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Vaginismus
What is Vaginismus?
Vaginismus, sometimes anglicized vaginism, is the physical or psychological condition that affects a woman's ability to engage in
any form of vaginal penetration, including sexual intercourse, insertion of tampons or menstrual cups, and the penetration involved
in gynecological examinations (pap tests). This is presumed to be the result of an involuntary vaginal muscle spasm, which makes any
kind of vaginal penetration including sexual intercourse painful or impossible. While there is a lack of evidence to definitively
identify which muscle is responsible for the spasm, the pubococcygeus muscle, sometimes referred to as the "PC muscle", is most
often suggested. Other muscles such as the levator ani,bulbocavernosus circumvaginal, and perivaginal muscles have also been
suggested.
A woman suffering from vaginismus does not consciously control the spasm. The vaginismic reflex can be compared to the response of
the eye shutting when an object comes towards it. The severity of vaginismus, as well as the pain during penetration (including
sexual penetration), varies from woman to woman.