14 Causes of Burning Sensation After Sex in Males

A burning sensation after sex can be a normal reaction to a lack of lubrication, condom use, or hygiene practices if you're male. Other causes can range from anxiety or nerve issues to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or skin conditions.

A burning sensation after sex is a symptom of dyspareunia, or pain during or after sex. It can occur in people who have a vagina or penis. The pain from these causes can impact how enjoyable sex is, affect your performance, and even cause you to lose interest in sex or develop anxieties around it over time.

1. Curved Penis

Peyronie's disease, also known as curvature of the penis, is a common cause of penile pain. Pain in your penis during sex can be an early sign of this condition. The exact cause isn't clear. Some evidence suggests that acute or chronic penis injuries or an autoimmune disorder may bring on the condition.

2. Inflamed Tip

Swelling of the foreskin, called balanitis, is often due to an infection, allergy, or some other skin irritation. One of the first symptoms may be a painful penis or skin redness.

It's more common in people who are uncircumcised or have uncontrolled diabetes. Viral and bacterial infections are possible causes, but balanitis is usually due to a fungal infection.

3. Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are small crystals, most commonly made up of calcium, that form in the kidneys. They can cause painful symptoms when they move to the ureters. Urine moves through these tubes, which connect to the bladder.

Small kidney stones typically pass on their own, but drinking plenty of fluids and taking pain relievers can help. You may require medications that help large kidney stones pass through the urinary system. A healthcare provider may also recommend other treatments, such as surgery if kidney stones are too large.

4. Nerve Issues

You may have an injury to the pudendal nerve if you do sports that involve either hitting the groin or prolonged periods of sitting (like biking). The pudendal nerve supplies sensation to the genital area.

Painful intercourse is one of many possible symptoms of pudendal neuralgia. This is a pain in one or more areas innervated by the pudendal nerve.

5. Prostatitis

Painful ejaculation is often a sign of prostatitis, or an inflammation of the prostate. Prostatitis can cause pain or discomfort in or around the anus, penis, testicles, and lower abdomen or back. It can be caused by many factors, including complications with the urinary tract and STIs.

6. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

STIs that may cause a burning sensation include genital herpes, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. You may have herpes if you have a painful sore or a blistering rash on your genitals. Gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause a burning sensation when you urinate and abnormal discharge.

There's no cure for genital herpes. A healthcare provider can prescribe antiviral drugs if you have an outbreak. Antibiotics can treat both gonorrhea and chlamydia. It's important to practice safe sex and use condoms to prevent the spread of STIs.

7. Short or Tight Frenulum

The frenulum is a band of skin on the underside of the penis that tethers the glans (the head of the penis) to the foreskin. A short or tight frenulum, known as frenulum breve, can make it difficult for the foreskin to retract.

This taut piece of tissue can tilt the head of the penis downward when you have an erection. The result can be painful erections and pain with intercourse, Charles Welliver, MD, director of men’s health and assistant professor of surgery at Albany Medical College, told Health.

8. Skin Conditions

People with psoriasis, for example, can develop scaly patches on their genitals. The rash can appear on the glans, shaft, testicles, pubic area, buttocks, perineum (the area between the anus and scrotum), and all the adjacent skin folds.

You may have lichen sclerosis if you see thin, white patches of skin on your penis. It's a condition that causes patchy, discolored, and thin skin. People with this condition can get tearing of the skin of the penis during intercourse or with an erection.

9. Some Types of Cancer

It's rare, but a burning sensation can be a sign of penile cancer. Penile cancer makes up less than 1% of all cancers in men. Other symptoms include foul-smelling discharge, pain, skin changes around the penis, and swelling.

A healthcare provider can prescribe a treatment plan depending on the stage of penile cancer. Treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.

10. Tension or Anxiety

Pain in the genital area can also be tied to emotional stressors. A study published in 2023 found that men with pelvic pain had higher anxiety and catastrophizing levels than those without pelvic pain.

11. Tight Foreskin

The foreskin, which covers the head of your penis, pulls back with an erection if you're uncircumcised. It can cause pain when that fold of skin gets stuck or narrows at the tip and won't retract. This is called phimosis.

Phimosis is more common in infants and young children. It's often due to an underlying infection, inflammation, or an injury to the foreskin in adults. Steroid cream and gentle stretching of the foreskin may be prescribed. A healthcare provider may recommend circumcision if you have recurring symptoms.

12. Too Much Sex

You may find your penis is a little sore if you're having more sex than usual with a partner or by yourself. This type of discomfort is typically nothing to worry about. 

13. Urethritis

Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, or the tube through which urine leaves the bladder. You may get urethritis if you have a viral or bacterial infection. Symptoms include a burning sensation when you urinate, itching, and painful ejaculation.

A healthcare provider will prescribe treatments depending on the underlying cause. Antiviral drugs can treat a viral infection, and antibiotics can get rid of a bacterial infection.

14. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

A urinary tract infection (UTI) can affect the bladder, kidneys, ureters, or urethra. A bacterial infection typically is the cause of a UTI, which is more common in women but can also occur in men. A burning sensation when you urinate is a symptom of a UTI.

A healthcare provider can prescribe antibiotics to treat a UTI. Drinking plenty of water can also help ease symptoms.

How To Relieve Pain After Sex

Treatments will vary based on the cause of the pain. Antiviral drugs or antibiotics may be prescribed if the pain is due to an infection. Surgical procedures are sometimes necessary.

There are a few home remedies that may help relieve pain, such as:

• Emptying your bladder before sex
• Taking a warm bath before sex
• Using an icepack or wrapping ice in a cloth to apply to your penis
  

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

See a healthcare provider if you have any problematic or persistent symptoms with the pain. Other symptoms might include any changes with semen, any discharge, swelling of the genital area, or bumps or lesions.

Contact a healthcare provider right away if you have a persistent erection, known as priapism, that doesn't go away. A related condition to tight foreskin called paraphimosis can occur if the retracted foreskin gets stuck behind the tip and can't be pulled forward during an erection. This is a medical emergency that can cause permanent damage to your foreskin if left unresolved.

A Quick Review

There are several causes of a burning sensation after sex if you have a penis, such as nerve issues, genital herpes, or having too much sex. Treatment options for the pain will be based on the reason. A healthcare provider may recommend medications, home remedies, or surgical procedures. Talk with a healthcare provider if you experience penis pain or have additional symptoms along with the pain.