You can treat vulvodynia by understanding how your brain functions!

It's not surprising, and perhaps it is expected that sex will cause pain the first time. But, almost one in every six females find the sexual activity to be unbearably painful every time, and it does not seem to end.

Usually, a woman consults her physician after encountering pain during vaginal penetration or even touch. The doctor diagnoses an infection. She is given an ointment for daily use, assuming the cuts and stinging would heal. But there's no improvement.

Vulvodynia:

Nearly 15% of the population with vaginas experience vulvodynia. This condition results in chronic pain, making any touch with the vaginal opening (intercourse, use of sex toys, a Pap smear examination, tight clothes) excruciatingly painful. Unfortunately, the majority of these females do not show any evidence of cuts, redness, skin lesions, and signs of pain during an examination of the vagina and vulva. The skin of the vaginal area appears entirely "normal."

How does it happen?

The absence of indications of trauma makes sense when you understand chronic pain. The pain is located in the brain rather than in the area of the body where the pain is experienced. Previously, topical medications for the vagina or oral medicines were prescribed as the front-line treatment. However, random controlled trials discovered that such medicines, in the absence of vaginal injury or tissue destruction, proved not more effective than a placebo.

Meanwhile, science was unveiling that most females having vulvodynia had additional pain-causing conditions such as problems with pelvic floor muscles. The studies proposed that the cause behind the vaginal pain would also be adding to these other conditions, which has led scientists to concentrate their research on the functioning of the brain itself.

Investigators are trying to comprehend the changes that occur in the brain as a key to understanding how to tackle chronic vaginal pain best.

Another challenge in understanding vulvodynia pain is distinguishing who might be more exposed to developing the condition. Some evidence suggests that persistent yeast infections can trigger the onset of vaginal pain, but no evidence exists that yeast infections make the pain continuous. Likewise, women suffering from vulvodynia might be genetically exposed to chronic pain conditions. Numerous women report experiencing flare-ups when they are under stress.

No matter what the initial trigger is, the science denotes that the brain causes the pain to continue, so it's no shock that a physical examination by a physician might appear "normal" because the physician could be focusing on the wrong spot.

Vulvodynia and women's sexuality:

Vulvodynia puts a notable constraint on a woman's sexual health. When a young lady begins to lose her sexual desire, she starts to avoid sexual contact - this leads her to panic about the impact on her connection with her partner because sexual activity is expected to be straightforward and pleasurable, which now elicits turmoil.

Her partner might question if she feels pain due to a lack of interest in sex or a sign of the couple's sexual disagreement. Couples who don't openly and honestly communicate inescapably suffer and eventually part ways.

Considering vulvodynia as a brain sensation suggests that approaches only targeting the vaginal epithelium might not appropriately treat the discomfort and, in fact, worsen it. This claim was backed up by cortisone cream when used continuously, leading to the reduced vaginal tissue and causing more pain. There is increasing scientific backing for psychological approaches, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness meditation in managing vulvodynia.

Eventually, scientific research will open the secret of women's sexual pain. It is believed that in the coming years, investigators will gain a much better knowledge of who is vulnerable, how does vulvodynia progress from acute to chronic pain, and what methods are most suitable to modify the brain developments that perpetuate the pain.

Diagnosis and treatment:

Chronic pain in the vulva that isn't caused by menopause, a dermatological condition, vaginal birth, or additional health conditions may lead to a diagnosis of vulvodynia.

It is best that you:

● Seek your doctor to carry out a vaginal pain examination. This is conducted while the female is resting on an examination table, and the physician uses a cotton swab to press different areas around the vulvar opening lightly. Whereas applying slight pressure on the labia or thigh will not evoke pain, touching certain spots around the vagina can cause intense pain and validate vulvodynia.

● Think about consulting a pelvic floor physiotherapist. Vulvodynia is linked with chronic tightness and loss of control of the pelvic floor muscles. Hands-on exercise with a pelvic floor physiotherapist will be an integral part of therapy.

● Recognize that only because no indication of pain or trauma is present in the vulva/vagina does not suggest that the injury is in your subconscious. Ask a provider who is aware of vulvodynia to support you.