A gynecological speculum examination may be associated with a feeling of swelling and pain in the vagina. A gynecological vaginal speculum examination is one of the more common gynecological exams, and is utilized during various vaginal, cervical, and uterine cavity related exams in order to open up the vagina to completely expose the cervix. A vaginal speculum is a simple instrument in the shape of a duckbill, which is used to open the vaginal walls through the upper and lower beaks to see inside the vagina. After the vagina is propped open, some people will experience a swelling sensation in the vagina and a small number of more sensitive people will experience pain and discomfort. The gynecological speculum examination is relatively quick, so the sensation is not noticeable when the lower abdominal muscles are relaxed. However, if you are overly tense, the muscles of the vaginal wall will also be tense, and the vagina will not be easy to open up and resist, but will be more painful. It is recommended that the patient relaxes during the vaginal speculum examination and is operated by a professional doctor to minimize discomfort.