What is Vaginismus?
From the DSM IV (psychiatric bible) a psychosexual disorder classified by -
(1) Recurrent or persistent involuntary spasm of the muscles of the outer third of the vagina that interferes with sexual intercourse.
(2) The disturbance causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.
(3) The disturbance is not better accounted for by another disorder (e.g., somatization disorder) and is not due exclusively to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition.
Some women who have vaginismus find sexual intercourse quite painful and cannot tolerate it. Some proposed causes (when this condition is not seen to be caused by medical ones) is fear of intercourse, past sexual abuse history (unconscious or conscious association with this), apprehension towards ones partner (for whatever reason) growing up with beliefs that sex is sinful or dirty etc.
What are some of the treatment options?
The condition is treatable with treatment options such as: muscle relaxation techniques, counseling, hypnotherapy, behavioral desintezation therapy (exposure to the painful experience gradually with least distressing to most distressing scenario) and/or disentization involving gradual vaginal dilation.
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