Vulvodynia - All You Should Know About It!

Vulvodynia refers to a condition, in which you have chronic pain near your vaginal opening. This area is known as the vulva. Vulvodynia is an extremely painful condition, which also causes a lot of irritation and burning in the vulva. There is no known cause of vulvodynia and it has been said that vulvodynia can go on for months or even years. It is such a painful condition that having sex or even sitting down for extended periods will be troublesome for you. 

Here is everything you need to know about Vulvodynia.

Symptoms: 

There is only one symptom of vulvodynia and that is when there is pain in your genital area. However, the type of pain you experience may be characterized by burning, stinging or itching among other sensations.

Causes:
The cause of vulvodynia is not yet known. However, there are certain factors, which increase the risk of contracting vulvodynia. Here are the factors.

1. Injury or irritation to the nerves around the vulva.
2. Vaginal infections
3. Allergies
4. Sensitive skin
5. Changes in hormone levels

Treatment:

Vulvodynia itself cannot be cured, only the symptoms of vulvodynia can be relieved. Relieving symptoms is not a very quick process either as it takes weeks and sometimes even months for the symptoms to improve. Some of the treatments which can be used to treat vulvodynia include.

1. Medicines: Certain medicines relieve the symptoms, which vulvodynia causes. These medicines include steroids and anticonvulsants so that your pain will be reduced. Antihistamines are known to reduce itching. 
2. Surgery: When vulvodynia is localized to a particular area, surgery can be used to remove the skin and tissue of the area which has been affected by vulvodynia.
3. Anesthetics: Local anesthetics can be given so that your pain is reduced for a short while. A good time to apply local anesthetics would be 30 minutes before having sexual intercourse. This is because most local anesthetics used to treat vulvodynia come in the form of ointments. If your partner comes in contact with this ointment, then he will also be feeling numb.
4. Pelvic floor therapy: Many times, vulvodynia is caused by the tension in the muscles of the pelvic floor. Exercises to relieve those muscles often ease the pain caused by vulvodynia.