Vaginismus Exercises: How to Help Yourself At Home
By Courtney Virden
Many women who have vaginismus struggle in their lives. It can create sexual issues in relationships since many with vaginismus want to avoid intercourse because of the pain. Vaginismus can take a huge toll emotionally, mentally, and physically. Many wonder if yoga for vaginismus is helpful. I have had women in my inbox asking me how to loosen up down there exercises. You might be wondering what stretches for vaginismus help and how to treat vaginismus at home, so keep reading; we have you covered.
Vaginismus Symptoms
The most common vaginismus symptoms women experience are:
- Difficulty inserting a tampon
- Pain with a pelvic exam and the pain can make an exam nearly impossible.
- Painful intercourse and penetration
- Stinging pain or burning during sexual intercourse
With vaginismus, sexual activities can cause a lot of stress because of the amount of pain involved. Reduce anxiety around sex and in your life to help your pelvic floor relax. Kegel exercises will make the pelvic floor muscles and vaginal opening even tighter, so avoid those.
Treatment for Vaginismus
Treatment for vaginismus can include vaginismus exercises, pelvic floor therapy, and vaginal dilators. Many with vaginismus seek the help of a pelvic floor physical therapist. If you know a qualified therapist, go ahead and book that appointment. Or you can do a Google search for pelvic floor physical therapists near me. Read reviews if you are unfamiliar with the pt before getting pelvic floor therapy for vaginismus.
Many don’t have physical therapy covered by insurance, so at-home options might be their first line of defense. Internal treatment can help relax the pelvic floor, but other options are effective. While having internal therapy, take deep breaths to help you relax.
Vaginal dilators can help women stretch the pelvic muscles. A pelvic floor wand can be helpful to use. The wand helps soften and work through scar tissue. Breathe deeply and exhale slowly through your mouth to help your vaginal muscles relax.
Pelvic floor exercises for vaginismus that help train the pelvic floor to stretch and relax are helpful. Even if you are seeing a therapist, an excellent pelvic floor program can help support your therapy. Having a way to treat yourself at home is powerful. You will want to strengthen the pelvic floor while improving flexibility and relaxation.
Stay Away From Kegel Exercises
You would want to avoid Kegel exercises and those focusing on concentric contractions. Tightening will make vaginismus worse. Kegels are repeated contractions that tighten the pelvic floor.
I don’t recommend Kegels for most women since far too many women already have too much tension in the pelvic floor. Even if you don’t have vaginismus, there are far better exercises for the pelvic floor. You need vaginismus stretches, not exercises, to shorten and tighten the muscles even further.
Vaginismus Exercises
Exercise 1: Ball Roll-Overs
First, get into a deep squat behind the ball. Bring the ball towards your body and press your pubic bone into the ball. Next, wrap your body around the ball and relax, staying on the toes and balls of the feet. Gently roll forward and back, keeping your pubic bone pressed into the ball.
Exercise 2: Happy Baby (with Ball optional)
Lie on your back on a mat, keeping your neck relaxed. Then, bring your knees towards your belly as you gently exhale. Your knees will drop towards the outside of your torso. Place a stability ball between the legs (optional), but don’t squeeze it with your inner thighs.
If you do, you will want to do this exercise without a ball. If you are not using a ball, grab the insides of your feet with your hands and gently pull the knees towards the floor. Picture the pelvic floor relaxing and lengthening in this position. You can rock side to side with or without the ball, focusing on the pelvic floor and relaxing further.
Exercise 3: Diaphragmatic Breathing (aka Belly Breathing)
Sit tall on the stability ball or lie on your back on a mat. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your lower belly.
Breathe in deeply and focus on expanding your ribcage and belly. Then slowly exhale and focus on the belly and ribcage coming back towards your torso. Your chest and belly should be like a little balloon filling with air and expanding when you inhale deeply and then deflating the balloon as you exhale.
Time to Relax and Treat Vaginismus
Our All Access programs are sequenced to help your pelvic floor lengthen and relax. You will be able to build strength and restore pelvic health. There are fascial tools and FasciaBlasting guides to help you release fascial adhesions. All from within an app so that you can do it anywhere.
We are there for you every step of the way! Start working on your pelvic floor and restoring its health today!