Is vaginismus really curable?
Vaginismus is not a “disease” - just the manifestation of a reflex contraction caused by various reasons: trauma, sexual violence, genitourinary disorders, lack of stimulation, psychological pressure and other injunctions of all kinds.
This hypertonicity of the musculature surrounding the vaginal canal can be corrected with multidisciplinary approaches that can combine several skills: sexology, psychology, gynecology, perineology, physiotherapy, etc. And several medical devices: lubricants, vaginal dilators, sexual comfort rings, etc.
The approach of curing the symptom in isolation is often inconclusive; we recommend that you adopt an overall, systemic vision of what could contribute to causing the reflex contraction and act instead on the causes.
For more tips on this, check out our article .
How do you know if you have vaginismus?
The muscles of the pelvic floor can give rise to painful conditions due to muscle spasms. When the muscles of the perineum contract only in anticipation of penetrative intercourse, we speak of vaginismus. This results in anxiety or even a "phobia" of penetration that affects people with vaginas, hence its name. Concretely, each time there is an attempt at penetration, whether by a penis, a sex toy or any other object that is inserted into the vagina (tampon, speculum, probe), the muscles of the pelvic floor contract immediately to prevent any intrusion into the vagina and without the affected person being able to control this contraction. By definition, this phenomenon is involuntary and uncontrollable.
It is called "primary" when it has always existed. It is called "secondary" when it appears after a period where sexual relations have taken place without any difficulty. In all cases, if penetration still takes place, despite the blockage, it will be a source of pain and will further accentuate this defense mechanism and its symptoms. Although it is not extremely common, this disorder is not rare either and affects between 1% and 3% of people with vaginas. However, we believe that this data is incomplete and that in reality this condition affects many more people than it seems!
How to treat vaginismus
At IntyEssentials , we have identified 4 tips to treat vaginismus :
1. Talk to a healthcare professional
Do not hesitate to consult a midwife, gynecologist, physiotherapist specializing in perineology or even a sexologist. They will be able to help you find solutions adapted to your situation.
2. Communicate with your partner
Your partner may have a hard time understanding what's wrong or supporting you if you don't explain how you feel and that it's not their fault. The more comfortable you are with this sensitive topic, the more likely you are to overcome it.
3. Learn to relax your perineal muscles
Practice abdominal breathing techniques, or even cardiac coherence, to relax during your intimate relations and to release your pelvic muscles to make penetration enjoyable. On the other hand, there are vaginal dilators specifically designed to learn how to manage sufficient muscle relaxation to enjoy penetration gradually and at your own pace. For more information, see our article on this subject.
4. Consider lubrication when having penetrative sex
Once you feel ready to resume penetrative intercourse, consider using a natural and organic lubricant preferably, or a silicone-based formula for even greater glide.
