Vulvodynia: Why You Might Be Experiencing Vulva Pain
Vulvodynia is defined as pain or discomfort on your vulva and vaginal canal that lasts for three months or more. It can make the simplest activities, such as sitting or walking, extremely painful. And sex? Nope!
Millions of women suffer from vulvodynia, with 8-10% of the female population experiencing it at some point in their lives. Some women experience this pain all their lives while others experience it for a shorter period.
Symptoms
The symptoms can be chronic, long-lasting, or occasional, and usually triggered by any contact with your vulva. Some of the symptoms include burning, rawness, stinging, throbbing, itching, and overall soreness. The pain may start during sex and continues way after you and your partner have finished. In very severe cases, it’s even prevented women from having sex. Not only that, but riding a bike, wearing tight clothes, and inserting a tampon may trigger intense pain which can leave you feeling helpless and confused.
So, what causes Vulvodynia?
Doctors aren’t quite sure what causes this problem. Until recently, doctors believed it was more of a mental problem than a physical one (enter, eye rolling emoji). However, once infections are ruled out, research has led to several connections and theories, such as chemical sensitivities and allergies, inflammation, nerve damage, sexual trauma, childbirth, and frequent antibiotic use.
Reddit has a platform for women dealing with vulvodynia with several comments from women linking their onset to a particular birth control method they were using.
As more research has been done on vulva-related issues, more treatment options have become available to women diagnosed with it.
Treatment Options:
Medication
Surgery
Nerve blocks
Pelvic floor therapy
Local anesthetics (think lidocaine creams)
Biofeedback Therapy
And as always, we’re hooking you up with a few natural options that may help to relieve symptoms…
Tampons - maybe not use them? If you feel tampons are definitely not a trigger for your pain, then try using a clean ingredient tampon brand or a menstrual cup.
Make a switch - Repeating above. Try switching to clean ingredients, 100% cotton pads, and tampons.
Don’t douche - Full stop. It’s not good for you. We talk about that in our e-book a Happy Vagina (sign up here to get it).
Eliminate fragranced soaps, washes, wipes, and sprays - Avoid fragranced and chemical-filled products. These products are sometimes filled with questionable ingredients that can cause inflammation, vaginal and hormonal issues. It’s probably best to gently wash your vulva with water, but if you must use something, opt for a clean ingredient feminine wash that works for you.
Lubricate - whether you’re sexually active or not, it may help to lubricate the area. You’re most likely experiencing dryness from the condition which adds to the discomfort. Lubricating the area may help to relieve symptoms…if it’s the right lubrication…emphasis on the last statement. As mentioned above, you want to avoid harsh, chemical-filled products. Something as simple as unrefined organic coconut oil may help. Hempseed oil is anti-inflammatory and calming as well. Just steer away from oils that contain essential oils in them. Stick with a base oil that doesn’t throw off your pH. (side note: if you decide to use a lubricant, you may need to wash your vulva with a clean ingredient feminine wash vs. the “just water” route to prevent bacteria from building).
Vulvodynia can be intimidating and leave women with many uncomfortable questions. Will I ever be able to have sex again? Will I be in pain forever? Is the pain just all in my head? Will I ever be normal?
It can be overwhelming to talk to a doctor about these problems, but all vaginal pain should be addressed immediately. The problem should never be dismissed as psychological. Keep in mind that your regular Gyno may not be able to help you in this matter and you may need to look for one that specializes in this condition.
Drop a line in the comments below to let us know your thoughts. If you’re someone that had Vulvodynia and is no longer struggling with it, let us know the things you did that helped you. This will be of tremendous help to the community of women that will come across your experience.
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The author.
Allison Kindley is a Digital Media Production & Journalism student at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. She loves working with Team Happy Girl because she gets to inform others on feminine wellness, learn every day, write creatively, and empower women.