Overview
Vulvodynia (pronounced vul-vo-DIN-ee-a) is chronic pain in your vulva, and or vagina or genitals, with no apparent cause. Vulvar and vaginal pain are common symptoms of various conditions, including infections and skin disorders. Vulvodynia is different. Vulvodynia is pain lasting three or more months that isn’t an obvious symptom of a specific condition. The pain can be so draining that it keeps you from doing activities you enjoy.
What types of vulvodynia are there?
There are two types of vulvodynia. They’re classified based on where the pain originates.
- Localized vulvodynia: Most of the time, pain is isolated to one spot, like your vulvar vestibule or clitoris. Your vulvar vestibule is the skin located between your inner labia (vaginal lips) and the opening of your urethra (where you pee) and vagina. Your clitoris is the small, bead-like organ at the top of your vulva. Localized vulvodynia is sometimes called localized vulvar pain syndrome.
- Generalized vulvodynia: Sometimes, the pain isn’t isolated to one spot. Instead, you may feel pain in different parts of your vulva and/or vagina at different times. You may feel pain throughout your vulva.
Vulvodynia could be provoked and unprovoked. In provoked vulvodynia, you feel pain with touch or activity. With unprovoked vulvodynia, you feel pain without these factors.
How does vulvodynia affect a person’s life?
Vulvodynia can be so stressful that it’s life-altering. With vulvodynia:
- Pain from sitting for too long can make it challenging to do your job.
- The difficulty or impossibility of sexual intercourse can damage relationships.
- You may have a harder time falling and staying asleep.
- Clothing options can be limited.
Research has linked vulvodynia to depression and anxiety.
Who gets vulvodynia?
Most people diagnosed range from ages 20 to 60, but you can get vulvodynia at any age.
How common is vulvodynia?
Vulvodynia is the most common cause of painful intercourse (dyspareunia) and chronic pelvic pain among people in their reproductive years (people who menstruate).
Still, it’s hard to know just how common it is. Many people with vulvodynia likely don’t seek treatment. Also, it isn’t easy to diagnose vulvodynia because researchers don’t know its exact cause. Many people with vulvodynia get misdiagnosed. Or, they may get diagnosed with other conditions involving chronic pain, but the vulvodynia gets missed.
Symptoms
When to see a doctor
Complications
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Some types of heart valve disease.
Prevention
- Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
- Don't smoke or use tobacco.
- Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
- Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce and manage stress.
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