Common Causes
Vulvar vestibulitis, also known as VVS, is a type of vulvodynia, or pain around the vulva -- the sex organs outside a woman’s body. The pain is in your vestibule, the part of your vulva around the opening of your vagina. It can cause redness and irritation of the skin and pain in the glands inside the skin.
Related Conditions
Vestibulodynia is a type of vulvodynia. With both conditions, you experience vulvar pain that doesn’t have an apparent cause. Generalized vulvodynia: A near-constant pain occurs in multiple vulvar areas. Localized vulvodynia: Pain occurs in one area of your vulva such as your vestibule (vestibulodynia) or clitoris (clitorodynia).
What is vulvar vestibulitis?
Most women have pain at only one vulvar site. If the pain is in the vestibule, the tissue surrounding the vaginal opening, the diagnosis is vestibulodynia (formerly known as vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS)). (See diagram on right.)
What is the difference between vulvodynia and vestibulodynia?
The pain experienced by women with vestibulodynia is very individual. The main problem for women with this diagnosis relates to hypersensitivity on light touch to the vestibule, such as during intercourse and on insertion of tampons. The degree of pain is variable. Some women have pain but are able to tolerate penetrative sex.
How is vulvar vestibulodynia (VVS) diagnosed?
What kind of pain does vestibulodynia cause?
How do you get rid of vulvar Vestibulitis?
Lifestyle and home remediesTry cold compresses or gel packs. ... Soak in a sitz bath. ... Avoid tightfitting pantyhose and nylon underwear. ... Avoid hot tubs and soaking in hot baths. ... Don't use deodorant tampons or pads. ... Avoid activities that put pressure on your vulva, such as biking or horseback riding.Wash gently.More items...•
How do you get vulvar Vestibulitis?
VVS, the leading cause of dyspareunia in women under 50, can be primary or secondary. A woman with primary VVS experiences vestibular pain when she first starts using tampons, has a speculum inserted, or becomes sexually active. On the other hand, secondary VVS develops after a period of comfortable sexual relations.
Is vulvodynia an STD?
Vulvodynia Causes and Risk Factors. Doctors don't know the cause of most forms of vulvodynia. And there's no proof that infections, such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), lead to vulvodynia. Researchers are trying to find the causes.
Is vulvodynia the same as vulvar Vestibulitis?
Vulvodynia is a condition associated with pain in the opening of the vagina. This includes tenderness and profound burning. Vulvar vestibulitis is a related condition marked by redness and inflammation in the vaginal opening. The cause of these conditions is not understood.
How do I know if I have vulvar Vestibulitis?
It is characterised by a stinging or burning-like pain at the vaginal introitus that is provoked by sexual intercourse and the insertion of objects such as a tampon or speculum into the vagina. Vestibulitis usually develops between the ages of 20 and 50 years, often following an infection of the lower genital tract.
What triggers vulvodynia?
Doctors don't know what causes vulvodynia, but possible contributing factors include: Injury to or irritation of the nerves surrounding your vulvar region. Past vaginal infections. Allergies or sensitive skin.
Will vulvodynia go away?
Although vulvodynia can last for years, there are treatments to manage its symptoms. Vulvodynia will often go away by itself.
How do doctors test for vulvodynia?
To diagnose vulvodynia,1 a health care provider will take a detailed medical history, including pain characteristics and any accompanying bowel, bladder, or sexual problems. The provider may recommend that a woman have blood drawn to assess levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
What is the best medicine for vulvodynia?
Tricyclic antidepressants should be considered for the treatment of vulvodynia. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and gabapentin (Neurontin) should be considered for symptomatic relief of vulvodynia.
How do you fix vulvodynia?
Treatments for vulvodyniaVulval gels and lubricants you can buy. Apply an anaesthetic gel, such as lidocaine, up to 20 minutes before sex. ... Prescription medicine from a doctor. Conventional painkillers like paracetamol will not usually relieve the pain of vulvodynia. ... Physiotherapy. ... Therapy and counselling. ... Surgery.
What can be mistaken for vulvodynia?
Many cases of generalized vulvodynia and localized vulvodynia (vestibulodynia) are mistakenly attributed to yeast infection, pudendal neuralgia, and other entities. Avoid those pitfalls by using a reliable roadmap for evaluation, differentiation, and identification of the various forms of vulvar pain.
What foods should be avoided with vulvodynia?
Soy, goat dairy, and gluten all caused flare ups of her vulvodynia throughout the process. Eliminating those items and supplementing with magnesium, vitamin D3, probiotics, vitamin B12, and omega-3 allowed the patient to be symptom free of both vulvodynia and IBS for 6 months post-treatment.
Can you develop vestibular papillomatosis?
It's not something you're at risk to get. It's possible it may be inherited, but that hasn't been studied. The prevalence of vestibular papillomatosis determined in several studies varies widely, from 1 to 33 percent. It's found most often in adult women, and it occurs in women of all ethnicities and races.
Does vulvodynia go away?
Although vulvodynia can last for years, there are treatments to manage its symptoms. Vulvodynia will often go away by itself.
