Vaginismus
10-15% of women experience pain in the lower abdomen. This can be both physically and psychologically taxing, as well as reduce the woman's quality of life.
One of these conditions is vaginismus. Here you can read more about symptoms, causes and how our therapists can help you reduce pain and help prevent the condition from worsening.
What is vaginismus?
Vaginismus is a condition where the muscles in the vagina contract involuntarily. This can make it painful or impossible to, among other things, have intercourse or insert a tampon. The condition can occur in women of all ages and can have many different causes.
Vaginismus is often related to weakness or tension in the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that surround the vaginal opening, the anus and the urethra, and which help to hold the organs in place and control the urge to urinate and defecate. When these muscles are weak or tense, it can cause them to contract suddenly and involuntarily when there is pressure or touch in the vagina, for example during intercourse or a gynecological examination.
Read more about the pelvic floor musclesCauses of vaginismus
The cause of vaginismus is unknown and it can vary from woman to woman. One of the most common explanations for vaginismus is feelings of fear or discomfort related to sexuality or physical intimacy. For example, a woman who has experienced sexual abuse or rape, or who has grown up with negative attitudes towards sex, may develop vaginismus as a way to protect herself from further pain or trauma. Nevertheless, the pain can also occur unannounced, and regardless of sexual causes.
In some cases, vaginismus can also be due to psychological causes such as trauma, fear and stress or physical causes, such as infections, inflammation or dryness in the vagina, injuries or operations in the pelvic area.
Symptoms of vaginismus
Many women with vaginismus experience varying degrees of pain or discomfort. Common symptoms of vaginismus include:
- Pain and discomfort in the vulva or vaginal opening
- Pain and cramping in the vagina during or before intercourse
- Difficulty inserting tampons or other objects into the vagina
- Feeling that the vagina is too tight or closed
- Repeated urinary tract and/or fungal infections
Some women may also experience a feeling that they have no control over their pelvic floor muscles. A burning or burning sensation around or in the opening to the chain may be vulvodynia (pain in the external genitalia), which is often seen in combination with vaginismus. Pain inside the chain itself could be endometriosis. It is not uncommon to get vuvoduni or vaginismus as a result of endometriosis.
How can Dr.Dropin help you?
- Learn to relax your pelvic floor muscles
- Vaginal dilator treatment: expand the elasticity of the chain little by little
- Massage
- Pelvic floor exercises
- Knowledge and information
We have therapists with specialist expertise in women's health in Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger
We know that the right competence and good chemistry are important. Below you can therefore get to know our therapists better. We hope this makes it easier to find a therapist who is right for you.
Osteopath Henriette (Oslo)
Henriette has a special interest and expertise in women's health. Common conditions she treats are dysfunction and pain in the pelvic floor, pelvic joints, abdominal pain (including vulvodynia, vaginismus, vestibulitis, abdominal prolapse/abdominal prolapse and urinary incontinence).
As an osteopath, she has broad expertise in the examination and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. This means that she has a good understanding of how the body and movement apparatus work, and can treat, among other things, headaches, neck pain, low back pain, tennis elbow, knee/hip problems and other extremity problems.
As a therapist, Henriette will meet you where you are and can offer varied forms of treatment from gentle indirect techniques to direct manipulation techniques, pressure waves and needle therapy.
Henriette is particularly interested in:
Women's Health | Pelvic | Vulvodynia | Vaginism | Urinary incontinence | Coccyx Pain | Back | Neck | Hip | Knee
Additional services that Henriette offers:
✓ Manometri
✓ Shock wave treatment
✓ Dry needling
Where can you book an appointment with Henriette?
📍Bislett (Dalsbergstien 18)
📍Hegdehaugsveien (Oscars gate 20)
Se available slots with Henriette:
Chiropractor Ingrid-Johanne (Bergen)
Ingrid is from Askøy. She studied in Bournemouth and graduated in 2008. She is a general chiropractor with over 15 years' experience with a wide range of skills and has a special interest in the treatment of pregnant women and infants, as well as foot and ankle problems. She has previously worked at the Foot and Ankle Specialist together with an orthopedic surgeon with whom she still has a good working relationship.
