It can be quite a daunting experience for a woman with vaginismus to speak to her GP or medical professional about the condition. Unfortunately, it's all too common that the advice they are then given is to just relax and "have a glass of wine".
This is the equivalent of telling a depressed person to “cheer up, it may never happen" or advising a person with anxiety not to worry!
Many vaginismus sufferers already feel embarrased and confused about the condition, and because this advice is SO simplistic, it only serves to reinforce their beliefs that they're being silly and just need to pull themselves together.
The advice is well-meaning enough but does demonstrate the lack of knowledge that professionals have about the condition. Vaginismus can often go undiagnosed by doctors because of inadequate training and understanding of the condition. There still exists no official gynaecological system for diagnosing the condition.
The overly simplistic glass-of-wine advice may well reflect the outward simplicity of the condition, ie, the tensing of the vaginal muscles. However, what is going on 'behind the scenes' to create that tension is often considerably more complex as vaginismus is often caused by a number of psychological components and processes.
So, if you're like so many of the ladies I treat for vaginismus who has been offered this advice by your GP, take heart that you are not alone! And I hope you'll be reassured that vaginismus is an entirely treatable condition... you just need something a bit more effective than a large Chardonnay!
Vaginismus-Free Programme - life-changing programme for overcoming vaginismus in 6-8 weeks.
