What is vaginismus?

Vaginismus is a condition in which sexual intercourse becomes impossible or painful as a result of contraction of the muscles surrounding the outer part of the vagina during sexual intercourse. The contraction in the vagina may be accompanied by contractions in other parts of the body. Panicked by the severity of the contractions and fear, the woman may push her partner during intercourse or close herself completely to intercourse. These behaviors may be perceived by her partner as if she does not want intercourse or is consciously closing herself off. However, these contractions are completely involuntary and it is not in the woman's hands to relax.
The muscle group in vaginismus is called PC (Pubococcygeus), also known as the love muscle group. These muscles draw a line from the urethra to the anus and play a role in many bodily functions from urination to childbirth. Normally, these muscles are quite flexible during sexual intercourse. If the person is not experiencing fear and anxiety, and if the desire and stimulation are sufficient, the muscles stretch according to the size of the penis and sexual intercourse takes place easily. We can liken the muscle structure to a pleated skirt, it takes the shape of the structure it takes in. In women with vaginismus, the condition occurs with an involuntary vaginal reflex and spasms narrow the entrance to the vagina.
Women with vaginismus think that their vagina is too small to accommodate a penis or that their hymen is too thick and that they will have great difficulty in sexual attempts. There is no physical obstacle for these women to experience sexuality in their bodies, it is more about erroneous thought structures. In a sense, we can call vaginismus the panic attack of the vagina. In other words, it is related to the cognitive and psychological processes of the person rather than physiological processes.
Types of vaginismus
Vaginismus can be primary and secondary.
Primary vaginismus: It has been present since the person was sexually active.
Secondary vaginismus: It is the occurrence of contractions in a woman who has previously had painless sexual intercourse. This condition often occurs after a trauma or surgical intervention.
What causes vaginismus?
Vaginismus is a psychological problem except in very rare cases. Erroneous thought structures and negative conditioning that have settled in the mind of the person cause this problem. Lack of information, inadequate sexual education, women's first night

Exaggerated narratives about their experiences, being raised with strict moral value judgments, perceiving sexuality as something shameful, sinful, dirty, being influenced by hearsay misinformation about the hymen or sexual intercourse, high anxiety level, fear of conception, negative sexual experiences, bad childhood experience, problematic parental relationship, over-controlled personality traits, emotional attachment difficulties, lack of trust and communication problems with the partner are common causes.
Vaginismus is not a woman's problem, but a couple's problem!
Vaginismus should not be considered as a problem experienced only by women. The man also has an important role in the experience and treatment of the problem. For this reason, the man should not leave his wife alone and the spouses should participate in the treatment together. What is important in terms of treatment is that the cooperation and harmony between the spouses continues.
Treatment of vaginismus
The treatment process should always be together with the couple. Vaginismus may have a physical cause and therefore the woman should definitely see a gynecologist before sexual therapy.
In vaginismus, cognitive-behavioral therapy method, various breathing and relaxation exercises, and practices given together with the couple form part of the treatment. At the beginning of the treatment, the couple's or the person's lack of sexual knowledge or erroneous learning is evaluated. Sexual education is provided to address these deficiencies. It is possible to address both the mind and the body. It is aimed to purify the mind from negative conditioning and anxiety about sexuality and to make the body accept and enjoy vaginal entry.
Solving vaginismus mechanically is not enough in terms of treatment. In order to offer the couple a healthy and happy sexual life, two stages are followed in the treatment. In the first stage, we aim to have sexual intercourse. In the second stage, techniques to enjoy sexual intercourse and orgasm are taught.