What Does It Mean If I Have Vaginismus?

The Problem Is Understood Differently Depending
On The Professional Treating You.

Definitions

Vaginismus

Doctors will diagnosis this problem as vaginal spasms interfering with vaginal penetration.

(American Psychiatric Association, 2000)

a side view young woman looking away at window sitting on couch at home, sex therapist in NJ, tight vagina

Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD)

Mental health providers will diagnose this condition as a mental health challenges related to the patients' experience with the spasm. Leading to the effects of depression, anxiety, and anticipatory fears.

(Reissing, 2012)

hands on top of one another promoting team work and collaborate care, sex therapist in NJ, tight vagina

V/GPPPD

(My Approach)

When you combine both the definition the doctors use (ICD) for Vaginismus (V) and the definition mental health providers use Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (DSM), the merger becomes V/GPPPD allowing us to treat the patient holistically while considering how this impacts patient and their partner. This also creates a more straightforward treatment path for all professionals.

(Lahaie et al., 2010; Macey et al., 2015)

Whose Definitions?

It is important to understand who is defining your problem.

The two most common manuals professionals use are:

International Classification of Diseases (ICD)- Doctors

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)- Mental Health

These manuals standardize patient research, diagnosis, and treatment.

(APA, 2013; Carvalho et al., 2011; First & Westen, 2007).

a picture of the dictionary definition of the word translation, sex therapist in NJ, tight vagina

Who Does This Impact?

Who This Impacts

Vaginismus is a worldwide problem & can affect people from multiple cultures.

However, research states it occurs more often with:

Limited sexual education
Decreased understanding of their body
Conservative religious backgrounds
Body shame related to cultural norms

Anğın et al., 2020; Dolezal & Lyons, 2017; Fadul et al., 2019, Teitelman, 2004

China

Pakistan

Turkey

Argentina

India

United States

***This is not an exhaustive list of countries where women experience vaginismus.
This represents the cultural identities of the women I have treated.

Transgender Persons

Transgender Community

Click this video above to hear from our expert, Dr. Angela Stoehr

Vaginismus affects the transgender community through a diversity of experiences and expressions as this condition embodies intersectionality with unique considerations.
Holmberg, M., Arver, S. & Dhejne, C. (2020)

Listen to what Dr. Angela Stoehr has to share.

Resources for Transgender Persons- click here.

Pain with sexual penetration is a concern that impacts the transgender community. However, trans men and trans women experience painful intercourse for different reasons.

Holmberg, M., Arver, S. & Dhejne, C. (2020)

Click this video above to hear from our expert, Dr. Angela Stoehr

*This diagnosis affects all genders and sexualities; however, I focused my research on cisgender, heterosexual females.

** There is limited published research on treatments or innovations, specifically for transgender persons who experience painful vaginal penetration.

Relationship Difficulty

"I want to be pregnant, to prove to myself and others, we have sex."

Intimacy Issues

"I keep thinking, how many more times am I going to disappointment my partner"

Shame

"I feel so much shame, I can’t be the wife he thought he was going to get”

Vaginismus is not just an individual problem,
it is a couples' problem.

See below how vaginismus impacted a married couple for over 10 years of their relationship.

Couples' Expeience

What Does It Mean If I Have Vaginismus? The Problem Is Understood Differently Depending On The Professional Treating You.

Whose Definitions?

Who Does This Impact?

Vaginismus is a worldwide problem & can affect people from multiple cultures.

However, research states it occurs more often with:

​

Limited sexual education

Decreased understanding of their body

Conservative religious backgrounds

Body shame related to cultural norms

​

Anğın et al., 2020; Dolezal & Lyons, 2017; Fadul et al., 2019, Teitelman, 2004

***This is not an exhaustive list of countries where women experience vaginismus. This represents the cultural identities of the women I have treated.

Transgender Persons

Pain with sexual penetration is a concern that impacts the transgender community. However, trans men and trans women experience painful intercourse for different reasons. Holmberg, M., Arver, S. & Dhejne, C. (2020)

*This diagnosis affects all genders and sexualities; however, I focused my research on cisgender, heterosexual females. ** There is limited published research on treatments or innovations, specifically for transgender persons who experience painful vaginal penetration.

Vaginismus is not just an individual problem, it is a couples' problem.

What Does It Mean If I Have Vaginismus?

The Problem Is Understood Differently Depending
On The Professional Treating You.

***This is not an exhaustive list of countries where women experience vaginismus.
This represents the cultural identities of the women I have treated.

Pain with sexual penetration is a concern that impacts the transgender community. However, trans men and trans women experience painful intercourse for different reasons.

Holmberg, M., Arver, S. & Dhejne, C. (2020)

*This diagnosis affects all genders and sexualities; however, I focused my research on cisgender, heterosexual females.

** There is limited published research on treatments or innovations, specifically for transgender persons who experience painful vaginal penetration.

Vaginismus is not just an individual problem,
it is a couples' problem.