Vaginismus is a condition where the muscles inside the vagina tighten, close up, or spasm. This tightening is associated with painful vaginal sex or painful vaginal penetration of any kind, such as pain with inserting a tampon or undergoing a gynecologic examination.

Relationships and Pelvic Health

By Heather Wheat|2023-09-20T11:12:21-07:00March 29, 2023|

Okay, ladies, it’s time for some real talk. Relationships are hard. Period. I follow some friends from high school on social media, and their Instagrams are what I refer to as highlight reels: photos, stories, or reels of all of the family fun moments they want people to see. But I know that in the background of those grammable moments are the day-in, day-out efforts of making a marriage or partnership work. And you know what? It takes ...

Vaginismus Overview

By Grace Klaris|2023-10-02T01:06:14-07:00March 27, 2023|

Do you dread going to the gynecologist because of traumatic pap smears? Does painful sex prevent you from achieving healthy intimacy with your partner? Do you find it impossible to insert a tampon? Or maybe you’ve been told you have an “overactive” or “tight” pelvic floor. If any of this resonates, you may be suffering from a condition called vaginismus, and you are not alone. Vaginismus is a common condition and can affect women of all ages, including trans ...

Power of Questions in Your Vaginismus Journey

By Darshana Naik|2023-09-20T11:09:55-07:00March 2, 2023|

Three questions you need to ask your doctor One-in-Five women in the United States experience sexual pain! There are many reasons for painful sex, but vaginismus-related pain (pain related to involuntary vaginal tightening) by far has the most success rate with treatments1. In a study in 2017, nearly 73% women suffering with vaginismus were able to achieve pain-free intercourse when they received the necessary treatments1. Getting access to the right intervention starts with finding the right provider and asking ...

Drop It To The Floor: Pelvic Floor 101

By Grace Klaris|2023-10-02T00:44:37-07:00February 21, 2023|

When it comes to muscles, we all know the heavy hitters. Most people can point to their biceps, abs, and hamstrings, and probably even demonstrate a few exercises that target each one. But how many times have you heard someone talk about strengthening their coccygeus (kok-sij-ee-uhs)? Do you remember ever learning about your levator ani muscles in school? Probably not. Although these muscles are present in people of all genders, those with female anatomy are more likely to suffer ...

How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor

By Grace Klaris|2023-10-02T01:11:14-07:00February 21, 2023|

If anyone’s ever told you, “Just relax!” in response to stress, you know how, well, stressful those instructions can be. Indeed, figuring out how to “relax” when we are in a tense state can feel impossible, unless explicit instructions are given. Now, imagine you are told to relax muscles you didn’t even know existed. This is the reality for approximately 1 in 3 women in the US who will experience some form of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) in their ...

Dismissed Symptoms: When Your Doctor Isn’t Listening

By Heather Wheat|2023-09-20T11:08:37-07:00February 21, 2023|

If you think it’s all in your head that your doctor isn’t listening to you when you ask for help with symptoms and health issues, it’s not. Three years ago, TODAY did a study about how women felt doctors didn’t truly hear them or listen to them in office visits and emergency rooms. The survey’s findings included many personal stories from women who had had their serious conditions dismissed by doctors, but also some shocking statistics. Twenty ...

Misunderstanding Women’s Pain

By Heather Wheat|2023-10-01T23:25:27-07:00February 21, 2023|

It seems ironic that while we have access to more information than ever before, some doctors seem to listen to us less and dismiss us more. Even though it was many years ago, I have strong memories of doctors dismissing my pain. My first ovarian cyst ruptured when I was just 14 years old. The unbearable pain landed me and my parents in an emergency room where a doctor gave me a rather uncomfortable exam, then misdiagnosed me with ...

Previous 12