Our bodies can react badly to many different things. You might not be able to eat certain things, such as gluten or dairy, because of an intolerance. You might even find that spring brings problems as hay fever kicks in. These allergies can have a huge impact on your life… and there are plenty of other things you can be allergic to.
Believe it or not, sex is one of those things. You might have a sex allergy and be putting it down to stress at work or simply another type of allergy. So how can you tell the difference between a sex allergy and other types of allergies?
Dealing with allergies during sex
I’m sure that, at some point or another, we’ve all had a bad reaction during a sex session. For me, it was when my partner at the time decided that they would give me an all-over sensual massage. Rather than getting body oil, they simply used a body lotion they’d bought for cheap.
Their hands went wandering, as they do, and suddenly everything burned. It was painful. For a long time afterwards I was sore, red, and tender. Thankfully my reaction wasn’t too bad, but it was an important lesson to learn. Our body might not always reactive positively to things we do.
If you believe that you are having an allergic reaction during sex, the first thing that you should do is stop what you are doing. You might think that you can just ride it out, but this can often make things worse. Give your body a break and then address the issue properly, keeping an eye on what is going on. If you are at all uncertain, talk to a medical professional for advice on what to do.
Confusing sex allergies with other allergies
One of the big issues for sex allergy sufferers is that their allergy is often confused with others. A large number of those dealing with an allergy to sex find that they are misdiagnosed with a number of different allergies before sex itself even get mentioned.
For example, the following might be suggested. A latex allergy, meaning a change in the condoms that you use. A bad reaction to lube, which requires experimenting with many different lubes to find the right one for you. Even an allergy to sperm or vaginal fluid might be the apparent cause of your discomfort.
Sometimes, however, you might find that your reaction isn’t seen as an allergic reaction. You might be told that you have an STI or an STD. Vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina), thrush, and all kinds of other theories might be put out there. So getting someone to say “you have an allergy to sex” is a challenge.
How do you know if you’re allergic?
Getting a proper diagnosis when you feel you have had an allergic reaction during sex is important. The red rash, itching, and pain need to be treated properly. However, what can you do if it might be your partner or even sex itself that you are allergic to?
First of all, you need to look out for the symptoms. These might differ from person to person, but if you experience a combination of these, you should talk to your doctor:
– Wheezing
– Itching
– Hives
– Swelling
– Vaginal Burning
– Blistering
– Chest tightness
– Diarrhoea
– Vomiting
– Loss of consciousness
– Complete circulatory collapse
These symptoms can stick around for a long time. It isn’t always a case of taking a tablet and watching as they go away. It can take some people weeks to heal and recover from their reaction, hence why knowing what is happening to you is so important.
Coping with your sex allergy
If you have a sex allergy it can put a huge strain on your relationships. You might love having sex but find that pain and irritation are just things that you have to deal with. It can be frustrating, and so you might have to come up with your own coping strategies to deal with it.
Some find that using the right kind of condoms can help. Others state that desensitisation can help, but it isn’t successful for everyone. You’ll need to work out a good method for you, which can take some time.
Have you ever had an allergic reaction during sex? How did you deal with it? Let us know by leaving a comment in the box below and joining in the discussion.
Since then she has gained a fine reputation with her blogs on sex advice, sexual health and amusing news stories from around the globe. She is also a campaigner for the rights of sex workers from all over the world.
In her spare time, Lara keeps herself active by going running, and is something of a film buff. She also loves to go travelling.
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