Take some time to look around and let us know what you think. Check out our list of courses to learn more about upcoming events in our fair city and if you register online, you'll save up to 15%! Don't forget the Online Classroom, conveniently created for those of us who want to learn in the comfort of our own home. Vaginismus is a relatively rare, yet highly debilitating female sexual dysfunction. Vaginismus can be defined as an involuntary spasm of the muscles surrounding the vaginal opening. This muscular contraction makes any attempt at vaginal penetration either extremely painful, or all together impossible. Although intercourse becomes impossible, women who suffer from vaginismus are capable of becoming sexually aroused, achieving lubrication, and even orgasm through alternative stimulation. .
Vaginismus must be further classified as either primary or secondary vaginismus. Primary vaginismus refers to cases where the effected woman has never been able to have intercourse with penetration due to the involuntary contractions of her vaginal muscles. Primary vaginismus is sometimes referred to as the "unconsummated marriage". A diagnosis of secondary vaginismus refers to a woman who was able to experience intercourse at one time, but is no longer able to be penetrated, due to the involuntary muscle spasms.
The first step for any woman who suspects she has vaginismus is to schedule a full pelvic examination with her gynecologist in order to rule out a physical cause. Ruling out any physical causes, vaginismus is most often conceptualized as a psychosomatic disorder, a physical manifestation of some deeper psychological cause. There are several theories as to what those psychological causes are, but most center around three primary issues: control issues within the relationship, past sexual trauma, or a conditioned association of pain/fear with vaginal penetration (a phobic reaction to the thought of penetration).
