When many people think of sex and intercourse, the assumption is that it should be easy. For some women (especially those with vaginismus), nothing could be further from the truth. Anatomy matters.
To briefly review, the pelvic floor in a woman is made up of a web of connective tissue and muscles. These provide support and help keep the organs in our genitourinary system (the organs of the reproductive & urinary systems) in place. There are some women however that are prone to tightening and spasm of these muscles, especially during penetration. Unfortunately, this is often an unconscious process that we refer to as “vaginismus.”
The tightening of the pelvic muscles can prevent penetration altogether and it can be extraordinarily painful for the woman involved. A vicious cycle then evolves when anxiety about the pain becomes associated with penetration. That anxiety makes the muscle spasms worse, and some women end up avoiding intercourse altogether. This can even happen with masturbation or orgasm, as the pelvic floor squeezes in order to allow blood flow into the clitoral area. As you can imagine, this is no fun.
Fortunately, there is treatment available. Vaginal dilation, topical medications, anxiety management, and a lot of lubrication can be a huge help. We specialize in treating vaginismus here at Maze Women’s Sexual Health. If you experience vaginal pain of any kind during sex, contact us for a free phone consultation. We are here to help!
Tensing your body during sex can either be a means to generating pleasure or a reaction to experiencing pain. If you’re interested in the pleasure aspect, read our blog to learn more.
