Penile vibratory stimulation has proven itself an effective therapy in the treatment of Genital Pain Penetration Disorder (GPPD), which is characterized by sharp or burning pains during sexual intercourse.
Men with GPPD tend to score very poorly on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire when it comes to orgasm and satisfaction domain scores, respectively. A behavioral treatment consisting of start-stop exercises coupled with vibrators led to significant improvements in IIEF scores for 61% of participants who took part.
What Is PVS?
Genital vibration therapy (PV) has long been used by men and women with various sexual dysfunction issues; however, in the spinal cord injury community this therapy has received less focus. One reason could be its difficulty to determine who could benefit. PV is an easy, accessible, cost-effective solution that has proven successful treating ejaculatory dysfunction, anorgasmia, pelvic floor muscle dysfunction and vulvodynia among many others.
Vibratory stimulation of the genital area can be an extremely powerful form of sexual arousal stimulation. Vibration activates Pacinian corpuscles which may mediate erections and increase vaginal secretions like oxytocin, known to heighten pleasure during orgasm; consequently some individuals find vibrators the most enjoyable method of sexual stimulation.
Studies evaluating PVS as a treatment option have measured its efficacy against ejaculatory dysfunction, orgasm disturbances and pelvic floor muscle impairments. A recent research paper concluded that 72% of men who received this procedure achieved orgasm during sexual intercourse; also, at three-month and six-month follow up visits, this group demonstrated significant improvements in orgasm satisfaction domains of International Index of Erectile Function.
Vibratory stimulation was found to be successful at increasing orgasm levels among most subjects with retarded ejaculation, an essential aspect of sexual functioning and enjoyment. This indicates that PVS can serve as an effective treatment option for ejaculatory dysfunction; thus, cognitive-behavioral sex therapy techniques should incorporate PVS for maximum efficiency and patient satisfaction.
PV is also an effective arousal stimulator due to its ability to alleviate pain during penetration – the main complaint among women suffering from Vulvodynia. A study using a vibrator specifically tailored for target tender areas of the Vulva found a marked reduction of dyspareunia and increase in sexual satisfaction from just five minutes daily use of such vibrators.
The genital region is innervated by the penile nerve (PN), which delivers sensory information proximally to the sacral spinal cord for processing by supraspinal centers, such as hypothalamus, thalamus and cerebral cortex. Furthermore, PN participates in the bulbocavernosus reflex which causes tightening of anal musculature when stimulated digitally or oral, vaginal or penile biothesiometry stimulation.
How Is PVS Done?
Penile Vibration Therapy is an easy, noninvasive procedure. Patients simply lie down, apply some lubricant at the base of their glans penis and connect the vibrating device – then adjust its frequency and amplitude as necessary to meet desired effects without experiencing pain during this process. Patients report it as being comfortable.
Vibration therapy has proven itself effective for both women and men alike, acting as an effective remedy to treat sexual dysfunction issues such as dyspareunia and orgasm in women; increasing clitoral stimulation in men; and even helping those experiencing delayed ejaculation. Genital vibration has been shown to decrease dyspareunia while increasing orgasm; decreasing dyspareunia while increasing orgasm; improving clitoral stimulation among male patients, and helping improve delayed ejaculation among those experiencing delayed ejaculation among others.
Consult a medical provider when considering penile vibratory stimulation as a form of therapy, especially if you suffer from any medical conditions that could worsen with its use, or have had trauma to your penis in the past.
One study that assessed the efficacy of PVS in restoring retarded orgasm found that almost three quarters of 36 men who met inclusion criteria experienced restoration of orgasm after PVS therapy, with orgasm occurring 62% of time during sexual relations and experiencing statistically significant increases on orgasm domain scores of International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) 3-month and 6-month assessments.
This finding is promising given the limited treatments currently available to restore retarded orgasm in people with spinal cord injury. Cognitive-behavioral sex therapy is currently the go-to remedy, yet results vary widely; some studies have incorporated penile vibratory stimulation into this therapy and found it to be successful.
The scrotum is connected to distal branches of the peripheral nervous system, which provide sensory information proximal to the brain. Furthermore, an important nerve known as the phrenic nerve provides motor function to the scrotum as well as being involved with sexual functions like orgasm and sexual arousal; because this nerve plays a part in orgasm production and sexual functions like orgasm induction, vibration may stimulate it further in some individuals.
What Are the Risks Associated With PVS?
Penile vibratory stimulation differs from many sexual rehabilitation treatments in that it doesn’t involve penetration of either vagina or clitoral lobe, making it possible for women with pelvic floor pain and pelvic vulva pain to use PVS to increase sexual satisfaction and orgasm levels. Studies have proven its efficacy; however, its long-term effectiveness remains unknown.
One major drawback of these trials is the absence of a placebo group to compare results. While this is an essential consideration in any randomized clinical trial, its absence here could explain why some initial PVS studies failed to discover statistically significant differences between groups.
Vibratory stimulation of the penis has been found to increase blood flow to its source, potentially leading to an erection for some men with spinal cord injury. Furthermore, PVS can be used to stimulate ejaculation in 90% of these injured males due to increased blood flow to their penis combined with pressure on the external urethral sphincter that trigger ejaculation in these cases.
Though these studies offer promising results, it is important to remember that not all men will respond well to PVS therapy. If a treatment fails for you, don’t become disheartened; speak to your physician and explore alternative options before discouraging yourself from continuing treatment with vibration therapy. In addition, certain medical conditions may make vibrator use unadvisable; be sure to seek advice first from a medical provider before beginning treatments with vibrators therapy.
One drawback of this study was its pre-RP nature; many participants would likely have had catheters in for extended periods before surgery was scheduled. While this does not rule out participation, it does indicate that long-term effects may differ significantly than what was observed here; further research should explore post-RP effects as well as longer daily treatment sessions to maximize compliance among patients.
What Can PVS Do for Me?
The genital area is innervated by distal branches of the penile nerve (PN), which carry sensory information proximally towards the spinal cord and on to supraspinal centers involved in higher-level processing such as hypothalamus and thalamus before arriving at cerebellum (Tajkarimi & Burnett 2011). Furthermore, other areas may provide input via paraspinal and somatic sensory pathways (Tajkarimi & Burnett 2011).
PVS therapy was found to restore orgasm for 62% of respondents with retarded orgasm, who self-reported that at least some sexual relations produced orgasmic responses. Furthermore, results remained stable at 6-month assessment point. PVS is non-invasive treatment which may improve erectile function because it increases blood flow to the penis which helps maintain erections while being less likely to cause side effects than many other ED treatments.
PVS has been proven to enhance both libido and sexual satisfaction in men. It can be used alone or combined with other forms of sex therapy techniques for optimal results. Before beginning an oscillator program, however, it is wise to discuss your sexual desires with your physician so they are aware of any desire you might have for orgasms and can include these into their sex therapy regimen.
Women suffering from Vulvodynia have shown that vibrators can significantly decrease dyspareunia – the sensation of pain during sex. One study gave women vibrators to use on tender parts of their vulvae and pelvic floors for several minutes daily – VVT was reported effective by 73% (Zolnoun et al, 2008).
Genital vibration has also been proven to heighten the pleasure associated with sexual encounters for both men and women, possibly due to providing a different sensation than touch and sound, or simply making individuals more relaxed during sex sessions, thus increasing enjoyment levels.
