The painful condition of vulvodynia is ruining sex for thousands of women. Vulvodynia is a condition that causes pain in the vagina area that occurs in women of all ages, ethnicity, sexual preference, skin type, relationship status and education.
The pain associated with the condition can be brutal, often described as a stabbing or burning-like feeling. Pain is experienced when the vulva is provoked or when penetrated or touched by clothing.
In some cases, women cannot wear skinny jeans, use tampons and can even struggle to sit down for long periods, according to BBC. Other times, the pain can be constant which can severely impact a woman's life.
Pain in the vulva, including the clitoris, labia, vagina opening, anus or even the very inner thigh can be considered vulvodynia. The pain can be a tiny little bit, on the side, or even to the whole area. Women who suffer from the condition experience worse symptoms especially during sex.
About 16 percent of women suffer from vulvar pain for more than three months, according to Daily Mail. Three out of 20 women will develop vulvodynia at some point in their lives as the symptoms typically start to appear before the age of 25.
Typically, doctors prescribe painkillers to lessen the pain experienced by women who suffer from vulvodynia. Unfortunately, no study has explored the cause of vulvodynia.
Initially, women with many sexual partners had an increased likelihood of experiencing the condition. However, case studies have confirmed that there is no relationship between two.
Some theories include allergies, sensitivity to yeast and injury to the nerves. Part of the problem when it comes to diagnoses of the condition is that vulvodynia does not have other visible symptoms except for the pain.
Researchers have noted that women who suffer from vulvodynia feel sensitive all over their body and also suffer from other painful conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. In addition, they also have higher levels of inflammatory markers in their blood, have reported repeated thrush infections, and have had a sexually transmitted disease.
These reports have made researchers come to believe of a possible association between inflammation and prior infections to the pain. Since inflammation can induce nerve growth in the vulva region, the vulva can become hypersensitive which can eventually cause pain.
Psychological factors also play a part such as the death of a loved one, depression or even sexual dysfunction. Many women also develop vulvodynia during menopause, which indicates that hormones may play a role.
