Does it Hurt to Have Sex?

[Heather34]

Hi all. There is an excellent new article about vaginismus published yesterday in YouBeauty.com.

http://www.youbeauty.com/health/what-is-vaginismus

About YouBeauty.com

Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen created YouBeauty.com in July 2011 as the first website to explore the link between beauty and health in a fun, factual way. YouBeauty arms visitors with scientifically-proven quizzes, tools, and articles that measure and improve everything affecting beauty – from skin and hair, to stress, sleep, and self-esteem.

About the Article – Does it Hurt to Have Sex?

Excerpts from the article include:

“Vaginismus, which affects one to seven percent of women worldwide, breaks down into two categories—mild and severe. If you have a mild case and find a doctor who is knowledgeable about the condition, you may receive sex counseling and try using dilators, hypnotherapy and physical therapy. Mild cases tend to respond well to a variety of treatments, explains Peter T. Pacik, M.D., a physician in Manchester, N.H., who specializes in vaginismus. “The more severe cases that involve a high level of anxiety about penetration are more difficult to treat,” he says. “I think of it as a protective reflex. The patient believes intercourse will cause her pain and then the body creates a protective mechanism by causing those entry muscles to go into spasm and not permit entry.”

In addition, vaginismus presents in two different categories—complete vaginismus, meaning a woman can’t tolerate any penetration at all, and situational vaginismus, meaning a woman can tolerate a tampon or finger penetration but nothing more. “A woman usually discovers she has vaginismus when she can’t get a tampon in or she can get it in but can’t get it out,” Dr. Pacik explains.

What worries physicians is that there are health consequences to vaginismus since sufferers tend to put off checkups with their gynecologist. “Many women make appointments and find an excuse to cancel,” he says. “This happens year after year so they may go 15 to 20 years without having a Pap smear or pelvic exam.”

The bottom line: If you think you have vaginismus, it’s important to find an experienced physician (or therapist) who won’t tell you to “just relax.””

I commend the writer and Dr. Pacik for spreading the word about this often under-discussed and secret condition of vaginismus and the treatments available as no women should have to continue to unnecessarily suffer in silence. I encourage you to read the article and welcome your comments and feedback. To have vaginismus discussed in this medium is beyond excellent and will do so much to spread the word about this condition.

[Dr. Pacik]

This is Dr. Oz’s website and is a very important breakthrough in getting vaginismus more well known. I urge you to comment, which can be done at the bottom of the article, as well as posting to Facebook and Twitter. In this way we can generate enough interest that both Dr. Oz’s TV show as well as others will start broadcasting more information about vaginismus. I encourage you to share your story anonymously if the spirit moves you. It will help break down the walls of silence surrounding this condition.

The link to the article is http://www.youbeauty.com/health/what-is-vaginismus

[Dr. Pacik]

There are some wonderful posts on the YouBeauty website http://www.youbeauty.com/health/what-is-vaginismus in the comments section. We are finally in a position to get the word out and help with vaginismus education. It is important for everyone to post a comment to make this a robust and educational experience for other readers.

[Heather34]

There is an excellent blog written today concerning this YouBeauty article that I would encourage you to read:

http://www.vaginismusmd.com/vaginismus-featured-in-youbeauty-com/

I welcome your comments and feedback here.