Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Case Report
  • Published:

Topical lignocaine for vaginismus: a case report

Abstract

Vaginismus is a sexual dysfunction in which spasm of vaginal musculature precludes penetrative intercourse. In many cases associated pain or fear of pain may contribute to the maintenance of vaginismus. We report a case of primary vaginismus with associated pain that benefited from topical application of lignocaine gel along with systematic desensitization resulting in successful consummation, and suggest that it may be a useful adjunct during finger dilatation in the treatment of vaginismus, specifically in patients who have associated pain or areas of hyperesthesia in the introitus.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edn, Text Revised. American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC, 2000.

  2. Reissing ED, Binik YM, Khalife S, Cohen D, Amsel R . Vaginal spasm, pain, and behavior: an empirical investigation of the diagnosis of vaginismus. Arch Sex Behav 2004; 33: 5–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. de Kruiff ME, ter Kuile MM, Weijenborg PTM, van Lankveld JJDM . Vaginismus and dyspareunia: is there a difference in clinical presentation? J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2000; 21: 149–155.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Dawkins S, Taylor R . Non-consummation of marriage: a survey of seventy cases. Lancet 1961; 2: 1029–1033.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hall SP . Vaginismus as a cause of dyspareunia: a report of cases and a method of treatment. West J Surg Obstet Gynaecol 1952; 60: 117–120.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ward E, Ogden E . Experiencing vaginismus – sufferers’ beliefs about causes and effects. Sex Mar Ther 1994; 9: 33–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Reissing ED, Binik YM, Khalife S . Does vaginismus exist? A critical review of the literature. J Nerv Ment Dis 1999; 187: 261–274.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Masters WH, Johnson VE . Human Sexual Inadequacy. Little, Brown & Co: Boston, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Drenth JJ . Vaginismus and the desire for a child. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 1988; 9: 125–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Biswas A, Ratnam SS . Vaginismus and outcome of treatment. Ann Acad Med 1995; 24: 755–758.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ellison C . Psychosomatic factors in the unconsummated marriage. J Psychosom Res 1968; 12: 61–65.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Silverstein JL . Origins of psychogenic vaginismus. Psychother Psychosom 1989; 52: 197–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kaplan HS . The New Sex Therapy. Brunner/Mazel: New York, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Schnyder U, Schnyder-Luthi C, Ballinari P, Blaser A . Therapy for vaginismus: in vivo versus in vitro desensitization. Can J Psychiatry 1998; 43: 941–944.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Araoz DL . Hypnosis and Sex Therapy. Brunner/Mazel: New York, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Barnes J, Bowman EP, Cullen J . Biofeedback as adjunct to psychotherapy in the treatment of vaginismus. Biofeedback Self Regul 1984; 9: 281–289.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hassel B . Resolution of primary vaginismus and introital hyperesthesia by topical anesthesia. Anesth Analg 1997; 85: 1415–1416.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S K Praharaj.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Praharaj, S., Verma, P. & Arora, M. Topical lignocaine for vaginismus: a case report. Int J Impot Res 18, 568–569 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901467

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901467

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links