Vibrating Sensations In The Vagina Or Groin: Everything You Need To Know

What Causes A Vibrating Sensation In The Pelvic Area?

Generally, vibrating sensations in the pelvic area are vaginal muscle spasms or an involuntary contraction of a group of pelvic floor muscles, although they can also result from nerve or muscle issues.

I spoke with Dr. Heather Jeffcoat, a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in pelvic floor health and sits on our medical review board, to learn more about the causes of a vibrating vagina.

“When vibrations are described in the pelvic floor region, this can be due to nerve entrapments, pelvic congestion, or muscle spasms,” she said.

“For symptoms that come and go or last longer and have a less-identifiable cause, I’ll usually find it is due to a nerve or muscle issue in the pelvic floor,” Dr. Jeffcoat added.

Here are some of the most common reasons you may feel a humming or vibrating sensation in your vaginal area (when you’re not aroused):

• Sitting For Extended Periods Of Time:

Surprisingly, your posture when sitting — and the amount of time you spend sitting — can cause or worsen vaginal spasms, as Dr. Jeffcoat points out.

“The most common cause of temporary vibrations in the vagina I see are women that sit on a toilet or very hard surfaces for too long,” she explained.

“In this case, it typically resolves on its own once the pressure is removed — within 15 minutes,” she added. 

Sitting for long periods puts excessive pressure on the vaginal muscles and the pelvic floor, which can lead to vibrating sensations in the pelvic region.

As we’ll discuss later, the best course of action is to make sure that you’re getting up and walking around — frequently and regularly — to counteract this if it occurs.

• Side Effects Of Medications Or Hormonal Changes:

Certain medications or treatments such as chemotherapy or even natural hormonal changes during menopause can have an impact on the body’s musculature, leading to muscle twitches or vibrating sensations in the vaginal area — or elsewhere throughout the body.

• Excessive Caffeine Intake Or Dehydration:

Consuming too much caffeine — meaning more than 400mg a day, according to the Mayo Clinic — can cause involuntary muscle twitches or spasms in the body, including in the vaginal area.

Additionally, not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration, which can result in muscle cramps or spasms anywhere throughout the body.

• Restless Genital Syndrome (RGS):

Restless genital syndrome is a recently-recognized condition and, as the name suggests, can cause a variety of uncomfortable sensations for both men and women, though the ailment seems to be more common in women.

This syndrome can result in physical symptoms of the genital area that include numbness, pain, discomfort, a burning sensation, restlessness, and vibration.

• Pelvic Floor Disorders:

There are various types of pelvic floor disorders, with three of the most common disorders including urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.

Dr. Jeffcoat explained that those who are experiencing a vibrating sensation due to pelvic floor disorders “may also have other signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, such as painful penetrative intercourse, urinary urgency and/or frequency, or constipation.”

Such disorders impact the musculature of the pelvic floor — including the vagina and rectum — and can result from childbirth, straining during defecation, overuse of pelvic muscles, traumatic injury or surgery in the pelvic region, obesity, or simply as part of the aging process.

• Vaginismus:

Vaginismus, defined by vaginal and other muscles in the pelvic floor area involuntarily contracting whenever penetration is attempted, is less common than some pelvic floor ailments.

While the exact number of vaginismus sufferers is unknown, the worldwide prevalence is estimated to be 1-7%, with an incidence in people seeking treatment in clinical settings estimated to be between 5-17%.

While some women may experience a humming or buzzing sensation with vaginismus, some women may experience pain as a primary symptom.

• Neurological Disorders:

Different neurological conditions can cause tingling or numbness in a person’s arms, hands, legs, or feet.

However, these sensations — known as paresthesia — can occur nearly anywhere in the body, including the vaginal area.

Paresthesia is often a clinical symptom of diseases that affect the brain or spinal cord, including multiple sclerosis (MS), transverse myelitis, or spinal cord tumors.

It’s important to note that a vibrating vagina alone is not necessarily indicative of the aforementioned conditions — such sensations would most likely be accompanied by other symptoms relating to this type of underlying health issue.

Is It Common For Your Vagina To Vibrate?

Although not many women talk about vaginal twitching or throbbing, that “weird sensation down below” is actually more common than you think.

That said, it’s hard to know for sure just how many women experience vibrations in their vaginal area, as the issue is likely underreported.

