The Treatments

I have done a lot of research in order to find a suitable treatment for me. Here are a list of some treatments that I found (some I have tried, some I haven't). Feel free to share your opinions on these or tell me if other treatments have worked for you!

1. Dilators.

A lot of dilator sets are available and they are made for women who suffer from vaginismus, amongst other things. They are usually sold in sets, so you can start with a small one and work your way up to the bigger ones (here is an example: http://www.vaginismus.com/products/dilator_set). It is easy to find some websites where dilators are sold. It is also possible to find some in a sex shop (as I have), but since dilators are not meant for pleasuring, it is not sure that some will be available. I heard that some books on vaginismus are sold along with a set of dilators. This is perfect for self treatment!

2. The Vagi-Wave.

This curious dilator is only sold in the UK (but they ship around the world; I bought it!). It is meant to be inserted in the vagina every night (you have to sleep with it), 21 nights in a row. A lot of women claimed that this product cured their condition. As for myself, it did help in several ways: it helped me get used to inserting something in my vagina, since I had to do it every night, and it helped me realize that I can really relax even with something in there. However, my problem still wasn't solved. In my opinion, that is due to the fact that the vagi-wave is pretty small.

-- Click here if you are interested in the vagi-wave: http://www.vagi-wave.co.uk/

3. The Women's Therapy Center.

This center is in New York. They offer different treatments adapted to your needs. If you live far away from it, they offer a two-week treatment program where you have consultations every day. I would have liked to try that program (they say they cure 95% of the vaginismus cases they treat) but I don't have enough money (the two-week treatment costs about 11,000 USD and does not include travel and lodging). They told me that most insurances cover it in the USA, but since I live in Canada, I would have to pay it by myself, and, being a student, I simply don't have that kind of money. If money is not a problem for you and you would like to try this treatment (or if you're just curious about this center), then you can visit their website here: http://www.womentc.com/

4. Mental and physical health professionals.

There are a lot of professionals who can help you. You can turn to...

- a gynecologist (helpful if you want to make sure your problem is not physical);

- a physiotherapist (perineal rehabilitation);

- a psychotherapist;

- a sex therapist;

- a hypnotherapist (I haven't gone to one but apparently some women do and it helps);
- a sophrologist (I don't know much about this, but is about relaxation, which is helpful in our case since the goal is to relax the perineal muscles. Some women have cured their vaginismus that way. Learn more here: http://www.sophrologyinternational.org/page/page/4204826.htm)

5. Discussion groups.
Whether it may be a forum online or an actual discussion group, it can be very helpful and interesting to share stories and experiences with several other women or couples. I don't know if there are a lot of discussion groups on vaginismus, but I know there is one near where I live, in Montreal, Canada (here is the link for those of you who live near Montreal: http://www.groupeelva.org/index.php?page=52 At a cost of 20$ per year, you can have access to a discussion group, a list of professionals who could help you and several other things).

Don't forget that we are all different: concentrate on your own preferences and rhythm in order to find the right treatment for you!

Good luck to all of you!