###Human: My partner gets pain on penetration after a period of abstinence. Why? ###Assistant: Hi. At 55 years of age, it is vital to know whether she has reached menopause or still she gets her menses. Even perimenopausal status itself can cause atrophic vaginitis. It results in vaginal dryness and mucous atrophy. The second reason can be PID (pelvic inflammatory disease). It can also initiate a deep pain during penetration. Due to prolonged abstinence, the vagina muscles can be tight, and it can also cause vaginismus. All these features are needed to be evaluated and ruled out before proceeding further.