Why 1 in 6 Women Suffer Vulva Pain & London’s Specialists Are Busy Responding
Did You Know That?
- Vulvodynia impacts at least 6% of women and (up to 20% in some series)
- Vulvodynia can affect women of all ages and ethnic groups
- Vulvodynia has a number of potential causes and linked conditions, so to that end, patients experience different and unforeseen responses to treatments
- That Pain Doctors who diagnose vulvodynia use a method of excluding various disorders, conditions and infections [1]
- That GPs (who have not undergone the necessary addition years of training and in-house clinical expertise attained by Pain Doctors), can easily misdiagnose vulvodynia (for example, they may dismiss it as vaginismus). Moreover, they may not provide optimum treatment (either from their lack of knowledge on pain medicine, or NHS restrictions)
- That some GP’s inability to provide an accurate diagnosis can result in deleterious or irrelevant treatments and examinations. (These include biopsies, HPV testing, and treatments such as trichloroacetic acid, laser, embolization and imiquimod)
- That many women are embarrassed to discuss their symptoms (including issues with sexual relations), with their GP, and may be concerned that the latter will (as has been often reported), not take their condition seriously
- And that waiting times for appointments can be unacceptably long due to the current state of NHS services
So in light of the aforementioned, sufferers have been seeking the help of world-class Vulva Specialists, many of whom are based at our private London Vulva Pain Clinic. And as consultations can be either in-person in the centre of London (Harley Street), or online, it is a win-win situation. Moreover, once an accurate diagnosis has been established, patients are given a Holistic Personalised Treatment Plan that they can get started on right away. This is often multifaceted, and incorporates both conventional and the latest state-of-the-art cutting-edge injectables/pain blockers and therapies.
The Low-Down
As our Vulva Consultants regularly explain: Vulvodynia “is common & dramatically affects quality of life beyond the obvious sexual aspect. The importance of investigating vulvar symptoms even in younger women is underlined by studies reporting that the prevalence of vulvodynia among adolescents is similar to that among adult women. The International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease defined vulvodynia as vulvar pain of at least 3 months’ duration, without clear identifiable cause, which may have potential associated factors. It is subdivided according to location (generalised, localised) & the need of a stimulus to elicit the symptoms (provoked, spontaneous, or mixed)” [1]
Putting a Spotlight on the Diagnosis of Vulvodynia
As previously mentioned, when a Pain Consultant works to pinpoint this condition via eliminating possible causes, it is fairly straightforward approach. Indeed, in some cases, the issue can be revealed by the simple use of a swab which is employed to detect localised sensitivity within the patient’s vulvar vestibule. Of note, in the case of some sufferers, “having a diagnosis, a name for the disease, is highly relieving – they commonly report that they felt the symptoms were not valued by health care providers, or that their condition was considered to be fake, exaggerated, or merely psychological” [1].
Getting Your Vulva Pain Sorted
Here at the London Vulva Pain Clinic, our Vulva Doctors are known for their sensitive approach and ability to explain patient’s conditions in easy-to-understand laymen’s terms. May we suggest that if you are suffering from vulva pain, you keep a daily ‘Vulva Pain Diary,’ in which you list what you were doing before, and at the time the pain came on, the period that the pain lasted, and what you were doing at the time it stopped. This will be tremendously beneficial when you speak to your Pain Specialist.
Reference
[1]. Vieira-Baptista P, Lima-Silva J, Pérez-López FR, Preti M, Bornstein J. Vulvodynia: A disease commonly hidden in plain sight. Case Rep Womens Health.2018 Sep 12;20:e00079.PMCID: PMC6142188