Shopping Cart
Continuing failing intercourse attempts may cause further complications and setbacks. Couples are encouraged to continue pleasuring each other in non-penetrative ways while the program is completed.
During the initial steps of the vaginismus treatment process, we recommend that couples discontinue penetrative intercourse attempts. When intercourse is attempted prematurely, resulting in pain and discomfort, it may further entrench the vaginismus response of involuntary pelvic tightening. In addition, there may be increased emotional anxieties, fear of more pain, feelings of disappointment, physical complications or other setbacks. For these reasons, until control of the pelvic floor is developed it is wise to avoid potentially painful attempts at intercourse.
In the meantime, we strongly encourage couples to continue to pleasure each other in non-penetrative ways while the program progresses to maintain closeness. Some couples report that these times have built greater intimacy and ultimately enhanced their love-making as they learned other ways to pleasure each other.
As the program progresses, there will be a transition to intercourse in the later steps. At the completion of the program, sexual intercourse is restored and couples can once again resume normal, pain-free intercourse. Or, for those couples that had not previously been able to complete penetration, fully penetrative, normal, pain-free intercourse will now be restored.
See also:
"I can recommend use of this resource by all patients with vaginismus" - APTA Journal of Women's Health Physical Therapy
- Beth Shelly, PT, BCIA-PMDB
Print Page