Does anyone have any first hand knowledge
of vaginismus? I'm 21, need help and not
exactly sure how to approach the
issue....Thanks,
meg
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NYGUY
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Posts: 41 Location: NYC
Posted: 08-26-04 20:34pm
The first step for any woman who suspects
she has vaginismus is to schedule a full
pelvic examination with her gynecologist
in order to rule out a physical cause.
Ruling out any physical causes, vaginismus
is most often conceptualized as a
psychosomatic disorder, a physical
manifestation of some deeper psychological
cause. There are several theories as to
what those psychological causes are, but
most center around three primary issues:
control issues within the relationship,
past sexual trauma, or a conditioned
association of pain/fear with vaginal
penetration (a phobic reaction to the
thought of penetration).
Common treatment for
psychologically-rooted vaginismus will
include a combination of couples therapy,
proscribed kegel exercises for the woman,
sensate focus exercises for the couple to
do at home, and the progressive use of a
plastic dilator or finger which is
inserted into the woman’s vaginal opening
in order to progressively stretch the
contracted muscles.
Fortunately, research shows that if
vaginismus is treated by a professional
using these (or similar) techniques, the
woman can expect an 80 to 100% cure rate.
The most important variable in determining
positive outcome, however, is the support
the effected woman has while she is coping
with the anxiety produced during
treatment. Anxiety which will inevitably
be produced when the woman is faced with
the dilemma that her being cured means
allowing the penetration which she fears
so much. Ideally, this anxiety will be
confronted and dealt with in the couples’
therapy and, as a result, the couple can
look forward to being cured and sharing
the experience of intercourse once again.
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Posted: 08-26-04 21:50pm
If I had that fear I would be happy. I
would leave it that way and live your life
happy without having to deal with the
stress of "relationships" and also with
trying to enjoy sex. It is all just so
much work that if I had that problem I
would seriously be relieved.
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NYGUY
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Posts: 41 Location: NYC
Posted: 08-26-04 22:37pm
Wow i'm so sorry you feel that way,
hotasfrick. I have had some real rough
relationships too but I cant imaging
giving up on the notion that there is
someone out there for me worth the
pitfalls of a relationship.
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Posted: 08-26-04 23:05pm
I am very negative right now and I do
apologize for coming off as rude (if I
did)
it is always easy to say you wished you
felt a certain way when you don't. I
really do feel for anyone who has an issue
like the above mentioned.
In my life though I have just gave up on
the whole idea of a significant other. I
have always been better off and happier on
my own. In a relationship it is always
give, give, give and get nothing and I am
just done. I have had not sexual desire
for about six months and I really, really
hope it stays that way. When desire
takes over then I always consider being in
a relationship and just end up wasting
more time.
I have many, many things that I just will
not except and it is impossible to find
someone with the same values. Especially
nowadays. And when you find someone who
does have the same values it always turns
out that they really don't, but were just
lying to get you to be with them.
I am better off alone and I really truly
hope I can keep that mindset so I don't
waste anymore time.
Anyway, enough about me! If this
condition bothers you then get to a
doctor, dear! Good luck to you.
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little_woman
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2004 Posts: 765
Posted: 08-27-04 00:06am
N.Yguy thank you so much for your positive
feedback, I appreciate this coming from a
male. The guy that i'm with now is very
compassionate and understanding and I want
to fix this problem not only from myself
but for him as well. Hes told me
repeatedly that hes paitent and doesnt
blame me for anything. I'm looking around
for self help techniques and since I have
student insurance I am going to speak to a
counselor about this, but thank you very
much
meg
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Posted: 08-27-04 00:15am
Okay I just found this info:
causes:
primary: often multifactorial
negative messages about sex and sexual
relations in upbringing may cause phobic
reaction
poor body image of genital area
history of sexual trauma, although rates
of vaginismus appear to be similar in
sexually abused and un-abused populations
of women (studies show incidence of sexual
abuse of women to be from 12-40%)
secondary
new onset of infection
surgical or post delivery scarring
endometriosis
inadequate vaginal lubrication
have you ever had intercourse? Have you
had tests to see if you have
endometriosis? Endo is a very painful
disease and can cause all kinds of
different pains. If endo is the cause
then it cannot be cured with counseling.
