What is Vaginismus? (Medical Definition and then How do Suffers define themselves)

What is Vaginismus?

There are several ways to look at this question and we are going to address both in this blog. To give the medical definition, I'm going to pull from several sources for you to see their interpretation to this question.

The first place of information that is obtained. This is the http://www.vaginismus.com/'s website's definition and their image or representation. I highly recommend checking out their website to see what information this source has.

http://www.vaginismus.com/

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Vaginismus is a vaginal tightness causing discomfort, burning, pain, penetration problems, or complete inability to have intercourse." It is pronounced [vaj-uh-niz-muh s].  The woman suffering with vaginismus has no direct control or 'will' this tightness to occur, it is an involuntary pelvic response.  She may not even have any awareness that the muscle response is causing this tightness or penetration problems. Some cases of vaginismus tightness may begin to cause burning, pain, or stinging during intercourse. In other cases, penetration may be difficult or completely impossible.  It is the main reason for unconsummated relationship.  The tightness can be so restrictive that it prevents the man from being able to insert his penis into the female vagina.  The pain will end when the sexual tempt stops and often sexual intercourse is halted due to the pain and discomfort."

The below picture is one that is from the www.vaginsmus.com but is a visual display.

Vaginismus Involuntary Tightness - In the diagram on the left, the effects of vaginismus are illustrated with the tightening of the pelvic floor muscles and the resulting tightness of the vagina. On the right, the pelvic floor is relaxed and intercourse is possible without pain. "

The second source I quoted is an online common medical journal that many people reference when looking for information. Feel free to also check their information out. While I think it does a good definition. The first source is what I would call the guru of vaginismus and knowledge on it.
http://www.webmd.com/women/guide/vaginismus-causes-symptoms-treatments

"Where a women's vagina's muscles squeeze or spasm when something is entering,  like a tampon or a penis. It can be mildly uncomfortable, or it can be painful. There are treatment methods using exercises that a woman can do to help, sometimes within weeks."

Pretty much you can see that the medical discusses the pelvic floor muscles that spasm when something is near or the thought of insertion or something attempting to be inserted is occurring. A key thing to note is pain or discomfort in sex.  

There are two types of Vaginismus that get discussed:

Primary: This is where the person has had it since they became aware of it (could be a gyn appointment, first attempt at a tampon, or first attempt to have sex). 

Secondary: Person was able to have pain free sex, they have vaginismus often times after childbirth or a medical procedure.

But as you can imagine the medical definition doesn't always show or really always have the total image and picture of what goes on with the individual whom has vaginismus. You will find commonalities in experiences.. But how a person views themselves and the condition and how they define it might be a little different.  Some of our members have agreed to let us quote their definition and way of looking at and defining vaginismus.

"It has been a condition that I have suffered with for almost 15 or more years. I had no name and really no understanding that I had a condition and that it was treatable. My mom was a nurse and had no idea that there were signs. It wasn't until I was 23 and on my honeymoon that I realized there was a problem. Mine was primary and made sex impossible. It was four years later that I found a Physical therapist and after a year of weekly treatment managed to be able to have obgyn appointment, and to insert a tampon, and later have sex. Now I have a son. To me vaginismus has been a frustration and making me feel different and not part of the club. After having my son, I regressed and due to time and inconvenience of location from therapy haven't been able to make a whole lot of progress. To me Vaginismus is this big hush hush secret and that even doctors don't know a lot. I think that makes it feel like it is even more of a dark secret. Because not a whole lot of medical professionals really understand the condition and what it does. The ones that do seem to have their hands in a money pocket looking for business. It is one of the reasons I joined the group and really wanted this blog to be made to help educate other women."- One of the admins of the group.

"My subconscious mentally making my PC muscles tighten to make it difficult/impossible to achieve penetration."- from a member in the group with Primary.

"I would define it, in my case at least, as a mental block-although subconscious-that interacts with my physical and conscious self in a negative and restrictive way..."- from a member in the group with Primary.

"Like there wasn't even a hole there and while finger and tampons work easily, gyno exams and especially intercourse hurt and burn awfully. Vaginismus seems to talk to me. I can fool the whole world including myself, but I cannot fool my vagina. To me, vaginismus is the symptom, not the cause, of deeper seated anxieties in life that need to be addressed alongside treatment."- From a member with Primary.

"Dr. Oz video I just saw described it perfectly for me. Vaginal panic attack. He also called it 'back spasm of the vagina'. Both are accurate depending on the circumstances of the day"- from a member with Primary.

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