Vaginismus treatment in malaga
Vaginismus
It is estimated that between 7 and 16% of women suffer from vaginismus. However, obtaining reliable statistics on this condition is hampered by a variety of factors, and it is quite possible that the actual numbers are much higher.
With this condition, the woman has no control or desire to create the tension in the vagina. She may not realise that this muscle response is largely responsible for the difficulty of penetration during intercourse or pain during penetration. The good news is that this problem can be treated.
What is vaginismus?
The vaginismus is a condition characterised by an involuntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles surrounding the vagina, which occurs at the moment of penetration during sexual intercourse or when inserting a tampon and causes pain, stinging or burning.
Types of Vaginismus
There are two types of vaginismus:
Primary vaginismus This is when a woman has experienced pain every time she has had sexual intercourse, or inserted a tampon, or when she has never been able to insert anything into her vagina.
Secondary vaginismus Vaginismus is when a woman has had sexual intercourse without pain prior to the onset of the condition, but then it becomes difficult or impossible to have sexual intercourse. It is also known as acquired vaginismus.
Causes of Vaginismus
The causes of vaginismus are different in the two types of vaginismus.
Primary vaginismus It occurs in women who have had painful penetration all their lives. Often these women will have painful first insertion of the tampon, painful gynaecological examinations, and often find it difficult to have sexual intercourse.
Involuntary spasms of the pelvic floor muscles surrounding the vagina are the cause of this type of vaginismus. The cause of these involuntary muscle spasms is unknown, however, factors such as anxiety, strict sexual education, strong family religious connotations, fear of having sex for the first time, exposure to sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy have been associated with primary vaginismus.
The fear factor is activated when a woman becomes aware, consciously or unconsciously, that there is pain when she tries to insert a finger, tampon or penis into her vagina. This pain leads to increased anxiety and further tightening of the muscles, which in turn leads to more pain. At this point the woman enters a self-feeding cycle of anxiety and pain, and the pain and fear becomes greater and greater over time if the cycle is not stopped.
Secondary vaginismus It occurs in women who have previously had painless vaginal penetration, but who at some point experience painful penetration, and from then on the symptoms begin. This type of vaginismus can be caused by medical problems, traumatic events, partner problems, surgery, childbirth or menopause. Generally this type of vaginismus does not have a fear component at the beginning, but over time the fear of objective pain experienced previously reinforces the cycle of anxiety described in primary vaginismus.
As we have seen, vaginismus has a variety of causes, resulting from a combination of physical and emotional factors. The mystery of this problem can be frustrating and distressing for both women and their partners.
Is it possible to confuse vaginismus with other pain syndromes?
The vaginismus may be confused with vulvodynia or vestibulodynia. The fear and anxiety factors of vaginismus may lead women to confuse fear of penetration with pain. A medical history and a good medical examination are important to distinguish vaginismus from vulvodynia and vestibulodynia.
How is vaginismus diagnosed?
In Malaga, in our Pérez-Bryan Clinicthe diagnosis of vaginismus is based on the clinical history, symptoms and findings during physical examination. Common history and symptoms reported by women with vaginismus include difficult or impossible penetration, refraining from sex because of pain or failure, inability to insert tampons, avoidance of gynaecological examinations, anxiety and fear of vaginal penetration, constant sexual pain after a pelvic problem, childbirth or surgery.
The physical examination to diagnose this condition begins with a pelvic examination This means that the woman's genital anatomy is assessed with the use of a mirror. This examination can be challenging for some of these women, as it can be very overwhelming for them to see their anatomy. However, viewing the anatomy together with the patient provides an extraordinary educational opportunity, as well as the opportunity for patients to ask questions.
The Q-tip test is then performed to determine if there is pain in the vestibule area, in order to rule out vestibulodynia. This is followed by an examination of the internal vaginal muscles. The gynaecologist inserts one or two fingers into the vagina to feel the internal vaginal muscles and feel their tension. This last test makes it possible to determine the severity of the vaginismus.
Treatment of vaginismus
The The aim of vaginismus treatment is to stop painful sexual intercourse.
This treatment has two fundamental aspects. On the one hand, the physical aspect in which the objective is to achieve sufficient dilation or muscle relaxation without pain to allow sexual intercourse and the use of vaginal devices such as tampons. But another of the fundamental aspects is the joint work in the emotional area, with the help of a psychologist. Women with vaginismus have emotional consequences that can have a high impact on their daily lives as a result of their pain, and they need help in managing these fears and anxieties, as well as support in the treatment process, which can sometimes be upsetting or go against taboos that the patient may have. Moreover, in the case of primary vaginismus especially, learning to control fear is key to successful treatment, as well as treating the source of that fear. Pharmacological treatment for more serious cases of anxiety may even be necessary.
Physical treatment usually involves the use of progressively sized vaginal dilators, which will relax and stretch the vaginal muscles. The slow, systematic and progressive dilation of the vaginal muscles will help connect the brain to these muscles, allowing the woman to have conscious control of the muscles so that involuntary muscle spasms will no longer occur.
Both when inserting the dilators and during intercourse, increased lubrication should be used in addition, only by using lubricants at the moment of penetration, or also by using vulvar and vaginal creams for moisturising or repairing genital atrophy if present. This treatment is usually supported by a specialist in pelvic floor physiotherapy.
The vaginismus is a problem that greatly affects women's quality of life. who suffer from it and who are under-diagnosed because of fear or embarrassment about expressing symptoms. suffered. If you suspect you may have vaginismus, don't hesitate to contact us, and Have the confidence to express yourself without fear, without taboos, no one will judge you. In our Gynaecological Clinic of Malaga We will do our best to help you.