Pelvic Floor Condition
Vaginismus
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Your body tightens before anything even touches you. Tampons will not go in, exams feel impossible, and intercourse is painful or cannot happen at all. You are not doing anything wrong. Vaginismus is a protective reflex in the pelvic floor, and reflexes can be retrained with patient, gentle care that follows your lead.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Vaginismus
Vaginismus is an involuntary tightening of the muscles around the vaginal opening in response to expected or attempted penetration. Some people have had it since their first attempt with a tampon or intercourse. Others develop it after an infection, childbirth, surgery, painful sex or a stressful experience. It is now often grouped under the medical term genito-pelvic pain / penetration disorder.
The response is automatic, like flinching. The body expects pain, the pelvic floor clamps down, penetration hurts, and the expectation of pain grows stronger. Over time the muscles can stay tight even at rest, and trigger points develop that add burning or aching. Desire and arousal are often completely normal, which can make the experience even more frustrating.
Dr. Gordon's approach releases muscle tension and trigger points around the pelvic floor, often starting entirely externally, while you stay in full control of what happens and when. He coordinates with your gynecologist, pelvic floor PT and therapist when helpful.
Vaginismus at a Glance
Also called
Genito-pelvic pain / penetration disorder, pelvic floor guarding
Who it affects
Women of any age, whether or not they have been sexually active
Common triggers
Painful first experiences, infections, childbirth, surgery, anxiety about pain
What it is not
A lack of desire or a relationship problem
Main drivers
Protective pelvic floor reflex, resting muscle tension, trigger points, expectation of pain
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Many people with vaginismus have been told to relax, use more lubricant, or that everything looks normal. The exam often cannot be completed, and the muscle response itself is never treated.
What routine testing is looking for
- Infections or skin conditions
- Structural problems of the vagina or hymen
- Hormonal tissue changes
- Findings on a standard pelvic exam
What often keeps symptoms going
- An automatic tightening reflex at the vaginal opening
- Resting tension in the pelvic floor
- Trigger points that add burning or aching
- Inner thigh and hip muscles that guard with the pelvic floor
- An expectation of pain that strengthens the reflex
Treating these requires a patient-led, step-by-step approach, which is how Dr. Gordon works with vaginismus.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Unable to insert tampons
Tampons will not go in, or insertion is very painful.
Pelvic exams are difficult or impossible
Speculum exams cannot be completed or are extremely painful.
Painful or impossible intercourse
Penetration is blocked, burning or sharp, even with arousal and desire.
Tightening before touch
The muscles clench in anticipation, sometimes along with holding your breath or tensing your legs.
Burning at the opening
A stinging or burning feeling when penetration is attempted.
Anxiety about penetration
Worry or dread about sex, exams or tampons that builds over time.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Protective reflex
The muscles around the vaginal opening contract automatically when penetration is expected, much like blinking when something moves toward the eye.
Resting muscle tension
Over time the pelvic floor can stay tight even at rest, making any attempt harder.
Trigger points
Chronically tight muscles develop trigger points that add burning and aching to the experience.
Hip and inner thigh guarding
The adductors and hip muscles tighten along with the pelvic floor and help maintain the pattern.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Vaginismus
The first visit runs 60 to 75 minutes and moves entirely at your pace. Nothing happens without your agreement, and much of the first visit can be conversation and external assessment only.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your gynecologist's findings, imaging, medications and past treatments so he knows what has been ruled out and what has already been tried.
External assessment only, to start
Gentle assessment of the abdomen, hips, inner thighs and buttocks. The pelvic floor muscles are examined from the outside, with no internal exam.
External pelvic floor assessment
The pelvic floor muscles are examined from the outside, with no internal exam. With you draped for comfort, gentle pressure around the perineum, sit bones, tailbone and inner thighs checks tone, tenderness and trigger points.
Breathing and guarding patterns
Dr. Gordon looks at how your breathing, legs and posture respond to stress, since these are part of the reflex.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your gynecologist or pelvic floor PT when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Fever or chills with pelvic pain
- Unusual discharge, sores or lesions
- Bleeding after menopause, or bleeding heavy enough to soak a pad or tampon every hour
- Sudden, severe pelvic or abdominal pain
- Possible pregnancy with new pelvic pain
- New numbness in the saddle area or loss of bladder or bowel control
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for vaginismus, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Intrapelvic & Extrapelvic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in both intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling. Treatment can begin externally with the inner thighs, hips and perineum, then progress only if and when you are ready. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum.
Learn about pelvic floor treatmentNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Gentle electro-acupuncture to calm the nervous system response and reduce pelvic floor reactivity.
See servicesBetween visits
Step-by-Step Plan & Team
A gradual plan that works alongside your pelvic floor PT's dilator program, your gynecologist and any therapist you are working with.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Build trust and calm
Dr. Gordon begins externally and starts reducing resting tension. Many people notice less guarding and anxiety early on.
Visits 4 to 8
Reduce the reflex
As muscle tension and trigger points ease, many patients progress with tampons, dilators or exams.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build confidence
Visits are spaced out as progress holds, with ongoing support from your care team.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"Dr. Gordon is thoughtful, thorough and incredibly knowledgeable. He has significantly helped me with pain management and pelvic floor issues. I am grateful to have his expertise in my corner."
Dina Isola, Google Review
Vaginismus Questions
Answers About Vaginismus
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
No. The pelvic floor muscles are examined externally, with no internal exam. Treatment options are explained before anything begins, and nothing is done without your consent.
It involves both the body and the nervous system. The tightening is a physical reflex that can be treated, and it often improves more quickly when the muscle side is addressed directly.
Yes, if that would make you more comfortable. You can also come alone.
Dr. Gordon starts very gently and adjusts to your comfort. You can pause or stop at any time.
It varies widely. Many people need eight to twelve sessions alongside dilator work with their pelvic floor PT.
Yes. Releasing muscle tension and trigger points often makes dilator progress easier. Dr. Gordon coordinates with your pelvic floor PT.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For vaginismus, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
It is a technique that reaches the deep pelvic floor muscles, including the levator ani, obturator internus and coccygeus, to release trigger points and restore normal muscle function. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum. Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in this technique, which few practitioners in New York have.
Yes. Your privacy and comfort come first. When undressing is needed for the area being treated, you are fully draped. Needles are placed through the skin only, and nothing is ever inserted into the vagina or rectum. You can pause or stop at any time.
Yes. Many of Dr. Gordon's pelvic floor patients come to him after difficult experiences elsewhere. Every step is explained before it happens, you set the pace, and Dr. Gordon treats adults of all genders and identities in a respectful, welcoming setting.
It helps to have had a medical workup so serious causes have been checked. If you have not seen a gynecologist for these symptoms yet, call the clinic to talk through the best order of steps.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioFurther Reading
Pain During Sex: Why the Pelvic Floor Is Often Part of the Story
From the blog: Painful sex needs a medical check first. Once infection, skin and hormonal causes are ruled out, guarding pelvic floor muscles are often part of the pain.
Book an Evaluation for Vaginismus
Book a first visit with Dr. Gordon. You decide what happens, and every step is explained before it begins.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
Symptoms
Common Symptoms of Vaginismus
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