The pain is not in your head it is very,
very real. It isn't necessarily caused
by psycological factors.
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Info On Treatment Posted: 08-27-04 00:22am
Prior to the development of intravaginal
emg sensors, the most common treatment for
vaginismus consisted of using dilators --
plastic cylinders of varying sizes -- to
"force" the muscles around the vagina to
stretch or relax and allow penetration.
This was traditionally done in the
physician's office. In recent years
there has been an improvement in the
therapy, with increased emphasis on
allowing the patient to self-insert the
dilators at home. Typically the therapy
proceeds from smaller to larger dilators,
and from self-insertion to
partner-assisted insertion, in a classical
"hierarchy" of behavioral steps. This
method is often described as extremely
effective, but also as taking many weeks
to accomplish.
There is a fundamental flaw in this use of
dilators, which are actually intended to
passively stretch pelvic (vaginal) muscles
have have become shortened through years
of chronic tension. The problem is that
most vaginismus cases involve not actually
shortened muscles but actively tense
muscles.
In the past 30 years it has become clear
that electromyographic biofeedback --
monitoring and displaying the muscle
activity of affected muscles -- is the
most effective way of teaching patients to
have voluntary control over specific
muscle groups. This has commonly been
used in the treatment of muscle tension
headaches, neck and shoulder pains, and
pain in many other muscle groups.
Initially some biofeedback therapists
assumed that if a patient were having
difficulty with vaginal insertion it would
be easier to use surface electrodes placed
on the perineum instead of inserted
sensors. In fact, therapeutic results
show that virtually all women suffering
from vaginismus have no trouble inserting
vaginal sensors.
How could this be true? The fundamental
difference is that when inserting a
vaginal sensor, the woman has complete
control over the insertion process, and
can proceed at her own pace. It is also
much easier to physically manipulate a 3
oz. Sensor than a 185 pound husband with
an erection.
With an emg biofeedback device, the
patient can quickly see and recognize the
effect of her involuntary pelvic muscle
contractions that prevent penetration, and
learn to bring them under voluntary
control. The process usually takes from
a single session to a couple of weeks of
home practice -- considerably less time
than is claimed for dilators.
In actual therapy, the patient is usually
first given a demonstration of voluntary
muscle control by placing a surface patch
electrode on a neutral muscle, such as the
forearm. When it is clear that she
understands the relationship between the
sensations of voluntary contractions
through proprioceptive (internal bodily)
feedback and the graphic display of those
contractions on the (external) biofeedback
computer screen, and has practiced several
contraction and relaxation sequences,
training moves to the pelvic muscles
themselves.
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little_woman
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2004 Posts: 765
Posted: 08-27-04 04:41am
I have read about the dialators and I
found a website called vaginismus.Com that
offers self help kits and I was thinking
of investing in one, and as far as history
I have had a bad experiment with my ex b.F
that resulted in me kind of shying away
from sex that was a year ago so things
have gotten slightly better *it invloved a
negative attitude and a few other things*
but I am going to go into counseling later
on, I really believe I need it, I want to
enjoy it as I have been hearing it can be
so amazing and all......
Meg
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aanifant
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 101 Location: Galway
Fertility Clinic Posted: 08-27-04 06:35am
I do think you should discuss previous bad
experiences with sex, however,
psycosamatic related issues with sex
usually cause a tightening of muscles. If
you're talking about an excrutiating pain
during sex than it can be a number of
differnet things. There is a serious lack
of research and knowlege about women's
health and most gynecologists will look at
you blankly and say you're having
emotional problems, stress or your bf's
dick is too big. Excrutiatingly painflu
sex could be related to anything from
damaged nerve endings in the vaginal canal
to endometriosis (which you need an expert
in endo to diagnose) to ovarian cysts to
an infection or virus. If you feel like
screaming beacaus of intolerable pain
during sex rather than a tight feeling I
think you should look into a specialised
fertility clinic or get a good female
gynocologist, along with counseling. Best
of luck.
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Posted: 08-27-04 15:24pm
Yah, anyway....
I would definately still get a full
physical first. Just to make sure you
don't have any of those physical causes I
listed.
But, since you have had the bad experience
then it may all be psycological for you.
Good luck to you and I wish you great
sex!Lol.
