NCT06760767

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Combined With Sexual Therapy in Vaginismus Treatment

Investigation of The Effectiveness of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Combined With Sexual Therapy in Vaginismus Treatment

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 44 (actual)
• Sponsor: Medipol University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 20 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Studies on pelvic floor physiotherapy in individuals diagnosed with vaginismus are quite limited in the literature. While current studies have focused on certain physiotherapy modalities, the literature is quite limited in terms of combined rehabilitation programs. There is a need for non-invasive therapy methods that can be an alternative for the patient and client population whose vaginismus problem continues after behavioral therapies. No studies on pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy have been found in the literature. In this context, our study aimed to examine the effectiveness of pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy in individuals diagnosed with vaginismus.

Detailed description

Vaginismus is a sexual dysfunction defined as recurrent or persistent difficulty or impossibility of sexual intercourse due to involuntary contractions of the muscles in the vaginal area in women. This condition is usually associated with excessive tension and spasm of the pelvic floor muscles and adductor muscles when evaluated in terms of these muscle groups. Sexuual therapy includes the placement of dilators of graduated sizes by the therapist at home or in a clinical setting, guided by both the patient and the partner, for systematic desensitization to vaginal penetration, and sexual education to alleviate the psychological impact of the condition. This method is most frequently used in studies and the reported success rates are quite high. Various techniques such as breathing and relaxation exercises, local tissue desensitization, vaginal dilators, biofeedback and manual therapy are used within the scope of pelvic floor physiotherapy in the treatment of vaginismus. There are studies in the literature investigating the effectiveness of biofeedback exercises in the treatment of vaginismus with a 100% success rate. It has also been reported that the combined application of pelvic floor exercises with behavioral sexual therapy provides significant improvement. In this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy in individuals diagnosed with vaginismus.

Conditions

• Women Health
• Physiotherapy
• Exercise

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	sexual therapy	In sexual therapy sessions, sexual education, cognitive restructuring, body awareness exercises, systematic desensitization, relaxation training, individual and partner home exercise training and dilator treatment were applied with the supervision of a physiotherapist. All techniques and stages were not applied in the same session and were used with a certain progression
BEHAVIORAL	Pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy	Pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy was applied in the experimental group. Sexual therapy techniques were added appropriately before, during and after the pelvic floor physiotherapy session. In the pelvic floor physiotherapy sessions, pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback, electrotherapy, manual therapy applications, breathing exercises, stretching and relaxation exercises were applied with the physiotherapist. Pelvic floor physiotherapy techniques and stages were applied in the same session and followed a certain progression.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-01-15
• Primary completion: 2024-07-31
• Completion: 2024-08-02
• First posted: 2025-01-07
• Last updated: 2025-01-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)