It’s not the first time in history that something medical has been blown out of proportion (or just utterly fake – think Blue Waffle). But the internet has this thing about making it way worse. One of these medical “terrors” that is floating around is something called Dead Vaginal Syndrome.
So, today we are going to look at how much of this is real and how much is phony.
WHAT IS DEAD VAGINAL SYNDROME?
Okay, so let’s just take a look at the general definition first.
“DVS is when women have a tingle or numbness in the vaginal area from overstimulation. This numbness can stop women from having orgasms and is largely due to the overuse of vibrators (particularly strong ones).
Sounds pretty scary, right? It’s hard enough for some women to have orgasms, but to have their trusted buzz buddy be the cause of their sexual woes for the rest of their lives?
But here’s the thing … it’s horseshit (mostly).
Having a daily round level 10 of your trusted vibrator isn’t going to hurt you. In fact, orgasms are super healthy.
SORTING FACT FROM FICTION
When we said it’s mostly horseshit, here’s the thing. Overstimulation from vibrators can make genitals go numb.
But, healthcare professionals are quick to point out that this goes away after around an hour (or even less). It’s also not just about your nether-regions. You could hold a vibrator in your hand for a while and it will end up going all weird and tingly too. It will also have feeling come back after a little.
And, you can’t wholly blame sex toys either.
Even going at it with a partner (and having them focus on your lady parts for a long time) can give the same results. It can also be on other parts of the body, like nipples, etc. Basically if there are never endings and you go at them for a long time, things will go numb-ish anyways.
Now, here’s where things get a bit complicated.
There are reasons that someone might not feel pleasure during direct stimulation for a long time. However, the cause isn’t from sex toys. There’s always an underlying reason for it. It can be things like…
- Medications
- Stress or anxiety issues
- STIs or other infections
- Mental blocks
- Illnesses or diseases
- Getting older
- Menopause
Another suggestion has been pressure from a partner. As much as we want to embrace pleasure and healthy sexuality, there are still people that are intimidated by the mere presence of a sex toy in their home. They hate the idea of something else being able to please their partner better. Or, they don’t like the fact that they are “missing out” on chances for their own pleasure.
But these are just guesses.
DEAD VAGINAL SYNDROME – FICTION
Yep, DVS isn’t the beast that the internet has made it out to be. There’s nothing dead about what’s going on between your legs.
So, don’t throw out your vibrator just yet. And, if you have an insecure partner, you don’t have to throw them out yet either. Take some time to communicate and work through these problems (if possible). If they remain steadfast, it’s a choice you’ll have to make. Personally, I would tell them to hit the road.
Because there are other, more understanding partners out there. Not to mention a plethora of sex toys that can give mindboggling experiences to both people (or more, or less – depending on how you swing things).
The real fact is, sex toys are amazing!
There are small, gentle ones if you’re super sensitive and all the way to things like Sybian saddles (if you want the neighbors to think you’re doing screaming home renovations.)
DEAD VAGINAL SYNDROME – CONCLUSION
With over 70% of women reporting that they have not experienced numbness after vibrator use, it’s just another piece of ammo against this health rumor. There have also been more formal studies around this idea, with all reporting the same thing – any numbness was temporary or the lack of orgasm was because of something else.
So, let DVS go the way of Blue Waffle and just disappear.
Pick up your buzzy friend and have fun!