4) Xie Y, Shi L, Xiong X, Wu E, Veasley C, Dade C. Economic burden and quality of life
of vulvodynia in the United States.
About 75 % of women
with vulvodynia suffer from vulvar vestibulitis — pain at the entry to the vagina.
As I mentioned in my previous post, working with a functional practitioner to do a full functional workup for root cause / s is the approach for PGADS and all pelvic conditions as they are often seen with gut issues like IBS, food sensitivities (such as oxalates
for vulvodynia), hormone imbalances etc
Younger women, those who experienced painful sex or vulvar pain over the last six months and women with pre-existing sleep problems, depression and chronic pain disorders were also more likely to
develop vulvodynia, according to the study that appears in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
These conditions
include vulvodynia, interstitial cystitis and pelvic floor dysfunction [4]
Statistics show upwards of 16 % of women will experience
vulvodynia in their life (1).
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Hispanic women surveyed in the metro Detroit area were twice as likely as white women to be affected
by vulvodynia, unexplained vulvar pain that can make sex, tampon use or even sitting excruciating.
«The more physicians become aware of how often this happens and who the condition affects, the more likely they are to teach patients
about vulvodynia and treat them or refer them for care.»
If vulvodynia is provoked, then it's only bothersome when the tissue is irritated, such as during sex, when wiping after using the...
Functional Nutrition Treatment Options for Vulvodynia and IBS When the pain of
vulvodynia hits - the painful sex, the pain with wearing tight pants, the pain with just sitting through a movie!
There are a number of reasons you might experience painful sex,
like vulvodynia, vaginismus, or another condition.
Despite the variation in symptoms, we attempt to
classify vulvodynia with a few key descriptors.
There are no specific guidelines for
treating vulvodynia as each presentation is so unique, however, a multi-modal approach is considered best practice (1).
Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a prevalent women's sexual pain disorder, which is associated with sexual function difficulties -LCB- 1 -RCB-, and with a prevalence of 8 - 12 %, it is the most common subtype of
vulvodynia -LCB- 2 -RCB-.
«said Carrie Bradshaw on HBOs Sex and the City, when her friend Charlotte was diagnosed
with vulvodynia — defined as otherwise unexplained pain, itching, and burning of a womans exterior genitals.
Pelvic floor muscle pain and dysfunction that can be experienced by both men and women can
include vulvodynia, vaginismus, vestibulodynia, rectal pain, prostatitis, and dyspareunia (painful sex).
For vulvodynia, you can get a physician referral after joining the National Vulvodynia Association; to find a urogynecologist, contact the American Urogynecologic Society; for pelvic pain in general, contact the International Pelvic Pain Society.
TMI ALERT: For the longest time, I struggled with
vulvodynia.
Researchers followed women whose symptoms did not previously indicate
vulvodynia over three years and found that each year roughly 4 out of every 100 who previously did not have the diagnosis had an onset of new symptoms consistent with vulvodynia.
«One of the major problems with
vulvodynia is physicians tend not to recognize it, diagnose it or treat it, so many women suffer without knowing their symptoms have a name and that treatment is possible,» says Reed.
«We had a good idea of what the prevalence of
vulvodynia was but this data gives us a better understanding of how often new cases develop and the potential risk factors that may be involved,» says lead author Barbara D. Reed, M.D., M.S.P.H., professor of family medicine at the U-M Medical School.
Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) disorder covers four conditions: lack of sensitivity or ability to be aroused, called female sexual arousal disorder; inability to have an orgasm, known as female orgasmic disorder; and pain during sex (which may be due to
vulvodynia, endometriosis, or cystitis).
There are different subtypes of
vulvodynia.
Most common cause of sexual pain According to Irwin Goldstein, MD, director of San Diego Sexual Medicine and the editor in chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine,
vulvodynia is the most common cause of sexual pain in premenopausal women.
Thats why the NIH launched
a vulvodynia awareness campaign October 24, 2007.
Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) covers four conditions: lack of sensitivity or ability to be aroused (female sexual arousal disorder); inability to have an orgasm (female orgasmic disorder), and pain during sex (which may be due to
vulvodynia, endometriosis, or cystitis).
Other more common causes of sexual pain in women are
vulvodynia, vaginismus, birth control, and even menopause.
Pelvic pain can include: painful intercourse (dyspareunia), vaginismus, vestibulitis,
vulvodynia, interstitial cystitis (bladder pain syndrome), chronic prostatitis.
Fortunately, by taking an integrative approach and getting to the root cause of
your vulvodynia, it's possible to relieve your pain for the long term!
Vulvodynia can be a frustrating condition to treat, because
vulvodynia simply means pain in the vulva (or specifically in the vulvar vestibule), the name of the condition alone doesn't tell us much about the root cause of vulvodynia.
If you work with clients with endometriosis,
vulvodynia, interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome, this program is for you.
If you have problems with any of conditions caused by oxalates — kidney stones, autism or
vulvodynia — then taking calcium citrate with each meal can be very effective.
Those with kidney disorders, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, or certain forms of chronic vulvar pain (
vulvodynia) are typically advised to avoid foods high in oxalic acid.
She consults and treats many women suffering from pelvic floor dysfunctions such as endometriosis, vaginismus /
vulvodynia, vestibulodynia, dyspareunia, etc. that prevents them from conceiving.
A more definitive type of
vulvodynia that refers to specific provoked pain within the vestibule of the vagina, the inner portion of the labia minora.
However, if you suspect you might be a person that grips their muscles, or you know you have cystitis,
vulvodynia, etc., Ending Female Pain, by Isa Herrera, focuses on how to deal with it, and she has great advice for self - massage.
• Oxalates are compounds in foods that prevent the proper absorption of calcium and are related to kidney stones and
vulvodynia.
How to build a strong professional team of support for women with chronic yeast infection and
vulvodynia.
For many women, validation that their pain is real, is the first step in the treatment of
vulvodynia.
If you have been diagnosed with
vulvodynia, book an appointment with a pelvic physiotherapist today!
With no clear cause of
vulvodynia and such a diverse presentation, it is clear why many women see multiple health care specialists before a diagnosis is made (1).
The impect of
vulvodynia is widespread and can be damaging when women don't receive proper care.