If you are experiencing pain during sexual intercourse, you may have vaginismus. According to the statistics, one percent of women worldwide suffer from vaginismus.
But what is vaginismus, and what are the causes and symptoms of this condition? If you are ready to learn more about this condition and you are ready to receive the best vaginismus treatment, you are in the right place.
This comprehensive article provides all the information you need to expand your knowledge on this serious condition. Learn more about vaginismus causes, symptoms, and potential treatment methods below.
What is Vaginismus?
In essence, vaginismus is a condition involving a spasm of your pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor muscles are the muscles that surround your vagina, bladder, and rectum. They technically span from your tailbone to your public bone. You may have heard of these muscles before as the “vaginal muscles” or “Kegel” muscles. Just like any other muscle in the body, it is not normal for the pelvic floor muscles to be painful or cause you pain. When vaginismus is present, these muscles are spasmed or stuck in a state of contraction. Therefore, it becomes more difficult and more painful for intercourse to occur. In some cases of vaginismus, the muscles are so severely spasmed or tight that intercourse is not possible.
Moreover, some women experience pain during gynecological exams or when inserting a tampon.
In other words, when women with vaginismus attempt to insert objects into the vagina, the muscles in the pelvic floor or around the vagina’s opening spasm involuntarily.
Be aware that while vaginismus is one of the causes of pain with intercourse (or dyspareunia), there are other causes as well. In fact, three out of four women experience painful sexual intercourse at some point in their life. Unfortunately, vaginismus is an under-researched condition that requires more analysis. Since female sexuality is still stigmatized, it is believed that women underreport sexual dysfunctions such as vaginismus.
Here are four interesting facts about this condition:
- Women can have vaginismus due to medical factors, emotional factors, or a combination of both.
- There are multiple forms of vaginismus, and the symptoms (such as a tight vagina) will vary.
- Some women experience mild pain, while others claim it is unbearable.
- Emotional and physical exercises are effective in treating vaginismus.
With that in mind, we always recommend you seek the best professionals when it comes to diagnosis and treatment. For instance, an excellent option is New Age Women’s Health, a mother/daughter gynecology practice in Miami and South Florida dedicated to providing patients with only the best treatment and superior results.
Different Types of Vaginismus
There are four different types of this condition: primary, secondary, situational, and global.
Primary Vaginismus
Primary vaginismus is a lifelong, painful condition. The patient experiences spasming for the first time she attempts to insert an object such as a tampon into the vagina or when trying to have sexual intercourse. Therefore, this means that inserting any object into the vagina has always been painful, difficult, or impossible. Moreover, women with primary vaginismus may struggle to undergo gynecological exams.
Sexual intercourse becomes challenging or impossible because the partner is unable to insert the penis into the woman’s vagina. Often, the sensation is described as having a “vaginal blockage,” “hitting a wall,” or similar. Also, the patient may experience generalized muscle spasms, burning, or pain. When the attempt at entering the vagina stops, the symptoms fade away.
Secondary Vaginismus
Secondary vaginismus develops after the patient has already experienced sexual intercourse without pain or difficulty.
Typically, patients who develop secondary vaginismus have undergone a medical event or condition such as childbirth, surgery, an infection, or menopause that now causes vaginismus. In some cases, vaginismus may stem from psychological factors, such as emotional or physical trauma (or both). Although treatment is possible, women will often continue feeling pain due to conditioning.
Women with secondary vaginismus note that there is a feeling of having a “tight vagina,” or “blockage”.
Situational Vaginismus
Situational vaginismus is when the symptoms of the condition happen in response to certain penetration types, but not all. For instance, the woman may find it challenging or impossible to engage in penetrative sexual intercourse, but they will find inserting a tampon to be easy.
Global Vaginismus
Women with global vaginismus experience symptoms of all penetration types. Situational and global vaginismus can be primary or secondary.
Common Symptoms of Vaginismus
You may have vaginismus if you experience vaginal blockage, tightness, or pain. However, there are many different symptoms of this condition you should be aware of. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Dyspareunia or painful sexual intercourse, with pain and the sensation of having a “tight vagina”
- Impossible or challenging penetration
- Painful tampon insertion
- The sensation of vaginal blockage
- Long-term sexual pain or pain without an obvious cause
- Painful gynecological exams
- Experiencing generalized muscle spasms when attempting sexual intercourse
Some women may experience severe pain, while others claim that the intensity is mild. Moreover, the sensation is slightly uncomfortable for some patients, while others report experiencing a burning feeling.
It is important to note that you can still become sexually aroused with vaginismus. This includes having normal orgasms. However, the condition can lead to anxiety surrounding sexual intercourse, and it can prevent you from having vaginal penetration.
Typical Vaginismus Causes
There are a few common vaginismus causes to consider. These causes are grouped into physical and emotional triggers.
Physical triggers include:
- Childbirth
- Menopause
- Infections such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, etc.
- Health conditions such as lichen sclerosis or cancer
- A lack of vaginal lubrication
- Inadequate foreplay
- Pelvic surgery
- Side effects of medications
Emotional triggers include:
- Fear of pregnancy or pain
- Anxiety before or during sexual intercourse (such as performance anxiety)
- Relationship issues (such as feeling vulnerable or having an abusive partner)
- Past trauma (such as having a history of abuse or sexual assault)
Treatment for Vaginismus
Diagnosing vaginismus is straightforward. The doctor will take your medical history, and you will undergo a pelvic exam. Before proceeding with treatment, the medical expert will rule out potential underlying causes (like infection). To get diagnosed with vaginismus, you will have to have at least one of the following symptoms for a minimum of six months:
- Pelvic or vaginal pain during sexual intercourse
- Feelings of anxiety and fear about pelvic or vulvovaginal pain from penetration
- Tensing or tightening of the pelvic floor muscles during sex (or when attempting intercourse)
When diagnosed, the doctor will either suggest progressive desensitization (a core treatment for this condition involving slow and gradual exposure to penetration) or alternative treatment methods. Progressive desensitization also involves relaxation techniques that can be beneficial for people with psychological triggers, like anxiety.
Other possible treatments include education and counseling, pelvic floor physical therapy, pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), botox, or surgery.
Since this condition has many causes, it is important to receive treatment for both psychological and physical factors if necessary.
If you or a family member are concerned about the symptoms related to this painful condition, seek out the help of a trained healthcare professional.
Visiting your gynecologist is crucial to keeping your health in check. If you are looking for the best results, consult with our reliable healthcare providers. Book an appointment today.
