Understanding Postpartum Dyspareunia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
Congratulations! You navigated the incredible journey of pregnancy, embraced the challenges of childbirth, and conquered the early months of postpartum life.
Pelvic Floor Exercises to Help with Vaginismus
Key Takeaways Pelvic floor exercises offer an effective treatment for vaginismus, which causes discomfort and pain during vaginal penetration. These exercises target the muscles supporting organs like the bladder, bowel, and uterus, and help enhance blood flow to the vaginal region. Regular practice, encompassing contractions, quick sprints, and relaxation, can help individuals regain control over these muscles, reducing involuntary contractions that cause discomfort. Consistency in these exercises and seeking professional guidance can be instrumental in managing vaginismus symptoms. We know ...
Vaginal Dilators for painful sex
Three common mistakes women make with dilators. Vaginal dilation is a love/hate relationship for everyone experiencing painful penetration. Vaginal dilation is a process of using a device to gradually dilate the vaginal space and prepare your muscles for intimacy. While most women ultimately find dilation helpful, it invariably starts to feel like more and more of a chore. In this blog we are going to talk about how to make the most of vaginal dilation and how to avoid the ...
Vaginal Dilator Sizes: Static vs. Dynamic
When you live with vaginismus, a vaginal dilator is one of the options available to you as you begin treatment. Choosing the right one for you is almost as important as finding a healthcare provider that understands your own personal journey. One choice you must make is between a static and dynamic dilator. There are pros and cons to each, so we figured we’d give you a breakdown to help you decide. What’s the Deal with Sizes? Static vaginal dilators ...
Trans Women: Special Considerations for the Milli Vaginal Dilator
Vaginal Dilators as a Medical Device The Milli vaginal dilator is an FDA-cleared medical device intended for controlled dilation of the vagina. When cleared, a medical device is granted an indication for use. This is the Milli vaginal dilator’s labeled indication for use: For an examination (by your doctor) In preparation for a surgical procedure (that requires vaginal penetration) To help relieve the symptoms of vaginismus (a condition that involves tightening of the vaginal muscles) and related painful sex. The ...
My Female Partner is Worried About Painful Sex: What do I do?!
It is more common than you might think for women to experience painful sex. Approximately 75 percent of women experience pain during or after sex at some point in their lives1. Because of the stigma around this issue, your partner might be hesitant to approach you about this. Painful sex may be related to a condition called vaginismus, which is the involuntary tightening of vaginal muscles. While the tightening of the muscles itself might not be painful, pain can occur ...
Vaginal Dilators: What’s the Scoop?
Help relieve the symptoms of vaginismus: pain with sex, insertion of tampons, pelvic exams, or any other kind of wanted penetration. Pain with sex or any vaginal penetration can be difficult, but there are options. Vaginal dilators can be a great option when it comes to your journey to wellness. Practices in relaxation and expansion of the vaginal and pelvic muscles may help ease the symptoms. The vaginal dilator is meant to help with this process, as it is designed to ...
Vaginismus Overview
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 women ...
How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor
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 lifetime. ...
Dismissed Symptoms: When Your Doctor Isn’t Listening
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 percent of women ...