How does treatment with Botox help anxiety in vaginismus patients?
Most of my blogs are the direct result of conversations with patients. Today, in a Skype interview a prospective patient asked how treatment of her vaginismus with the Botox program would help her anxiety levels. This is a very good question.
Fear and anxiety are without doubt an important part of vaginismus. The more severe cases of vaginismus, suffer from greater levels of anxiety. Anxiety is hard to control under normal circumstances, it is almost impossible to control when struggling with vaginismus and the prospect of pain with penetration.
As anxiety is a normal component of vaginismus, so too the reduction of anxiety following treatment can be expected to be a normal outcome. Once a woman is using dilators and getting used to penetration without pain, it follows that fear and anxiety will diminish. The difference in behavior between the severe anxiety noted in patients with the higher grades of vaginismus pre-procedure versus their post -procedure demeanor is often profound. Tears, crying and uncontrolled shaking pre-procedure are replaced by smiles and determination post-procedure.
Though anxiety to penile penetration and GYN examination often continues after treatment, the patient is now given the tools of understanding the importance of dilation prior to either of these events. Once they successfully have intercourse, they are amazed as to how easy it is, and this results in a further reduction of anxiety, to a point where over time, fear and anxiety are no longer factors. During the second day of the treatment phase, patients are encouraged to self insert a small speculum. This speculum is suitable for Pap smears, and once again patients are amazed how easy this can be. All of these milestones help reduce fear and anxiety, and ultimately make the program a success for the treated patients.
If you have any questions about our Botox treatment for vaginismus and progressive dilation under anesthesia, please contact us via our contact us form.