As a chiropractor, Ingrid is the primary contact in the healthcare system, such as GPs, and can refer to medical specialists, MRI or other imaging examinations and take sick leave for up to 12 weeks if clinically necessary. She herself has for many years played sports in the USA, mostly basketball, athletics and lacrosse.
Ingrid is particularly interested in:
Back | neck | Foot, ankle and calf | Headache | The stream | Women's health/Pregnancy complaints, children and infants
Where can you book an appointment with Ingrid?
📍Berstadhuset (Bergen, Valkendorfsgaten 9)
Se availble slots with Ingrid:
Physiotherapist og Osteopath Hege (Stavanger)
With 25 years' experience as a physiotherapist and osteopath, Hege offers specialized treatment including medical acupuncture. Educated in Berlin and further educated at the European School of Osteopathy. Her dedication to her profession is reflected in her personal approach to each patient, where the goal is to achieve optimal health and well-being. Hege treats all musculoskeletal complaints, including back, neck, hip, knee and foot complaints, and has special expertise in women's health/pregnancy complaints.
Where can you book an appointment with Hege?
📍 Stavanger - Vaktapoteket (Olav V s gate 11)
See available slots with Hege:
Physiotherapist and Osteopath Bente (Oslo)
Bente is a physiotherapist and osteopath with 20 years' experience in the treatment of adults and children. She is keen to see the big picture and find an individually adapted treatment course for the individual. As both an osteopath and a physiotherapist, she has a wide selection of treatment techniques to choose from. These include joint adjustments, mobilization techniques, soft tissue treatment and cranial osteopathy. If necessary, dry needling or pressure wave treatment is used. She also has expertise in women's health.
Bente is particularly interested in:
Pregnant | headache | neck | back | dizziness | Abdominal complaints | the stream | functional stomach and intestinal complaints | jaw | trouble breathing
Where can you book an appointment with Bente?
📍 Grunerløkka (Markveien 25)
See available slots with Bente:
Physiotherapist Joanna (Oslo)
Joanna works with all types of muscle and bone ailments, with a special interest and expertise in women's health. Common conditions she treats are pelvic floor dysfunction and pain, abdominal pain (including vulvodynia, vaginismus, vestibulitis, abdominal prolapse/abdominal prolapse and urinary incontinence), long-term pain, anorectal dysfunction, pain in the tailbone area and sexual dysfunction.
She also examines and treats jaw pain and temporomandibular joint dysfunction TMD. Here she uses several different treatment tools.
Joanna is particularly interested in:
Women's Health | The stream | Vulvodynia | Vaginism | Urinary incontinence | Anorectal dysfunction | Coccyx Pain | Hip | Back | Jaw pain | Temporomandibular joint dysfunction - TMD
Additional services which Joanna offers:
✓ Manometry – pressure measurement of strength and endurance in the pelvic floor
✓ Shock wave treatment
✓ Vaginal and rectal examination
Where can you book an appointment with Joanna?
📍 Majorstuen - Hegdehaugsveien (Oscars gate 20)
See available slots with Joanna:
Therapy
Prolonged and intense pain can affect both the psyche and cohabitation. As vaginismus can in many cases be linked to trauma, fear and stress, it may be appropriate to get help to process this through therapy.
Dr. Dropin has both psychologists and psychiatrists who have broad expertise in various problem areas. Below you can read more about our services and find a therapist that suits you best.
Gynecological examination
If you have pain in the abdomen but have not had other diagnoses confirmed, it may be a good idea to carry out a gynecological examination. Our gynecologists have broad expertise in women's diseases and meet all patients with understanding and empathy.
Below you can read more about our services and find a gynecologist that suits you best.