title: Vaginismus: a review of the literature on the classification/diagnosis, etiology and treatment.
abstract: Vaginismus is currently defined as an involuntary vaginal muscle spasm interfering with sexual intercourse that is relatively easy to diagnose and treat. As a result, there has been a lack of research interest with very few well-controlled diagnostic, etiological or treatment outcome studies. Interestingly, the few empirical studies that have been conducted on vaginismus do not support the view that it is easily diagnosed or treated and have shed little light on potential etiology. A review of the literature on the classification/diagnosis, etiology and treatment of vaginismus will be presented with a focus on the latest empirical findings. This article suggests that vaginismus cannot be easily differentiated from dyspareunia and should be treated from a multidisciplinary point of view.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada. mlahaie@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Marie-André
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lahaie
authors.forename: Stéphanie C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amsel
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khalifé
authors.forename: Yitzchak M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Binik
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003376:Counseling; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052065:Vaginismus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents