Vaginismus: Causes, symptoms, treatment

Vaginismus is an involuntary tensing of the vagina that can happen whenever people have intercourse, while inserting tampons or when having a pelvic examination done by gynaecologist. Here's all you need to know about its causes, symptoms and treatment

Vaginismus is an involuntary tensing of the vagina that can happen whenever people have intercourse, while inserting tampons or when they are having a pelvic examination done by their gynaecologist. It can impact a woman's mental health and romantic relationships because there are feelings of guilt as one is unable to allow the partner to penetrate, can cause anxiety and relationship problems, can sometimes lead to the partners separating if the issue is not addressed and many women start believing that there is something wrong with their vagina or that their vaginal opening is too small but this is not true in fact, gynaecological examinations reveal that vagina is absolutely normal and healthy.

Vaginismus: Causes, symptoms, treatment (MART PRODUCTION)

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Taru Jindal, Lead Vaginismus Expert at Proactive For Her, explained, “Vaginismus is a health condition where an involuntary reflex contraction of the vaginal muscles makes it extremely difficult for a woman to allow vaginal penetration, whether by a finger during gynaecological exam, cup or tampon insertion or penis during sexual intercourse, despite the fact that the woman really wants to do it. The vaginal opening involuntarily clamps shut and women often describe this experience as “it felt like hitting a wall” and “the more we tried pushing, the more it hurts”.”

Causes:

Dr Taru Jindal, Lead Vaginismus Expert at Proactive For Her, revealed that during a woman's growing up years, if she experiences one or more of the following negative events or beliefs about sex and penetration, it may cause vaginismus -

1. Penetration can be painful

2. Perceives sex is Immoral/shameful

3. Has had traumatic experiences with bad touch

4. Considers it is a sin/shameful to get pregnant before marriage

5. Ignorance of one’s private parts and sex

6. Any event that made the girl feel threatened or unsafe

So even if the woman desires penetration, her subconscious mind treats it as a threat. According to Dr Prathima Reddy, Director - SPARSH Hospital for Women and Children and Lead Consultant - Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, “Largely, the actual cause of Vaginismus is unknown and healthcare providers are unsure as to why vaginismus occurs but some of the factors that may contribute to vaginismus are anxiety, fear of intercourse or negative feelings about intercourse or sex, sexual traumas like sexual abuse or rape. Also, prior surgery in the vaginal areas and injuries that have occurred at child birth particularly affecting the vagina and the vulva.”

Symptoms:

Mainly pain or discomfort during intercourse, inability to have full penetration at intercourse or sex, inability to allow the gynecologist to perform a pelvic examination and difficulty in inserting tampons.

Treatment:

Dr Taru Jindal assured, “The treatment for vaginismus is not very difficult and can in fact be healed in just 6-8 weeks. Vaginismus is healed through emotional healing and vaginal relaxation through pelvic floor exercises and vaginal dilators. A vaginismus healing program helps women heal vaginismus through a comprehensive healing approach by providing individual coaching, group therapy, pleasure coaching, partner support and pelvic floor relaxation sessions.”

A few things that Dr Prathima Reddy advises women with Vaginismus, especially if they haven’t been able to have penetrative intercourse are:

1. Topical applications of a local anaesthetic which numbs the area and allows penetration, until they begin to feel comfortable to allow the penetration without the use of the cream

2. Psychosexual counselling or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - This can help the woman understand her thoughts and emotions

3. Pelvic floor exercises by a trained physical therapist who can teach the woman how to relax the pelvic floor muscles because there is also tightening of the pelvic floor muscles when vaginismus occurs

4. Vaginal Dilator therapy - There are vaginal dilators in the form of cones which are graded to increase in size and the woman is taught to use this to dilate the vagina so that the vagina becomes less sensitive to vaginal penetration.