“Vaginismus is an involuntary contraction of
the muscles surrounding the entrance to the vagina,
making penetration painful or impossible”.1

Umbrella
What may the Vaginismus Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD)
  • Vaginal Spasm
  • Vaginal Tightness
  • Vaginismus

Definition

What is vaginismus?

DotS the definition of vaginismus may vary. The (United States) MedlinePlus’ definition is:

“Vaginismus is a spasm of the muscles surrounding the vagina that occurs against your will. The spasms makes the vagina very narrow and can prevent sexual activity and medical exams”.2

The (United States) Vaginismus.com’s definition is:

“Vaginismus is an involuntary contraction of the muscles surrounding the entrance to the vagina, making penetration painful or impossible”.3

Symptoms

What are the key symptoms of vaginismus?

In Vaginismus: Key Symptoms Vaginismus.com note:

  • “Difficult or impossible penetration, entry pain, uncomfortable insertion of penis
  • Burning or stinging with tightness during sex
  • Difficulty inserting tampons, even after repeated attempts
  • Difficulty undergoing pelvic/gynecological exam with speculum
  • Avoidance of intercourse due to fear, pain, or failure”.4

Cause

What may cause vaginismus?

In Causes of Vaginismus: Causes Hope and Her elaborate on:

“For most women, vaginismus comes as a surprise. Though they are biologically normal, difficulties with penetration or ongoing vaginal tightness and pain seem to start mysteriously and continue repeatedly. Sometimes there is noticeable pain experienced that triggers the initial problem; however, for many, the contributing factors are subtle, and not always identified”.5

Menopause

Is there an association between menopause and vaginismus?

In Vaginal Discomfort: Discomfort Not Directly Related To Menopause – Vaginismus the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) explain:

“It may develop as a result of past sexual abuse, fear of sex, or lack of sexual experience. Vaginismus also may occur for the first time in midlife women as a response to painful intercourse caused by estrogen deficiency and vaginal atrophy”.6

Treatment

How is vaginismus treated?

In Vaginismus Treatment: Limbic Reduction Devices + Exercises – Treatment Overview Hope and Her elaborate on:


Vaginismus

“Effective treatment approaches combine pelvic floor control exercises, insertion or dilation training, pain elimination techniques, transition steps, and exercises designed to help women identify, express and resolve any contributing emotional components”.7

Health Care Provider

What if I think I have vaginismus?

If you think you have vaginismus, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. The NAMS explain:

“Because vaginal discomfort can arise from so many different sources, persistent symptoms of dryness, irritation, burning, itchiness, or pain should be evaluated by a healthcare provider to determine their cause”.8

In Vaginismus: What Is Vaginismus? the (United Kingdom] NHS suggest you:

“See a GP or go to a sexual health clinic if:

  • You find it hard inserting a tampon into your vagina
  • You struggle with vaginal penetration during sex
  • You feel burning or stinging pain during sex

These are common signs of vaginismus”.9

Who is a GP?

DotS and/or DotC (Depending on the Country) a GP may be a qualified and registered general practitioner, a medical practitioner, a medical doctor or a doctor.

In Vaginismus: What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor? A Note From Cleveland Clinic the (United States] Cleveland Clinic also encourage us the seek help:

“If you experience muscle spasms or pain that makes intercourse uncomfortable or impossible, don’t be embarrassed to talk to your healthcare provider. You don’t have to keep suffering. Many problems, including vaginismus, can cause painful intercourse. Almost all of these problems are treatable. A lot of people see significant improvements in their sex lives and their mental health after vaginismus treatments”.10

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to the Vaginismus?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

Where may I find Links related to Vaginismus?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Vaginismus. Vaginismus.com https://www.vaginismus.com/ Accessed: 01 February 2023
  2. Vaginismus. Review Date: 19 May 2022. MedlinePlus https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001487.htm Accessed: 01 February 2023
  3. Vaginismus. Vaginismus.com https://www.vaginismus.com/ Accessed: 01 February 2023
  4. Vaginismus: Key Symptoms. Vaginismus.com https://www.vaginismus.com/ Accessed: 01 February 2023
  5. Causes of Vaginismus: Causes. Hope and Her https://hopeandher.com/pages/vaginismus-causes Accessed: 01 February 2023
  6. Vaginal Discomfort: Discomfort Not Directly Related To Menopause – Vaginismus. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/sexual-health-menopause-online/causes-of-sexual-problems/vaginal-discomfort Accessed: 01 February 2023
  7. Vaginismus Treatment: Limbic Reduction Devices + Exercises – Treatment Overview. Hope and Her https://www.vaginismus.com/vaginismus-exercises Accessed: 01 February 2023
  8. Vaginal Discomfort: Discomfort Not Directly Related To Menopause. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/sexual-health-menopause-online/causes-of-sexual-problems/vaginal-discomfort Accessed: 01 February 2023
  9. Vaginismus: What Is Vaginismus? Page Last Reviewed: 10 February 2021. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaginismus/ Accessed: 01 February 2023
  10. Vaginismus: What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor? A Note From Cleveland Clinic. Last Reviewed 28 October 2020. Cleveland Clinichttps://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15723-vaginismus Accessed: 01 February 2023
Topic Last Updated: 01 February 2023 – Topic Last Reviewed: 01 February 2023

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