If you experience pain in your vulva whenever you sit down, wear tight underwear, or engage in sexual intercourse, you may need gynecology care soon. Vulvar pain, or vulvodynia, is a condition that affects the vulva or the tissues surrounding it. Although vulva pain can go away on its own, some women require gynecology care for it. Learn more about vulvodynia and why you need gynecology care for it below.
What's Vulvodynia?
A gynecologist refers to pain that develops in the vulva as vulvodynia. The vulva covers and protects the outer genitals of women, including the opening of the vagina and the clitoris. Pain can occur in any of the tissues inside or around the vulva region.
A number of things cause or lead to vulvodynia, including pressure. Pressure may occur when you:
- sit on a hard chair or seat
- insert a tampon into the vagina
- engage in sexual intercourse
- dress in tight-fitting underwear and pants.
The causes above can aggravate and irritate the delicate skin and nerves in the vulva or the genitals.
Some women may also experience vulva pain if they develop an allergic reaction to soap or another cleanser. The tissues in and around the vulva can swell, turn red, or develop itchy bumps on them.
If you've experienced vulva pain for a long time and can't find relief on your own, obtain care from a gynecologist soon.
What Are the Treatments for Vulvodynia?
A gynecologist, or women's doctor, will ask you several questions about your personal care and lifestyle during your visit, including when your pain occurs. The information allows a doctor to recommend the correct solutions to you.
For example, if your pain occurs during sexual intercourse, you may need to use a prescription lubricant to keep you from experiencing vulva pain. If your pain occurs when you sit in chairs, a gynecologist may recommend you place soft or supportive cushions in the seats.
If none of a gynecologist's solutions work for you, they may prescribe topical medication to you. The medication contains ingredients that block or suppress the nerves in your vulva. You must apply the medication as instructed or prescribed to receive the best benefits from it.
Treatments like biofeedback may also be a viable solution for your vulva pain. Biofeedback requires a doctor to insert or implant special sensors inside your vagina. The sensors emit signals that control the nerve functions in your vagina and vulva. The treatment not only strengthens the muscles in the vagina, they also calm the nerves in the vulva.
If you wish to treat your condition properly, obtain gynecology care now.
For a really long time, I had no need for an OBGYN. However, one day, when I didn't feel so well, I realized that I might be in need of one of these special doctors. I took a pregnancy test, and it was indeed positive, and so I started talking with different specialists to ask what I needed to do. I found a really great OBGYN, and he talked with me about everything I needed to do for prenatal care. I was able to make some changes immediately that really helped me to live my best life while I was pregnant, and it helped me to make my life better. Learn more about OBGYNs on this blog.