Vaginismus

What is vaginismus?

Vaginismus is a psychological condition that manifests itself in a powerful physical response. Whenever there's an attempt to penetrate the vagina, the muscles surrounding the entrance go into involuntary spasm.

Some women may be easily aroused and enjoy regular orgasms - but for some reason, intercourse isn't possible. Others, however, may have little sexual interest and a lot of fears and anxieties about penetration.

Some women will have had the condition all their adult lives, for others it may have occurred after a trauma or in a particular relationship. Either way, vaginismus can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Not only do they find it more difficult to enjoy love-making, but the inability to be penetrated makes the decision to start a family very difficult.

Causes of vaginismus

There are many causes, though none are physical. If you've suffered painful intercourse in the past, then vaginismus may be an unconscious response to avoid more pain.

Broadly speaking, the common psychological causes can be split into three categories:

• Personal issues about sex. Some women are brought up believing it’s a bad and dangerous thing. There may have been very powerful cultural or religious taboos that left you with feelings of guilt or shame whenever you felt any sexual desire. Puberty may have been associated with feeling dirty or embarrassed or if there was inadequate sex education, women can grow up feeling that it's physically impossible to be penetrated.
• Previous traumatic experiences. If, at any stage in your life, you've experienced a traumatic incident associated with your sexuality or your genital area, you may have developed vaginismus as a protective response to further hurt. For some, vaginismus comes in the aftermath of a rape or sexual abuse. Contact Rape Crisis for help and advice if you have been raped or sexually assaulted recently or in the past.
• Relationship problems. There may be unresolved anxieties between you and your partner that may be causing or at least contributing to the problem. If you're unhappy about something in your relationship, talk it through and try to resolve the issue.

Treatments for vaginismus

The good news is that vaginismus is a treatable condition once appropriate help has been found. Your GP will help you understand what's causing the problem and how best to tackle it.