An estimated 25% of women in the U.S. live with some type of pelvic floor disorder, which can cause humming or tingling sensations in their vaginal area.

Pelvic floor disorders become more common as women age, occurring when the connective tissues and muscles in the pelvic cavity become injured or weakened.

Women over the age of 60 experience pelvic floor disorders more frequently than their younger counterparts and may experience vibrations and pulsations in their vaginal areas as a result.

Understandably, however, people are often hesitant to talk about such an intimate issue — it’s hard to ask someone, “Why am I throbbing down there?” — so there is no way to know exactly how common it actually is.

That said, it’s easy to find forums and conversation threads filled with concerned women who have also felt unprovoked buzzing, twitching, or painful sensations in their vaginal area.

If you have experienced a buzzing feeling in your groin or felt your vagina twitching, you’re far from alone.

What Does A Vibrating Vagina Feel Like?

Two people experiencing vaginal spasms may describe those sensations very differently.

Here are some of the ways they might be described:

• Like a cell phone vibrating in my pocket
• Like I lost my vibrator in there
• It’s a vibrating sensation in my vagina/groin
• It feels like my vagina is pulsing
• Like a strange humming sensation
• Like vagina tickling
• Tingling in the genital area
• Like something is crawling inside my vagina
• Like pins and needles in my vagina
• A rhythmic buzzing/vibrating every 5 seconds like a metronome
• Like when your leg falls asleep, except “down there”
• Like a bug accidentally made its way inside
• Like a hive of bees buzzing away constantly
• Like a purring cat

Even though it might feel like your vaginal area is pulsating, twitching, or buzzing, it isn’t physically vibrating.

However, that doesn’t mean what you’re feeling isn’t real or that it’s “all in your head.”

Terri, an author from Nevada who shared her experience, said she first felt vibrating and tingling sensations in her vaginal area in 1990.

She said that the sensations feel “like an orgasm, only greatly reduced,” explaining that they’re “very distracting but not uncomfortable.”

“Sometimes, it’s just a tingling sensation,” she added.

One forum user even joked that she thought the vibrating sensations were “aliens trying to communicate via my IUD” or “the copper coils picking up radio waves.”

While some women have said that the tingling, pulsating vibrations are more annoying than anything else, others described these sensations as physically painful.

Likewise, certain women may experience pulsing or buzzing sensations frequently, while others may only feel them occasionally.

Should You Be Concerned If Your Vagina Is Vibrating?

Even though the sensations associated with a “vibrating vagina” can be jarring, to say the least, they’re generally not a cause for concern — most of the time.

As we mentioned earlier, a tingling or buzzing sensation in the vagina might be caused by something as “simple” as sitting for long periods, dehydration, or the amount of caffeine you ingest.

That said, a vibrating vagina can also be a symptom of a more serious underlying health condition — such as restless genital syndrome, pelvic floor dysfunction, or vaginismus.

If you experience a buzzing, tingling, or vibrating sensation in or around your vagina, don’t jump to conclusions — especially if it is temporary.

If the sensation occurs often, becomes bothersome (or constant), or is accompanied by other symptoms, however, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your doctor or healthcare provider.

How Can I Treat Or Stop My Vagina From Pulsating Or Vibrating?

The throbbing, pulsing, twitching, or tingling sensations that accompany a vaginal spasm can be disruptive and distracting.

Fortunately, there are treatment options for women who are experiencing vibrating or buzzing sensations:

• Change your posture when sitting and move around often:

Sitting on a hard surface (or even a toilet seat) for extended periods can put stress on your pelvic floor, as Dr. Heather Jeffcoat, the pelvic floor expert we spoke with earlier, explained.

It’s important to always practice good posture while sitting, but you should also ensure you’re getting up and moving around often.

Particularly if you have to sit for long periods, taking a break (and a walk) can help relieve pressure and stress on your pelvic floor.

A good rule of thumb to follow: if 45 minutes have passed since the last time you got out of your chair, it’s time to get up and move around for a few minutes.

Additionally — and this is especially important if you have a desk job — you might find a cushion useful for alleviating pressure on your vaginal muscles while you sit.

Dr. Jeffcoat specifically recommends the Kabooti (below) because it distributes the weight toward your thighs.