What does vulvar inflammation look like?
What does vulvovaginitis look like? With vulvitis or vulvovaginitis, your genitals may look red or swollen. Your skin may look scaly, white and patchy and you may have blisters. In more severe cases, your skin may be so irritated that it sticks together.
What can be mistaken for vulvodynia?
Many cases of generalized vulvodynia and localized vulvodynia (vestibulodynia) are mistakenly attributed to yeast infection, pudendal neuralgia, and other entities. Avoid those pitfalls by using a reliable roadmap for evaluation, differentiation, and identification of the various forms of vulvar pain.
What is it called when your vagina hurts?
Careful examination reveals redness and unusual sensitivity of the tissue at the opening of the vagina. It seems to be what is called a “neuro-inflammatory ” condition.
What is it called when you feel pain in your vagina?
It seems to be what is called a “neuro-inflammatory” condition. This means that inflammation starts (for any one of a long list of reasons, such as vaginal infection) which causes pain; the nerves involved in sensing the pain then release chemicals that promote inflammation, and this inflammation causes further pain.
What is the name of the area where the vulva meets the vagina?
Vestibulodynia (formerly vulval vestibulitis) In 1987 an American gynaecologist called Edward Friedrich described a group of women who experienced severe pain and discomfort in the vestibule area of the vulva. The vestibule is where the vulva (area of the skin on the outside) meets with the vagina. It is an extremely sensitive part ...
How long before sex can you use vestibulodynia gel?
Many women have gained considerable benefit using the treatment, particularly with vestibulodynia when the gel is used half an hour prior to sexual intercourse. They find it helpful to rub the gel into the tender areas – this helps numb the skin and also can help overcome tension in the pelvic floor muscles.
Does vestibulodynia cause tenderness?
Some women have pain but are able to tolerate penetrative sex. For others any pressure to the vestibule area causes symptoms of soreness and tenderness, including tight clothes and even light touch to the area. Itching is not usually a feature of the condition. Vestibulitis was the former term for vestibulodynia.
Can vestibulodynia cause pain?
The pain experienced by women with vestibulodynia is very individual. The main problem for women with this diagnosis relates to hypersensitivity on light touch to the vestibule, such as during intercourse and on insertion of tampons. The degree of pain is variable. Some women have pain but are able to tolerate penetrative sex.
Can vulvodynia cause disharmony?
If communication breaks down between a couple then this can lead to further disharmony. In some couples where the symptoms have been present for many months or years, provoked vulvodynia can alter sexual function and a referral to a psychosexual counsellor is necessary. For further information contact the VPS.
Is vestibulodynia an inflammatory disease?
Vestibulitis was the former term for vestibulodynia. This term is out of date now. It is slightly misleading as it implies that the vestibule is inflamed – hence the term vestibulitis. It is not believed that an inflammatory process in the skin is to blame for symptoms. An excessive sensitivity of the nerve fibres and even, on occasions, overgrowth of the nerve fibres in the area is believed to be responsible for symptoms.
What is Vulvar Vestibulitis?
Vulvar vestibulitis is a component of dysesthetic vulvodynia, a complex condition that requires careful assessment and individualized management.
Diagnosing Vulvar Vestibulitis
The diagnosis is often given when, in reality, the woman has vaginismus . Read Monica’s story.
Treating Vulvar Vestibulitis
As with vulvodynia, the treatment process must be that of a body-mind approach because both the body and the mind are affected!
What is vulvodynia pain?
Vulvodynia, simply put, is chronic vulvar pain without an identifiable cause. The location, constancy and severity of the pain vary among sufferers. Some women experience pain in only one area of the vulva, while others experience pain in multiple areas.
How many subtypes of vulvodynia are there?
There are two main subtypes localized and generalized vulvodynia, which sometimes co-exist.
What is PVD in women?
The majority of women with localized vulvodynia have Provoked Vestibulodynia (PVD), in which pain occurs during or after pressure is applied to the vestibule, e.g., with: wearing fitted pants. A less common form of localized vulvodynia, known as clitorodynia (pain in the clitoris), can be very painful. PVD is further classified as primary ...
Is PVD a secondary condition?
Women with primary PVD have experienced vestibular pain since the first attempt at vaginal penetration. Women with secondary PVD have experienced pain-free sexual intercourse prior to the development of vulvar pain .
Can GV cause pain?
For women with generalized vulvodynia (GV), pain occurs spontaneously and is relatively constant, but there can be some periods of symptom relief. Activities that apply pressure to the vulva, such as prolonged sitting or sexual intercourse, typically exacerbate symptoms.
What Are The Symptoms?
Discomfort or pain in vagina, sometimes associated with burning and soreness.
Vaginal pain is not always related to an underlying condition. It may be caused by:
- Injury during childbirth, intercourse or medical procedures
- Psychological reason like history of sexual abuse
What Is There to See on Examination?
What Tests Should Be done?
How Is It Treated?
What Causes It?
Treatments Available from Your Doctor
Summary