The first day I had sex again I cried. But this time it wasn’t because I was in pain. The uncontrollable tears came from what felt like years of my life lost to vulvodynia and now finally having a chance at a pain-free life. I don’t know how I got through my trial with vulvodynia, there were times I really felt like letting go. It was the most horrible period of my life and now all I want to do is to help other women from ever going through the torture I went through to becoming cured.

Okay, so, I've had this condition chronically since 1987. Seen a lot of doctors, including so-called specialists. Tried a lot of treatments. I steered clear of surgery. Topical mycolog cream helped for awhile but eventually, over time, it actually made things worse. Dietary changes have been huge in treating this pain. However, it's also been quite a rat's nest of confusing food lists and reactions in attempting to really pin down what's irritating food-wise and other culprits. A relatively low-oxalate diet, as supported by the Vulvar Pain Foundation, has helped to a degree.

I can say it - I have vulvodynia. For me that means I experience sex as an intense burning, like scraping a knife over a raw patch of skin or squeezing a watermelon into your nostril. Not fun, to say the least. And it's not just pain with sex. Tampons, jeans, riding a bicycle, and excruciating pap smears leave both me and my doctor in tears.

Hello, My name is Joan. I am a 54 year old woman that has endured severe vulvodynia for over one year. It has gotten to the point where my labia has fused, and now my clitoris is beginning to fuse.

My name is Iris Nira, I am a 30 year old Hispanic woman and have recently been diagnosed with vulvodynia (aka vulva vestibulitis).

In 1997 I was diagnosed with endometriosis and since then have had an array of complications. One of the more recent complications is being diagnosed with vulvadynia March 21, 2008. My fourth opinion for my endometriosis diagnosis dismissed my vulvodynia as a yeast infection in 2005.

I have been suffering from vulvar pain for 4 years. Before my pain, I never had any kind of problems...no infections, no pain at all. When I first noticed my pain down there, it was only in one area (left side of the vestibule) and it was an irritating, burning pain. I thought I must have some type of infection. My doctor treated me for a bacterial infection, but the pain did not go away. I went to my gynecologist and he did every test and still nothing!

Vulvodynia

by Krisha McCoy, MS

Definition

Vulvodynia is chronic pain or discomfort in the vulva, which are external female genitalia. The vulva includes the labia, clitoris, and vaginal opening.

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.

The following factors are thought to increase the risk of vulvodynia:

* Recurrent yeast infections
* Frequent use of antibiotics
* Irritation to the genitals by soaps or detergents
* Genital rashes

Dr. Caroline Pukall, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada explains her vulvodynia online study and how women and their partners can participate.

Dr. Caroline Pukall, explains who gets vulvodynia and if women who have had a hysterectomy are more likely to experience vulvar pain?

Caroline F. Pukall, Ph.D. CPsych, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Dr. Pukall explains how a woman with vulvodynia can advocate for herself in her doctor's office.