Why getting intimate could be painful for you

There are ladies who experience pain during intimacy and they ignorantly take it to be normal especially when the pain has always been present. Unknown to them, they could be having a condition called Vaginismus. This is a condition is responsible for the pain a lady feels during intercourse or when she tries to insert objects such as tampons and speculums into her genitals. This is caused by tightening up of the vagina due to the involuntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles.

Vaginismus can be caused by physical stressors, emotional stressors, or both.

Types of Vaginismus

Primary vaginismus: When vaginal penetration has never been achieved. It is difficult to use a tampon or to undergo a gynecological exam. It is also often experienced by women during their first intercourse.

Secondary vaginismus: The pain is not always present. It may developed after a woman has already experienced normal intercourse and it stems from specific events, such as infections, menopause, traumatic events, medical condition, stress and emotions, surgery, or childbirth.

Symptoms

The symptoms of the Vaginismus condition include:

Difficult or impossible penetration Long-term sexual pain with or without a known cause Pain during tampon insertion Pain during a gynecological examination Generalized muscle spasm or breathing cessation during attempted intercourse Painful intercourse with tightness and pain that may give a burning sensation

Treatment

For treatment, a pelvic examination is carried out. The treatment aims at reducing the tightening of muscles and it consists of the following:

Pelvic floor control exercises- These include muscle contraction and relaxation activities, or Kegel exercises, to improve control of the pelvic floor muscles. Education and counseling- Providing information about the sexual anatomy and sexual response cycle can help the individual understand their pain and the processes their body is going through. Reducing sensitivity to insertion: A woman will be encouraged to touch the area as close as possible to the vaginal opening every day without causing pain, moving closer each day. Insertion or dilation training- Here a woman uses a plastic dilator or a cone-shaped insert, mainly after managing to carry out the day to day touching without pain. After managing to insert this without pain, the next step will be to leave it in for 10 to 15 minutes, to let the muscles get used to the pressure. Next, she can use a larger insert, and then she can teach her partner how to apply the insert. When the woman feels comfortable with this, she can allow her partner to put his penis near the vagina, but not inside. When she is completely comfortable with this, the couple can try intercourse again. They may wish to build up gradually to this, as with the insert.