Overcoming vaginismus which makes sex painful, in these 2 ways

Sex should be a romantic activity and most lovebirds look forward to. However, some women always feel pain every time they have sex so that sex becomes a terrible specter. Complaints of pain during sex are generally caused by vaginismus, a disorder that makes the pelvic floor muscles spasm and tighten tightly so that the vagina closes when getting stimulated. As a result, penetration can be very painful or even impossible to do. Is there a way to treat vaginismus?

What are the causes of vaginismus?

Vaginismus can make sex painful due to various factors, both physically and emotionally.

Generally, trauma to sexual violence in the past, negative thought patterns about sex, fear of conceding pregnancy, self-confidence problems (body image), problems in the relationship itself, side effects of drugs or post-surgery, to medical conditions such as infections or a history of vaginal injuries can trigger vaginismus.

Vaginismus can also be triggered by a lack of preparation before sex in women who do not have the risk factors above. For example, foreplay is not long and steady so that the vagina is not really "wet" when penetration has already taken place.

Vaginismus occurs when the brain reads these risk factors as dangerous and sends signals to the body to protect you from "threatening things". Then, the muscles around the pelvic floor and around the vagina respond by closing themselves off.

Various ways to deal with vaginismus

Although it doesn't directly affect sex drive (libido), vaginismus can make women reluctant or even afraid to make love because they don't want to feel the pain. This condition can gradually become a problem for you and your partner's bed.

Vaginismus can also make you painful when you insert a tampon during your period or when your doctor inserts a speculum for a Pap smear test. So, how do you deal with vaginismus?

Kegel exercises

In general, vaginal tightness can be corrected by routine Kegel exercises. Its purpose is to relax the muscles around the vagina. How to do Kegel is similar to instinct to tighten the pelvic muscles to hold back urination, namely:

1. Tighten your pelvic muscles and hold for 10 seconds. Don't tighten your stomach, butt, or thigh muscles while doing Kegel exercises.
2. Relax again.
3. Repeat 20 times. You can do Kegel multiple times a day.

Sex therapy

If the cause of your pain during sex refers more to psychological problems, such as trauma and certain fears, consulting a psychologist or sex therapist may be the best way to deal with vaginismus.

Counseling may be done alone or together with your partner to find the best solution together. Relaxation and hypnosis techniques can also promote relaxation and help you feel more comfortable with sexual intercourse.

In addition, your therapist or doctor may recommend using a vaginal dilator. A vaginal dilator is a silicone medical device that looks like a dildo sex toy. This tool is inserted into the vagina to make your vagina more elastic, allowing you to have vaginal penetration without pain.

You should still consult your doctor first to find ways to deal with vaginismus according to the cause.

x