If you're getting frisky with your SO, don't fret just yet. Of course, being more adventurous, spontaneous, and passionate in bed can make for some awesome orgasms and greater sexual chemistry, yet sometimes things can get out of hand, resulting in a trip to the ER. Whomp, whomp.
And while that A&E visit might seem embarrassing, it's actually pretty common to wind up with a sex injury [2] after playing too rough or getting dirty in compromising, risky areas. (Think: a slippery shower or using coarse materials down there.)
The good news is that sex injuries are totally treatable, and in most cases, that doctor visit isn't necessary. (Simple gauze and a band-aid should do the trick.) However, the level of severity certainly can range, so it's best to be cautious before trying out any activities you're not typically used to.
We weighed in what to do when you're hit with a sex injury, big or small, so that you can fix it ASAP and walk away labelling that orgasm as being freakishly amazing, rather than freakishly fail-worthy.
Carpet Burn
If you're doing it on the rug — because, sure, maybe you just couldn't wait to get to the bedroom — kudos to you. However, you might want to take a second to put a blanket down first.
"When you have two body parts in constant friction, you can get an inflammatory response on the skin. Sometimes skin can even crack and expose sensitive nerves," says Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD, [3] urologist with Orlando Health. This is more common when having sex on a rough surface, like a rug, or when you're not using any lubrication to boost arousal, he explains.
No trip to A&E here. Just get some gauze and bandages to let the irritated skin heal.
Lacerations
It's common to get lacerations, or tears, from rough sex or uncomfortable positions that cause tons of friction, Dr. Brahmbhatt says.
"Both the penis and vaginal [or anal] wall can get irritated from the friction. And depending on the position of sex, the skin around the vagina [or anus] can also get irritated," he says. What's more, "if a man is uncircumcised, he can get irritation or cracking of the foreskin," too, he added.
How common is it? It's more common in men who are uncircumcised and women who are postmenopausal or do produce enough natural lubricant, as well as those with diabetes, he says. It can also happen because of certain medications, like birth control, which might lead to vaginal dryness, he adds.
If this occurs, give your body some rest, he says. "In most cases, the irritation will get better on its own. If the skin is super dry, place a gentle amount of dye or chemical-free Vaseline or moisturising lotion," he suggests.
However, if the tears have uncontrollable bleeding, go to the ER, he says. And if you start noticing discharge or have severe pain too, book it stat, he adds.
Head Trauma
This takes "mind-blowing sex" to a new (and unfortunate) level. Sex injuries can happen when doing it in the shower [4] or against a hard wall or even a headboard.
"You can slip on the water or soap and hit your head on the walls or ground. You could also just hit the showerhead if your shower is small. Anything, really, is possible in the shower," Dr. Brahmbhatt says. What to do? "It depends on the severity of the injury," he says. Most minor bumps to the head get better within minutes or hours.
"In severe cases, you can have a hematoma (blood pooling around the brain), haemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), concussion (swelling), or fracture of the skull," he says. When to go to the ER? "When you have loss of consciousness, seizures, vomiting, balance problems, blurry vision, and a worsening headache," he explains.
Getting Things Stuck Down There
I'm all for experimenting in bed, but there are boundaries when it comes to putting foreign objects where they really don't belong. Brahmbhatt's suggestion? "Don't do it! I personally have had to remove the weirdest objects from the vagina, rectum, and even the male urethra! There is a reason why these things are called 'foreign bodies' — it's because they don't belong in your body. Some of these objects can be sharp and can cause major damage to the vagina or rectal wall," he says. Yikes. Make sure you figure out what's safe to use when looking at new sex toys or discussing sexual fantasies before inserting anything anywhere. (And here are a few sexual fetishes you might want to try [5].)