There are many conditions that cause vaginal pain, and some of them can be persistent and unpleasant. Whatever the condition, it helps to understand what you are dealing with and what sort of solutions may be available to you.
One of the most successful solutions for vaginal pain is vaginal dilators. Women around the world are finding relief from the symptoms of various conditions, some of which we will look at in this article:
Vaginal pain caused by vulvodynia
Women with vulvodynia have chronic vaginal pain, with no known cause. Until recently, doctors didn’t recognize this as a real pain syndrome. Even today, many women do not receive a diagnosis. Women may go years being incorrectly diagnosed.
They may also remain isolated by a condition that is not easy to discuss. Researchers are working hard to uncover the causes of Vulvodynia and to find better ways to treat it.
To learn more about how to use vaginal dilators, visit www.vuvatech.com
Types of vulvodynia
Vulvodynia affects the vulva, the external female genital organs. This includes the labia, clitoris, and vaginal opening.
There are two main subtypes of vulvodynia:
- Generalized vulvodynia is vaginal pain, felt in different areas of the vulva at different times. Vulvar pain may be constant or occur every once in a while. Touch or pressure may or may not prompt it. But this may make the pain worse.
- Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome is pain in the vestibule. This is the entrance to the vagina. Often a burning sensation, this type of vulvar pain comes on only after touch or pressure, such as during intercourse.
Vaginal pain caused by vaginismus
When a woman has vaginismus, the muscle walls of her vagina contract or spasm in response to attempted insertion, for example, with a tampon or Penis. This involuntary muscle contraction can be mildly uncomfortable or it may cause serious vaginal pain, such as searing or tearing sensations.
Vaginismus can interfere with normal activities like sex or having a pelvic exam at the doctor’s office.
Painful sex is often the first sign that a woman has vaginismus. The pain occurs only with penetration. It usually, but not always, goes away after withdrawal. Women have described the pain as feeling too small for a man’s penis. Their vaginal pain has also been described as a tearing sensation, or a feeling like the penis is “hitting a wall.”
Many women who have vaginismus also experience discomfort:
- When inserting tampons
- During a doctor’s internal exam
To learn more about how to use vaginal dilators, visit www.vuvatech.com
Pain caused by dyspareunia
Dyspareunia is painful sexual intercourse due to medical or psychological causes. This kind of vaginal pain can primarily be on the external surface of the genitalia or deeper in the pelvis upon deep pressure against the cervix. It can affect a small portion of the vulva or vagina or be felt all over the surface.
Vulvar vestibulitis pain
Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (also known as vestibulodynia or vestibular adenitis) is a subset of vulvodynia that is characterized by severe pain during attempted vaginal entry (intercourse or tampons insertion), tenderness to pressure localized to the vulvar vestibule and redness of the vulvar vestibule.
Vaginal pain from pelvic radiation therapy
If you receive radiation therapy to the pelvis (for instance, when receiving cervical cancer treatment), your doctor may recommend that you use a vaginal dilator to improve the elasticity of your vagina. This is important to make follow up examinations easier and more comfortable.
After radiation treatment to the pelvic area, scar tissue begins to form in the vagina and the tissue becomes less elastic and dry. There may be some shrinking of the vagina and vaginal opening. Scarring of the vaginal tissue result in adhesions, or areas where scar tissue forms, sealing the sides of the vaginal together.
This can make it difficult for the doctor to perform vaginal exams and the associated vaginal pain makes sexual intercourse difficult and uncomfortable. Your doctors, nurses, and physical therapist can answer any questions or concerns you may have. Don’t hesitate to ask them.
Problems during the menopause
During or after menopause, vaginal dryness and the thinning and weakening of vaginal walls can cause pain or stinging during penetration, especially if you’re not having regular sex or using vaginal moisturizers.
The vagina narrows and shortens and the tissues become more fragile, vaginal dilators or vaginal trainers are part of the solution for many women who’ve reached this point.
Pudendal neuralgia
Pudendal neuralgia is pain related to the pudendal nerve, which is the main nerve running between your pubic bone and your tailbone. You might feel this type of pain as perineal (between your ‘sit bones’), or as deep pelvic pain.
Vaginal stenosis
Vaginal stenosis is often a side effect of radiotherapy and/or genital surgery. It is the narrowing and/or loss of flexibility of the vagina, often accompanied by other changes such as the dryness and loss of resilience of scar tissue.
Vaginal pain from vaginal atrophy
Vaginal atrophy, also called atrophic vaginitis, is thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls due to your body having less estrogen. This inflammation can cause vaginal pain.
Most of the time, vaginal atrophy happens after the menopause, but it can also develop during breast-feeding or at any other time your body’s estrogen production declines. For many women, vaginal atrophy makes intercourse painful — and if intercourse hurts, your interest in sex will naturally decrease.
Vaginal Agensis
The use of vaginal dilators or vaginal trainers should only be started after you have a complete exam, after your gynecologist makes the diagnosis of vaginal agenesis, and when you understand all of your options and have time to make a decision that’s right for you.
Your gynecologist should review the following instructions with you. Monthly follow-up with your gynecologist is recommended while you are dilating.
To learn more about how to use vaginal dilators, visit www.vuvatech.com