Tag Archives: Vulvodynia

Vulvodynia – Causes and Treatment

Vulvodynia is a rare disease that is still being researched by many experts. The burning sensation and pain in the vagina can be clear signs of vulvodynia.

Vulvodynia is actually a very long-lasting feeling of discomfort in the vagina, which is usually accompanied by pain, burning sensation and itching. Of course, the intensity of pain and the symptoms is different in each woman; the feeling of strong burning sensation is the most common symptom of all. Besides the intensity, the pain is different in its duration and location in each woman. The occurrence of vulvodynia can certainly affect a woman’s sex life, but it can also affect her everyday life. Vulvodynia has not been researched very well so far because it occurs very rarely. This is also the reason why there is no medication on the market that is specialized in treating vulvodynia.

The reasons for appearance of vulvodynia are not yet well researched, but experts that work in this field are convinced that vulvodynia is caused by a variety of diseases and injuries of the vagina and the consequences of those injuries/diseases. A very common cause is irritation of the outer parts of the genitalia, allergy, yeast infection or muscle spasms. In rare cases vulvodynia can be caused by the presence of oxalate crystals in the urine. So far there is no evidence that this disease can be transmitted (it is not a STD), although this option is still opened because as we have mentioned before vulvodynia is still not researched very well. There are few signs that can point to vulvodynia like red and swollen skin of the vagina. In order to confirm the presence of vulvodynia, the gynecologist must remove fungal diseases, bacterial infections and genital herpes from the list of possible causes. Only after these medical conditions are excluded, the gynecologist can suspect vulvodynia presence.

Treating vulvodynia is not easy because there is no specialized medication on the market that deals with it. There aren’t any separate therapies for this disease either. Some doctors suggest taking standard measures in cases of similar infections. For example, using special soap, wearing underwear made of pure cotton and using lubricants based on water. In order to ease the pain, women can use cooling gel. Some pills can also be helpful in these cases but they should be taken only with prescription. According to some experts vulvodynia can be treated with a surgery too. Women suffering from vulvodynia should undergo surgery only after all other methods are exhausted and they didn’t provide any positive effects.

There are also few measures that every women can take in order to prevent appearance of this rare and very unpleasant disease. For example, using underwear that doesn’t irritate the skin is always a good idea. Although underwear made of synthetic materials might look more appealing, cotton underwear keeps the hygiene on a higher level and it doesn’t irritate the skin. Take care of your vagina by having occasional baths with some herbs that can improve your sexual health like chamomile. You can also use a soap with neutral pH value and remember that you should never use the soap inside your vagina.