I know there have been several posts on similar subjects, so I think you all might be interested in this. It’s a small article that was published in a local newspaper last weekend. I haven’t found the source, but I’m looking into it. Might be interesting to know for Maze!
Recent research has revealed a link between vaginismus and the hymen. In vaginismus patients, penetration is not possible due to the involuntarily contraction of the vaginal muscles. In about half of all cases, vaginismus is caused by past painful intercourse, which causes fear for more pain, resulting in an ever greater tension of the vaginal muscles. Researchers have now identified that in a large amount of patients, the initial pain is caused by a thick hymen. The hymen sits at the entrance of the vagina and is a ring shaped piece of mucosal tissue. It usually tears when an object (like a tampon) or a penis is inserted into the vaginal opening. Most women report a sharp, stinging pain when this happens, often accompanied with a few drops of blood. However, the thickness and rigidity of the hymen can vary from woman to woman. In some cases, the ring is so thick it cannot be torn during sexual contact, which causes pain and leads to vaginismus. Researchers suggest that the key to preventing vaginismus in those patients is to detect and identify the state of the hymen as soon as possible. When a hymenectomy – a simple surgical procedure to create an larger opening in the hymen – is done as soon as the pain was reported, less patients in the study ended up with vaginismus.
