From Nerve Growth to Inflammation: The Hidden Biology Behind Vulval Pain – Mast cells, Nerve Fibres and Pain: What’s Really Going On?
Here at the London Pain Clinic, as our Vulva Doctors often explain, many people have heard of ‘the hidden life of the brain,’ but few are aware of the hidden life of the vulva. – The latter meaning that there can be a complex and often little understood, scenario of inflammation, abnormal nerve growth, heightened nerve sensitivity, nerve damage, irritation, allergy, infection, weakened or spasmic pelvic floor muscles, and more… So to that end, it is essential to consult a Pain Specialist, who is able to give you an accurate diagnosis, and put you on a multi-faceted Personalised Holistic Treatment Plan.
For far too long, suffers in the UK have been left in the lurch for months and in many cases, years, simply because they have been misdiagnosed by their GP who has not undergone the essential additional years of training and in-house clinical expertise in pain conditions, peer reviewed research, and resultant cutting-edge treatments, as that of a Pain Doctor. – The latter of which are able to provide multifaceted synergistic treatments that incorporate the latest proven pharmaceuticals, therapies, and injectables (including pain blockers and Botox). So to that end, GPs (who are also restricted by the NHS budget), are not only less trained to provide a clear diagnosis, they are also unable to provide vulva pain sufferers with an optimum treatment protocol.
Getting Your Vulva Pain Sorted
Are you aware that vulvar pain is seen by many, as: “an area of the body that is hidden by taboo, and fraught with misinformation. It is an area rich of secret and seducing pleasures but also a source of potential excruciating and invalidating pain. The vulvar organ, its erotic meaning, and the many symptoms that may affect it have been too long neglected by the medical establishment [including the NHS]. Discussing vulvar symptoms may be perceived as very challenging both for patients and healthcare providers, as they seem to be “too intimate to be spoken of” [1]. For a long time, here at the London Pain Clinic, our team of eminent Pain Doctors, have been leading the way to put an end to this taboo in the UK, Europe, and the US. In fact, one of our world-class Pain Specialists, Dr Christopher Jenner, MB BS, FRCA FFPMRCA, has written about it in one of his books entitled, Viva la Vulva.
Inflammation and Vulva Pain
When patients have an in-person or on-line consultation with one of our Pain Doctors, the latter often explains that: an inflamed sore vulva, can be due to many factors. These include:
- Skin conditions (such as dermatitis)
- An allergy
- An infection, or
- An irritation [1]
Nerve-Related Vulva Pain
Once again, our Pain Specialists often described this condition to patients in simple laymen’s terms:
- Vulva pain can be due to over-sensitivity of the vulva nerves. (This condition is referred to as vulvodynia)
- Vulva pain can also be a result of damage or irritation of the pudendal nerve. (This condition is known as pudendal neuralgia) [1]
Mast Cells and Vulva Pain
Did you know that mast cells are a category of white blood cells that contribute to the immune system? They are prevalent in tissues all over the body (including the skin). They have been shown to add to pain in the vulva, especially when patients have a disorder such aslocalised vulvodynia. -This is due to accumulation within the tissue, and the releasing of inflammatory mediators that bring about pain by generating nerve sensitivity. Moreover, their biological actions can result in long-term pain from an overgrowth of nerve fibres and central sensitisation [1].
Reference
[1]. Gynaecology (2017). “The Pathophysiology of Vulvar Pain.”https://obgynkey.com/the-pathophysiology-of-vulvar-pain/