Vulvodynia - Methods That Can Help In Treating It

Introduction

Vulvodynia is chronic pain or discomfort around the opening of your vagina (vulva) without any identifiable cause and its a condition suffered by most women. The condition can last for months to years.

The pain, burning or irritation associated with vulvodynia can make you so uncomfortable that sitting for long periods or having sex becomes unthinkable.

The location, constancy and severity of the pain vary among sufferers. Dr. Jaya Chhabra says some women experience pain in only one area of the vulva, while others experience pain in multiple areas.

Types of Vulvodynia

There are two main subtypes of vulvodynia:

- Generalized vulvodynia: It is pain in different areas of the vulva at different times. Vulvar pain may be constant or occur every once in a while. Touch or pressure may or may not prompt it. But this may make the pain worse.

- Localized vulvodynia: It is pain in one area of the vulva. Often a burning sensation, this type of vulvar pain is usually provoked by touch or pressure, such as intercourse or prolonged sitting.

Symptoms

The main vulvodynia symptom is pain in your genital area, which can be characterized as:

- Burning

- Soreness

- Stinging

- Rawness

- Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)

- Throbbing

- Itching

According to Gynecologist in Indore, the pain can affect a particular spot, or it may be felt in a wider area, including the clitoris, the perineum, the mons pubis, and the inner thighs. It can also affect the area around the urethra and the top of the legs and inner thighs.

Causes

The cause behind vulvodynia is not known, but possible contributing factors to it include Injury to the nerves surrounding your vulvar region, past vaginal infections, allergies or, sensitive skin, hormonal changes, muscle spasm or weakness in the pelvic floor.

Treatment for vulvodynia

There's no known cause that you can cure, but treating vulvodynia means to make the pain stop. Gynecologist in Vijay Nagar Indore suggests that self-care and treatments for vulvodynia can help bring relief.

For self care, some measures can be taken that do not involve medications

- If vulvodynia occurs, the first step is to stop using any irritants, such as perfumed soaps. A change in menstrual products might help, for example, switching from synthetic to cotton-based items.

- Cool gel packs may offer immediate, short-term pain relief. A range of cool gel packs is available for purchase online.

- Pelvic floor muscle exercises may help by relaxing tissues in the pelvic floor and releasing tension in muscles and joints.

- A trigger point is a specific area of discomfort. Trigger-point therapy involves massaging a small area of tightly contracted muscle to release tension and relieve pain. An anesthetic medication applied directly, for example, as a cream, can also be used to relieve pain in a trigger point.

- Since stress can play a role in vulvodynia, either as a trigger or a consequence, stress management may help ease symptoms.

- A change in diet may help. Refusing out one food at a time may help to lessen the problem. Items that commonly trigger a reaction include caffeine, high-sugar foods, acidic foods, processed foods.

Other treatments for vulvodynia

- Over-the-counter meds offer short-term relief. Antihistamines offset itching. Local anesthetics, like lidocaine ointment, numb the pain.

- Topical medications including hormone cream, topical anesthetics, and topical compounded medications. You can also apply prescription hormone creams directly to your skin. These contain estrogen or testosterone.

- Surgery is usually the last resort, if it’s used at all. Your doctor might recommend it if you have localized vulvodynia, which means you feel pain in the skin around the opening of your vagina. Removing that tissue surgically may relieve the pain.

Conclusion

Around 16 percent of women are estimated to have experienced pain or stinging in the vulval area at some time in their life.When looking for ways to relieve the pain caused by vulvodynia, you may get the right path quickly. Or, it could take weeks or months to find the right combination of treatments that can help you. The management of these patients requires a sensitive provider who can coordinate a multidisciplinary approach to their care.