Three traumatic births left me with intimate pain and embarrassing problems that plagued me for years… until I found a surprising DIY solution

After three children – each born after traumatic labours – Helen Tyler was left with intimate problems that affected almost every part of her life.

Some were painful, others simply embarrassing. Together, they began to dictate what she could and couldn’t do.

Exercise became fraught with anxiety – even bouncing on a trampoline with her children could lead to embarrassing leaks.

Periods brought another difficulty: using tampons had become so uncomfortable that Helen had largely given them up.

And routine medical examinations became something to dread. Smear tests caused such pain that, when an abnormal result meant she needed a cervical biopsy, she was advised to have the procedure under general anaesthetic.

There were other, less obvious, changes too. Helen, 42, a partnership manager from Shropshire, had lost much of the sensation on one side of her vulva, which she says affected her enjoyment of sex.

Yet for years she largely carried on, accepting these problems as part of what her body had been through.

‘I gave birth to my first child, a girl, in 2014 and then to my second, a boy, in 2017 – and in between I suffered two miscarriages,’ says Helen. ‘My third, another daughter, came in 2019.

‘My last two babies were both pretty big, and my third pregnancy put a lot of strain on every part of my body.

‘I had stitches after my first birth and the pain got worse after each one.

‘After all of that, just wearing a tampon or having a smear test was incredibly painful.

‘But I just put up with it and tried to get on with my life. I think as women, that’s what we do.’

Today, though, Helen says many of her difficulties are largely behind her. The pain that once made tampons and intimate examinations so uncomfortable has eased dramatically and, she says, sensation has also improved.

And she credits the change to a simple device she began using at home.

Its makers claim the technology, which combines light, heat and vibration, can help tackle a range of intimate problems, including vaginal pain, loss of sensation and stress incontinence.

Once largely confined to simple pelvic-floor exercisers, the booming ‘intimate wellness’ market now offers an increasingly high-tech array of devices designed to be used internally to strengthen the pelvic floor or improve the surrounding tissues.

Some use electrical stimulation and vibration, others gentle heat or light therapy, with their makers claiming they can tackle problems ranging from bladder leaks and menopausal vaginal dryness to reduced sensation and difficulties with sex.

While expensive, with devices often costing hundreds of pounds, the potential market is vast.

As many as one in three women experience urinary incontinence in the first year after having a baby, according to NHS England – and, for some, the problem can persist for years.

Pain can linger long after the immediate aftermath of childbirth, too.

Recent research found around one in eight women who gave birth vaginally were still experiencing perineal pain three months later, while other studies suggest around one in ten can be left with genital or pelvic pain lasting beyond a year.

Among the devices promising to help are the Kegel8 Vivify, which combines red and blue light with vibration; the Tight & Tone, which uses electrical stimulation to contract and strengthen the pelvic-floor muscles; and the Elvie Trainer, which uses internal sensors linked to a smartphone app to guide women through pelvic-floor exercises.

Helen opted for the £300 Issviva x Joylux Vaginal Rejuvenation Device, which combines red LED light, gentle heat and vibration.

Its makers claim the light and heat help increase blood flow and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin – proteins that give tissues their strength and elasticity – while the vibration is intended to exercise the pelvic-floor muscles, which support the bladder and help control continence.

But can shining red light on vaginal tissue really make a difference?

There is evidence from laboratory and other medical research that red-light therapy can affect cells involved in tissue repair, including those that produce collagen and elastin, and may increase blood flow.

Small studies of vaginal light therapy have also reported improvements in symptoms including urinary leakage and vaginal dryness.

But the research remains limited. Many studies have involved relatively small numbers of women, while some have lacked a placebo group, making it difficult to know how much of the improvement is genuinely caused by the treatment.

Experts say larger, independent studies are needed before the benefits of such devices can be considered proven.

Helen began using her device for six minutes three times a week, gradually building up to 12-minute sessions over the course of a 12-week programme.

‘It does take a little getting used to the mix of light, vibration and heat at first,’ she says. ‘But I soon got used to using it and stuck with the programme, making notes of any changes along the way.’

For incontinence, the NHS recommends a three-month programme of pelvic-floor exercises as a first-line treatment.

These involve repeatedly contracting and relaxing the muscles that support the bladder and urethra, helping to strengthen them and improve bladder control.

Helen did these alongside using the device – so it is impossible to know whether the improvement was down to the Issviva Joylux, the exercises, or a combination of the two, although she is convinced the device helped.

Dr Philippa Kaye, GP and Daily Mail columnist, says: ‘At the moment, there isn’t enough good-quality evidence to recommend transvaginal energy-based treatments, including laser and light therapies, for these sorts of symptoms.’

She adds that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which provides guidelines for doctors, states that vaginal laser treatments should only be used in research settings because there isn’t yet enough evidence about their long-term safety or effectiveness.

‘There is, however, good evidence for pelvic-floor exercises, which are recommended as a first-line treatment for stress and mixed urinary incontinence,’ adds Dr Kaye.

‘The NHS Squeezy app can be a useful way of helping women do these exercises regularly.

‘If that isn’t enough, your GP may be able to refer you to a specialist pelvic-health physiotherapist for further assessment and treatment.

‘The important message is that if you’re struggling with symptoms like these, see a healthcare professional. You shouldn’t have to just live with them.’

In Helen’s case, one of the most striking changes, she says, was that she could use a tampon again without the pain she had endured for years.

‘I was pleasantly surprised to find I had no pain, not even when wearing it for the usual amount of time,’ she says.

Her incontinence also began to improve.

‘Before having kids I loved running, but afterwards I found it a real challenge because I was always worried about leaking,’ she says.

‘I even did a 10k obstacle race where I was running through water, which helped disguise any accidents – although I still needed a lot of protection.

‘Once I started using the device, I decided I wanted to do the Couch to 5K plan and get back to running properly.

‘At around week ten, I began to notice an improvement.

‘Being able to go out for a run without worrying about having an accident might sound like a small victory, but after years of avoiding it, it felt huge.’