Why does intercourse hurt? This is the million dollar question, which many women ask. Unfortunately, due to shame and embarrassment, these women prefer to keep quiet and live with the pain without knowing the consequences it can have on their sex life. Coming back to the question of why does intercourse hurt? There are many conditions, which can lead to pain during intercourse. In this article, we are going to take a look at one of the most complicated causes of painful intercourse Vaginismus.
Vaginismus is a condition wherein the lower muscles in the vagina shut tightly and close off the vaginal opening. This closing of the vaginal opening makes any kind of vaginal penetration painful. The causes of Vaginismus are mostly emotional and include fear about sex and sexual intercourse mainly due to unfortunate sexual experiences in the past or bad sexual education. The prevalence of Vaginismus
Vaginismus is more common than it is actually reported. Women with Vaginismus are usually too shy or embarrassed to share their condition with anyone. This is harmful because Vaginismus, if detected early, can be easily treated but it might take time for the woman to treat Vaginismus if she keeps it as a secret, as Vaginismus only worsens with time. In reality, many women, at some point or another in their life, suffer from moderate to mild degrees of Vaginismus.
How to know if the pain during intercourse is really Vaginismus?
The best thing to do when you start experiencing pain is to visit a physician. He/she will ask you some questions and will examine you. However, in Vaginismus, the pain often occurs only during penetration. Along with pain, the woman also experiences a burning sensation during sexual intercourse. Furthermore, the woman will observe no reduction in pain and may experience pain every time she attempts to have sex with her partner. Also, the majority of women with Vaginismus are unable to insert a tampon into the vagina and also find it difficult to undergo any kind of pelvic examination.
What to do if you have developed Vaginismus?
Fortunately, there is a treatment for Vaginismus, which mostly involves learning to relax the pelvic muscles, which tighten due to the muscle spasm. Unfortunately, Vaginismus is not a condition that can be cured overnight and the woman needs to perform exercises such as Kegel exercises for many weeks or even for several months. The effect of these exercises in treating Vaginismus also depends on the woman and her dedication towards performing these exercises. As you perform these exercises, it is advisable that you stay away from having sexual intercourse. This might create problems between you and your partner but if you engage in sexual intercourse during your treatment process, then it will only create more spasms in the vaginal muscles and will take a more time to cure Vaginismus. Thus, communicate with your partner regarding your condition.
The Kegel exercises involve contracting the pelvic floor muscles and holding them for few seconds and relaxing them. You can find the muscles by stopping the flow of urine while urinating. You will have to do at least 20 contractions. However, while doing these exercises don't forget to relax the muscles after each contraction. Once you are used to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles you can then try them by inserting your fingers into the vagina.
This was all about Vaginismus. If you are experiencing pain during intercourse then it is advisable that you stop asking questions such as why does intercourse hurt and take the necessary action such as visiting a doctor or gynecologist and seek the necessary treatment.