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Kabooti Ergonomically Designed Coccyx Foam Seat Cushion

Recommended by pelvic floor specialist Dr. Heather Jeffcoat, the Kabooti seat cushion distributes your body weight toward your thighs when seated, helping to alleviate pressure on vaginal muscles. Additionally, this ergonomic foam cushion can improve posture, keeping your spine in alignment to prevent muscle aches and body fatigue while reducing pressure on your tailbone for optimal comfort.

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Ultimately, being mindful of how you sit while ensuring that you’re getting out of that chair every so often can be beneficial to the health of your pelvic floor.

• Reduce stress levels and caffeine intake, and practice good self-care:

Since stress and caffeine overconsumption can impact how frequently a person experiences vaginal spasms, it can be helpful to keep stress levels as low as possible and limit caffeine intake.

For instance, if you’re an all-day-long coffee drinker, this can be as simple as making a gradual switch to decaf.

If you’re a cola drinker, substitute some of those beverages for water or a caffeine-free alternative.

When you find yourself under a lot of pressure, yoga can be an effective tool to help manage your stress and anxiety.

You can also try different relaxation techniques to see what works for you and make sure you’re getting plenty of rest at night.

Finally, it’s important to ensure that you’re drinking enough water, as dehydration can exacerbate muscle cramps and spasms, and eat a well-balanced diet each day.

• Consider physical therapy with a pelvic floor specialist:

Often, doctors recommend physical therapy for those struggling with any type of pelvic floor issues.

Depending on the cause of vaginal spasms, pelvic floor exercises can help women strengthen and learn to relax their pelvic floor muscles.

Dr. Kerry-Anne Perkins, an OB-GYN on our medical review board, said that Kegel exercises increase a “woman’s awareness and control of her vaginal muscles.” She told me:

“While the goal is not necessarily to strengthen the vaginal muscles in a woman with vaginal spasms (as this can be counterintuitive to using vaginal dilators), it is focused on awareness and progressive muscle relaxation techniques which will decrease their painful spasms.”

Dr. Perkins added that physical therapy “may also specifically include sex therapy with a focus on the physical, cognitive, and emotional/sexual communication with their partners in the treatment of vaginal spasms.”

Emily Deaton, a past writer for Women’s Health Interactive, said, “In my own experience, working with a physical therapist who recommended Kegels and other exercises has helped me to experience fewer painful spasms.”

• If spasms result from vaginismus, consider dilator therapy:

In addition to pelvic floor exercises, physical therapists often recommend using dilators with lubricant, particularly if vaginal spasms are caused by vaginismus.

Though dilator therapy isn’t an instant fix, it’s often a helpful long-term solution.

Using dilators can help women become more physically comfortable with penetration and improve the elasticity of their vaginal walls.

In many cases, dilator therapy under the care of an experienced pelvic floor specialist or therapist can help people struggling with vaginismus to experience fewer spasms and significantly less pain with penetration.

• Consider medication and counseling if the issue is neurological:

For individuals whose tingling or vibrating vaginal sensations result from restless genital syndrome (RGS) or a neurological condition, a combination of treatment options tends to be helpful.

Modern treatment methods may include electrical nerve stimulation, medications, and psychotherapeutic counseling, depending on the root cause of the issue.

It’s best to talk to your doctor to find safe, effective treatment methods that address your specific medical condition.

Where To Find Treatment

If you’re concerned that you might need pelvic floor therapy, we highly recommend seeking a qualified pelvic floor therapist in your area.

Depending on your insurance, you may need to obtain a referral from your general practitioner (GP) first.

Additionally, there are pelvic floor therapists who work with patients virtually so you can receive the help you need, all from the comfort of home.

In Conclusion

You may feel alone if you’re experiencing a vibrating sensation in your vagina but it’s far more common than you realize and most of the time, the cause is benign.

Talking with a medical professional about such an intimate issue can feel overwhelming and intimidating, but it’s important to remember that your doctor is not there to judge you.

Unless your physician is very young or just beginning their career, you most likely won’t be the first patient to have experienced this phenomenon before.

(And if you are, then you’re paving the way for the next patient who approaches with a similar problem.)

There are treatment options available for a vibrating vagina and although they vary based on the root cause, the relief you’ll experience is well worth a few moments of embarrassment — so seek professional care if you feel it’s warranted.

Have you ever had a vaginal spasm? Do you ever experience pulsating or tingling feelings in your vaginal area?

Or have you found ways to help lessen your spasms?

Either way, we want to hear from you! Share your frustrations and triumphs with others.