditions can cause pain when you ejaculate. These may include:
You’re more likely to have painful ejaculation if you have long-term (chronic) prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Between 30 and 75 out of every 100 males who have CP/CPPS have pain when they ejaculate.
You also have an increased risk of painful ejaculation after surgery to remove your prostate or radiation therapy in the area.
Your sexual health is important. It affects your physical well-being, as well as factors into your mental and emotional health. Painful ejaculation can negatively affect your self-esteem and strain your physical and emotional connections with your partner(s).
If an STI causes painful ejaculation, it may affect your ability to get a partner pregnant (male infertility).
A healthcare provider will:
They may also recommend tests to help confirm their diagnosis.
Healthcare providers may recommend the following tests to help confirm the cause of your painful ejaculation:
Painful ejaculation treatment depends on the cause. Your treatment may include:
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In some cases, like after surgery or radiation treatment, the pain goes away once you completely heal.
Schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider if you have intense or repeated pain when you ejaculate. You should also reach out if it affects your quality of life or your relationship with your partner(s). They may refer you to a:
It depends on what causes pain when you ejaculate. In some cases, the pain goes away pretty quickly with simple treatments. But it may take some time as you try different treatments until you find one that works best for you. Healthcare providers will work with you to find the most effective treatment options to alleviate or cure your pain.
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It’s also a good idea to have open communication with your partner(s) about expectations and limits. Talking with them can help them understand that you have problems with physical pain, not your relationship or intimacy. This can help protect your mental and emotional health.
Not always. But you can help prevent some painful ejaculation causes by:
Your body uses many of the same parts to ejaculate as it does to pee. Conditions that cause painful ejaculation and urination include:
It can be frustrating, shocking, upsetting and downright scary to experience pain in the more sensitive areas of your body, especially when it occurs at a time when you expect feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and release. But painful ejaculation is nothing to be ashamed about. It’s your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong, and you should reach out to a healthcare provider to avoid serious complications. They can help determine the cause and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
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Cleveland Clinic's health articles are based on evidence-backed information and review by medical professionals to ensure accuracy, reliability, and up-to-date clinical standards.
Cleveland Clinic's health articles are based on evidence-backed information and review by medical professionals to ensure accuracy, reliability, and up-to-date clinical standards.
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