Vaginismus: symptoms, causes, to treatment

Definition

What is vaginismus?

Vaginismus is a disorder in which the muscles around the vagina tighten on their own during sexual penetration. This is a sexual dysfunction that occurs in the vagina.

The vaginal muscles will tighten or tighten when you get a touch on the vaginal area. This can be a big psychological problem for you and your partner, if not addressed.

Vaginismus does not affect sexual arousal, but it can inhibit sexual intercourse. Vaginismus causes pain, difficulty, and results in a feeling of dissatisfaction with sexual activity.

These conditions can range from mild discomfort to stinging and pain. Vaginismus can be lifelong (primary) or temporary (secondary).

This sexual dysfunction can hinder a person when they want to get married and build a household, and can make a person insecure about a relationship.

How common is vaginismus?

Vaginismus is very common in women. Many women have this condition mildly in life.

This condition can occur in patients of any age. Vaginismus can be treated by reducing risk factors. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of vaginismus?

Each sufferer may have different symptoms. For example, there are women whose vaginas cannot be touched at all, so they cannot have penetrative sex because the muscles in their vagina will close completely.

Meanwhile, there are also those who can tolerate some touch, such as the touch of a pad on the vagina. There are also those who are able to have sex, but will experience excruciating pain. Some of the pain subsided after sex was over, some were still felt until the sex was over.

Another opinion states that there are some sufferers who can enjoy sexual satisfaction. They can do masturbation or oral sex with their partner, or other intimacy, and some can even reach orgasm with these things. However, what he can't do is have penetrative sex.

The symptoms of vaginismus can vary in severity. Common symptoms of this condition usually include:

Painful penetration (dyspareunia) with a sore or tight vaginal discharge that causes pain
Difficulty or unable to penetrate
Long-term sexual pain with or without a known cause
Pain when inserting a tampon
Pain during gynecological examination
Muscle spasm or stop breathing when trying to penetrate.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have any of the above signs or symptoms or you feel your sex life is disturbed, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition.

Cause

What causes vaginismus?

Vaginismus has no clear cause. However, several physical and non-physical factors can contribute to this disorder. In some serious cases, a combination of the following can cause vaginismus.

Vaginismus can be caused due to trauma, so that people with vaginismus refuse to have sex, because they already imagine the pain they will feel.

In fact, there are those who experience a loss of sexual desire when trying to have penetrative sex. This is due to the discomfort.

There are several factors that contribute to the development of vaginismus, but there is no clear explanation that vaginismus should occur. Some of these factors are:

Thinking negatively about having sex

This could be due to trauma or thought patterns that were formed when he was growing up or due to a lack of sex education and discussion about sex. There is a conceptual assumption in women's minds that sex is something painful.

Not only that, the rumors that have spread in society, from ear to ear, that the first time you have sex will be painful.

Sexual Violence

This can cause trauma to make an impression on a woman's mind. Sexual intercourse is something intimate.

Coercion makes a person lose power over himself, because intimacy is something that must get approval from both parties. The impact can be to blame himself for being a victim.

If trauma remains, slowly it will also settle in a person's subconscious mind. The victim will also experience flashbacks, when he sees or feels something that stimulates his brain to remember the painful incident. Then the brain sends a response to protect itself.

There is damage to the vagina

One example is a tear that cannot be healed after childbirth.

Pain around the vagina

This condition is included in the symptoms of vulvodynia, which is a sensation of burning and stinging, the pain can be worse when the patient sits.

Fear of getting pregnant

This kind of thinking can also be caused by a lack of education about sex, that the risk of pregnancy is always there when having sexual intercourse, but the process of conception is not that easy.

The brain sends signals to the body as protection from "threatening things".

Relationship problems

This could be due to a lack of openness or trust in your partner. The accumulation of problems in a relationship also affects sexual relations.

What increases my risk for vaginismus?

There are many risk factors for vaginismus, including:

History of sexual violence or trauma
Scary medical procedures in childhood
Painful first sexual intercourse
Relationship problems
Sexual obstruction
Fear of getting pregnant
Memories of previous pain from infection, surgery, or other gynecological conditions.

Treatment

How is vaginismus diagnosed?

You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical examination will be carried out. Vaginal spasms can be detected through a physical exam.

Your doctor may also ask you what problems you have first, how often, and what triggers are. You will also be asked about your sexual history, including whether you have experienced sexual violence.

Pelvic exam

A pelvic exam can confirm a diagnosis of vaginismus. Generally, women with this condition will be nervous or afraid as they go through a pelvic exam session. Talk to your doctor about the most comfortable position.

If your doctor suspects that you have vaginismus, they will perform a gentle examination. Your doctor may ask you to help him or her guide a hand or medical instrument into the vagina to make penetration easier.

In this examination, the doctor will see if there are signs of infection or injury. If it is not found, it means that you have vaginismus.

Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How to treat vaginismus?

Treatment options vary depending on the cause of the pain. Fortunately, vaginismus is one of the most commonly treated women's disorders.

Usually, vaginismus will be treated with vaginal relaxation therapy, emotional therapy and surgery. Here's the full review:

Drugs

In the case of an infection or medical condition that is contributing to the pain, treating the cause with medication can improve your condition. Changing medications that are known to cause lubrication problems can also eliminate symptoms.

Many women who have experienced menopause are due to a lack of lubrication due to low levels of estrogen. Often times, this condition can be treated with topical estrogens applied directly to the vagina.

Kegel exercises

In addition, pelvic floor control exercises (Kegel exercises) and vaginal exercises can relieve pain slowly and help with vaginismus. practice

Kegel includes contraction and relaxation activities that help improve pelvic floor muscle control. Vaginal exercises aim to help you get used to the objects that enter the vagina.

Exercise that is done is by doing muscle tightening, the same as when you hold your pee. Here are the steps to do it:

Empty your bladder
Hold your pelvic floor muscles for two to 10 seconds
Relax the muscles for 10 seconds
Repeat this step 10 times, three times a day.

After you have practiced Kegel exercises, the next day, you can try to insert your finger - about one knuckle of yours, into your vagina while doing Kegel exercises.

You can do this exercise while taking a shower, so that the water can become a lubricant for your vagina. Don't forget to pay attention to the cleanliness of your nails first. If your vaginal muscles contract when you insert your finger, you can stop, but try to do it again when you get a little comfortable.

Operation

Surgery is another option used to widen the vagina. This may need to be done in certain situations.

For example, if the previous operation resulted in scar tissue that borders the vagina, such as an episiotomy during labor.

In this case, a small operation can help remove the wound tissue, by carefully cutting the wound tissue and suturing it with small sutures. The operation can be performed under local or general anesthesia.

Sex therapy and counseling

If the cause of your vaginismus is psychological problems such as trauma and certain fears, you can consult a therapist. This helps you to heal the root of your fear.

Don't hesitate to talk to experts because sexual dysfunction can damage the harmony between you and your partner.

Counseling can involve you alone or with your partner. Working with a sexual disorders counselor can help.

Hypnosis and relaxation techniques can also promote relaxation and help you feel more comfortable having sex.

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat vaginismus?

Here are lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with vaginismus:

Change positions

If you experience pain during penetration, the penis may hit the cervix or press on the pelvic floor muscles, causing pain or cramping.

Switching positions can help. You can try to position on top of your partner during sex. Women usually have more control with this position, so you can adjust the penetration according to your wishes.