Vulvodynia: Types, Symptoms, Possible Causes And Treatment
Diseases or conditions related to the intimate areas, of both men and women, are still considered taboo in our society. Which causes people who suffer from any condition of this type to live in silence and be very reluctant to request professional help.
One of these conditions is vulvodynia, a disease that affects the vulvar area that can be highly disabling for the person who suffers due to the pain it causes. In this article we will talk about the different types of vulvodynia, as well as its symptoms, causes, treatment and how to prevent it.
The term vulvodynia refers to a vaginal condition of causes that are difficult to determine and is characterized by causing chronic discomfort and pain in the vulvar region. This type of discomfort can manifest itself either in the form of a burning sensation or in the form of pain, to the point of causing a vulvar swelling effect.
The intensity and severity of symptoms can vary from person to person. These symptoms can appear both constantly and sporadically but recurrently. Furthermore, the sensations may be localized to specific points on the vulva or may be a generalized or diffuse discomfort. Finally, the intensity of these can range from slight discomfort, even a stabbing and truly incapacitating pain for the person who suffers from it.
In addition, these symptoms can also change over time in the same person. As a general rule, the pain tends to be accentuated at night, as well as with menstruation, stages of stress or in cold and humid environments.
In order for it to be considered a diagnosis of vulvodynia, symptoms must remain for more than three months, which can appear suddenly and without any apparent cause. On other occasions, the pain is caused by a mild stimulus that does not usually correspond to the degree of pain experienced. This stimulus can be anything from a light touch, the mere act of walking or doing some type of exercise, or inserting a tampon.
As a result of the great discomfort in the vulvar area, the person may become unable to carry out certain types of activities, such as riding a bike. Above all, create big problems when having sexual relations since the sensation of pain makes any type of intimate contact very difficult and annoying.
As a curious fact, throughout history, the inability to find physical causes of vulvodynia caused it to be considered a psychosomatic disease of women caused by high levels of anxiety and stress. This made vulvodynia something similar to a mental condition, so patients were reluctant to ask for help.
Different types of vulvodynia
As pointed out previously, Vulvodynia can present in several ways, varying both the location of the symptoms and their intensity. This means that different types of vulvodynia can be distinguished, which are known as dysesthetic or generalized vulvodynia, and vulgar vestibulitis syndrome or localized vulvodynia.
1. Dysesthetic vulvodynia
This first classification of vulvodynia is characterized by the fact that the symptoms manifest themselves in a generalized manner, that is, they extend throughout the entire vulvar area. These discomforts may appear discontinuously or constantly, and may not be caused by any type of stimulus or in response to any type of pressure or friction.
In some cases, the pain is accompanied by skin changes in the perineal area such as redness, as well as rectal and urethral problems or muscle spasms in the pelvic floor area.
2. Vulgaris vestibulitis syndrome
Localized vulvodynia, clinically known as vestibulitis vulgaris syndrome, is the most common of both classifications. In these cases, the pain It appears in localized areas, but more commonly in the area surrounding the vagina (lobby). This discomfort, in the form of pain or burning, can manifest suddenly and without apparent cause or due to contact or pressure from some stimulus.
Although it does not occur in all cases, this condition of the vulva can be accompanied or produced by other physical alterations such as different types of cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome or even fibromyalgia.
What symptoms does it present?
Although, as already mentioned, The symptoms of vulvodynia can vary from one patient to another there are certain common signs of this condition that occur in all of them.
These symptoms take the form of a sensation of intense pain or burning in the vulva area, which can extend to the urethra, clitoris or anus area. The discomfort can be so serious that the person experiences a severe abrasion sensation, small lesions or cuts appearing in the affected area. The rest of the symptoms may include:
The form and severity with which these symptoms occur can affect the person’s quality of life. In addition to being disabling when it comes to maintaining any type of intimate or sexual relationship. This interference with daily life can cause great feelings of frustration that can even lead to severe depressive disorder.
At the moment, the causes of vulvodynia remain unknown. Nevertheless, It is hypothesized that repeated suffering from inflammatory infections It may be the main triggering factor for this condition.
These infections may be caused by poor intimate hygiene, contact with certain chemicals or synthetic fabrics As well as due to excessively intense physical activities or sexual relations, among many others.
The main causes that have been related to vulvodynia are:
Is there a treatment?
Due to the complexity and lack of information about this condition, an effective treatment for vulvodynia has not yet been developed that will permanently alleviate the symptoms.
However, there are treatments focused on relieving the severity and recurrence of symptoms. Which, in addition, are focused on the particular characteristics of each specific case of vulvodynia. For this, it is carried out a combination of different types of therapeutic interventions among which we can find:
How can it be prevented?
Since the exact causes are not known, it is not very reasonable to say that it can be prevented. However, there are a series of measures that people can adopt to reduce the likelihood of its appearance or, if they suffer from it, reduce the intensity of discomfort Among these hygiene and behavior recommendations are:
