What is Vulvodynia?
Vulvodynia is vulvar pain of at least three month duration without understanding the cause of the pain.
What is the Vulva?
The vulva is the external female genitalia.
The vulva includes:
- Mons Pubis (mound of soft tissue on the pubic symphysis)
- Labia Majora
- Labia Minora
- Clitoris
- Clitoral hood
- Vestibule (the area between the urethra and vagina opening)
These Things Must Be Ruled Out Prior to a Diagnosis of Vulvodynia
- Infections (like herpes, candida, trichomoniasis)
- Inflammation (like from lichen schlerosis/plansus/simplex, contact dermatitis)
- Cancer (like squamous cell carcinoma)
- Neurologic Disorder (like injury to pudendal, genitofemora, or ilioinguinal nerves, nerve entrapment, neuropathy, tarlov cysts)
- Trauma
- Estrogen Deficiency
How is Vulvodynia Treated?
You will be evaluated visually and by palpation to determine the absence of infection, inflammation, nerve entrapment, and the other factors that can contribute to vulvar pain.
If you do not meet the diagnostic criteria for vulvodynia, but do have one of the differential diagnoses, you can be treated in house for those conditions within the scope of natural medicine.
If you have a neoplasm or something that requires more invasive intervention, you will be referred to an appropriate provider.
If you meet the diagnostic criteria of vulvodynia, you will be treated globally to optimize all body functions since the spine, fluid body, and organ body can all contribute to vulvar pain.
