Botox™ Vaginismus Treatment

Many of us are familiar with the use of Botox™ as a cosmetic treatment; it relaxes the muscles in the face so that smile lines and deep wrinkles do not appear. But it is the very action of releasing muscle tension that has led to its successful use in treating vaginismus.

Botox™ is used in cases of vaginismus where more traditional treatments have not been successful. There are women for whom the pain is so great, that typically successful approaches, such as dilation, cannot be attempted. For other women, choosing Botox™ treatment for vaginismus is the right choice because fear of vaginal pain makes any other treatment alarming and upsetting; Botox™ offers a solution that allows these patients to move ahead despite this fear.

Treating Vaginismus with Botox™

A patient is put under conscious sedation for the procedure which takes approximately 20 minutes. This is extremely useful for women who cannot allow a doctor to touch their genitals in order to conduct an exam. Once the patient is sedated, the doctor administers a topical anesthetic in the vaginal walls uses massage to break any spasms the introital muscles. This procedure is then followed by injections of Botox™. The anesthesia and massage allow the muscles to relax so that a large dilator can be inserted while the patient is under sedation. The patient awakens with the dilator in place.

There is a recovery and rest period after the procedure. During that time a patient is taught to remove and re-insert the dilators and she is sent home with the dilators and instructions. Follow-up visits are scheduled for the next day and, depending on the distance a woman has traveled, a follow up treatment plan is developed.

How Does Botox™ Treat Vaginismus?

The use of Botox™ relaxes the muscle spasm that causes tightening of the vagina and the resulting pain when attempting intercourse. After the procedure, the patient awakens having already achieved that which is usually the hardest first step, the insertion of the first dilator. The anesthesia works to ensure that her first experience with the dilator is not painful at all. In fact, most patients report that they can't even feel the dilator.

What has been observed in research on the use of Botox™ for vaginismus is a very high (75%) rate of success (meaning pain-free intercourse) within two-to-six weeks of the treatment. And , although Botox™ only lasts two-to-three months when used cosmetically, once the vagina is dilated, additional treatment is generally not necessary.

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