Vulvodynia Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Vulvodynia?

Vulvodynia is a chronic pain syndrome that affects the vulvar area and occurs without an identifiable cause.

Vulvodynia can be divided into two subtypes:

Generalized Vulvodynia

It is accompanied by pain in different areas of the vulva at different time periods. Vulvar pain may be constant or random.

Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome

Marked by pain in the vestibule, which is the entrance to the vagina, this type of vulvar pain comes on only after touch or pressure, such as during intercourse.

Causes Of Vulvodynia:

To this date, doctors don’t know the exact cause for Vulvodynia.

Researchers have come up with possible explanations which include:

Nerve injury or irritation
Abnormal response in vulvar cells to an infection or trauma
Genetic factors that make the vulva respond poorly to chronic inflammation
Hypersensitivity to yeast infections
Muscle spasms
Allergies or irritation to chemicals or other substances
Hormonal changes
History of sexual abuse
Frequent antibiotic use

Symptoms Of Vulvodynia:

Symptoms of Vulvodynia are known to start suddenly and persist for years.

The major symptom is pain in the genital area which can be characterized by:

Burning
Soreness
Stinging
Rawness
Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)
Throbbing
Itching

One may feel the symptoms arise:

all the time or just once in a while
during activities such as exercise, intercourse, or walking — or even while at rest
while bicycling, inserting tampons, or even sitting
in one specific area or throughout your entire vulva

Diagnosis Of Vulvodynia:

The following tests and exam are likely to be done in order to diagnose Vulvodynia:

Pelvic exam
Cotton swab test
Wet mount
Vaginal pH
Fungal culture,
Gram stain

Treatment Of Vulvodynia:

Although it is incurable, self-care and treatments for Vulvodynia can help bring relief from symptoms.

Treatment may include:

Steroids, tricyclic antidepressants or anticonvulsants may help lessen chronic pain. Moreover, Antihistamines may be used to reduce itching.

Biofeedback therapy.

This therapy can help reduce pain by teaching how to control how the body responds to the symptoms. To cope with Vulvodynia, biofeedback can teach one to relax the pelvic muscles, which can contract in anticipation of pain and actually cause chronic pain.