Category: What the hell is going on?

Vaginismus is a recurrent or persistent involuntary vaginal muscle spasm causing vaginal discomfort, burning sensations, and pain.

The involuntary muscle spasms prevent vaginal penetration, which often results in a complete inability to have penetrative sex. 

 

 

Sexual pain disorders, like vaginismus, are commonly misdiagnosed or left unaddressed. There is still no definitive medical test for the diagnosis of vaginismus, so it often takes visits to several doctors or specialists before a diagnosis is obtained. Yippee.

But that’s ok because guess what, sunshine? We’re in this together and your experience with vaginismus is about to get a whole lot easier. 

 

Facts 

Ok, it’s time to talk about some Fast and Furious Facts. 

Just kidding! Reliable statistics for the incidence of vaginismus do not exist.

Unfortunately, due to shame or embarrassment, many people do not seek help (but not you!), while some are given an incorrect diagnosis and are never properly treated.

Healthcare providers don’t really keep statistics on the number of vagina-owners specifically seeking help for vaginal penetration problems (that sucks) and sadly, some resign themselves to a life devoid of a sexual relationship, falsely thinking they can never be healed (that sucks more). 

 

We’ve done the research, and here’s what we do know:

1. Vaginismus affects approximately 5 – 17% percent of people with vaginas
2. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found that one in three people with vaginas will experience painful sex at some point (that’s huge) 
3. Research suggests that sexual dysfunction is common, with 43% of people with vaginas and 31% of people with penises reporting some degree of sexual difficulty 

And the most important fact of all: VAGINISMUS IS TREATABLE (wahoo for you).

Time to unpack some of this information.

Basically, there are two types of vaginismus; primary and secondary. 

Primary vaginismus occurs when penetrative sex or other vaginal penetration cannot be experienced without pain.

Secondary vaginismus occurs when a person who has previously been able to achieve penetration develops vaginismus.

So what causes these two types of vaginismus? Read on, reader!

 

Primary vaginismus is commonly caused by negative messages about sex and sexual relations during childhood. This fear around sex can develop due to several factors such as:

• Fear of sex, pregnancy, childbirth, or sexually transmitted diseases or infections 
• Strict religious upbringing or sexual beliefs such as believing sex is wrong or that penetration will cause pain, injury, and bleeding 
• Limited understanding of genitalia

Secondary vaginismus is often situational; it could result from sexual trauma, surgical or post-delivery scarring, endometriosis, inadequate vaginal lubrication, estrogen deficiency, an uncomfortable previous sexual encounter, or sexual assault. 

It’s important to remember that vaginismus is not:

1. Endometriosis
2. Vulvodynia
3. A curse 
4. Something you have to go through alone!

 

You’ve probably now reached the point where you are beginning to realize that Charlotte, Miranda, Samantha, and Carrie have all shamefully let you down. That’s ok because in GINA we trust.