One in 10 women experience pain during sex. In fact, sometimes the pain is so severe that one woman described it like someone stabbing her.
Vaginismus has been described as the tightening of the vagina's muscles when something enters it; for example: a tampon or a penis. Few know about the condition, and shame often stops them from seeking help.
Symptoms include pain during penetration. It usually goes away after withdrawal, but not always, according to Web MD.
Some women have described the pain as a tearing sensation or a feeling like the man is "hitting a wall".
Little research has been done thus far, but doctors have linked the causes to anxiety and the fear of having sex.
WATCH: 'My body won't let me have sex'
A new BBC documentary on vaginismus is hoping to dispel the taboo around it by interviewing various women who suffer in silence from the condition.
There are treatment options available, including progressive desensitization, advises Web MD. First, do Kegel exercises by squeezing the same muscles you use to stop the flow of urine when urinating:
- Squeeze the muscles
-
Hold for 2 to 10 seconds
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Relax the muscles
Do about 20 Kegels at a time. You can do them as many times a day as you want to.