How is vaginismus treated? Both psychotherapy and medication can help

Vaginismus is curable, although challenging to treat. 

Treatment is possible, from several points of view, consists to alleviate to eliminate vaginal spasm.  

In the first place, it is necessary to exclude the cause, whether it is caused by another disease, such as spinal, gynaecological, neurological, urological, or even gastrointestinal disease. 

Treatment consists of a gynecological examination and psychotherapy. 

Your gynecologist can explain and point out anatomical diagrams to you. It is advisable to start treatment right away, at the beginning, where the problem is just beginning, not yet spreading, and where shame and poor sexual sensitivity are developed. Especially in the beginnings of sexual life. 

Psychotherapy is about getting feelings for men, for sex and your own sexuality, your own body. And the subsequent efforts through relaxation to eliminate the phobia.  

Treatment consists of gradual and patient releases of spasms. It begins with stretching with the help of vaginal dilators. A dilator from the size of a few centimeters and as thick as a pencil, later fingertip, smaller vaginal vibrator to the largest dilator. 

Nowadays, silicone dilators, which are softer and more comfortable to use, are already in use. Such a procedure in treatment has a fairly good result. It helps the woman to relax and thus the feeling of having something in the vagina.  

Home training in stretching the vaginal opening with fingers or vaginal devices can be supported with lubricants, numbing gels, or the administration of anxiolytic drugs that relieve anxiety. In therapy, problems, disappointments, tensions, mood swings, and of course love, need to be dealt with first. 

Another treatment option is couples therapy, or attending group psychotherapy sessions where women with the same problem meet. 

In couples therapy, also known as Masters and Johnson therapy, the relationship between the partners, their mutual attraction, love, willingness and of course the support of the partner and the subsequent motivation and cooperation in the exercise is important. 

In this therapy, partners focus on cuddling and relaxation. Later during the woman's cuddling and relaxation, the man tries to introduce a small dilator, eventually a larger one. Last, gradually during the learned relaxation, the partner tries to insert his penis gradually into the vagina. On average, this procedure has had good results, and most women have orgasmed.  

Denial, feelings of shame and embarrassment on the part of the woman can slow down treatment. Some women find it difficult to talk about their problems with their partner and therapist, and even listening to what the therapist tells them can make them uncomfortable, refusing follow-up sessions with their partner because of feelings of shame. Which brings about various disagreements and subsequent arguments, negatively affecting the woman. 

After the therapist gradually visits them and explains the whole process of the exercises, what they have to do at home, after several visits, when the woman is more relaxed, they talk about how the process was in the home environment, whether they did well. And about the possible failure and further subsequent problem solving and the feelings that accompanied the exercises. 

Thanks to the information gathering, many times the cause of the problem is found, at least partially, and attempts are made to eliminate it. 

To treat vaginismus, sometimes medications are also necessary, according to the patient's condition and the causes of its induction. The use of lubricating gels is always recommended, with low estrogen levels, the administration of the hormone estrogen and antidepressant therapy.