Vulvodynia (also known as vulvar vestibulitis and/or vestibulodynia) is a chronic condition that is often misdiagnosed, hence treatment is often inadequate. Commonly, patients are treated as if they have recurrent bacterial or yeast infections which may result in transient response then relapse with progressive worsening of symptoms. If diagnosed correctly it is a difficult condition to cure. As can be seen by numerous comments on the internet, most physicians get poor results. This often leaves women with the condition very perplexed, as doctors are unable to help relieve the pain and discomfort they are experiencing. So how can vulvodynia be successfully treated?
Symptoms
Vulvodynia is characterized by severe pain, burning, stinging or rawness which is localized at the vaginal opening known as the vestibule and labia minora. The pain can be so agonizing that it makes simple activities such as prolonged sitting and walking extremely uncomfortable. Pain on insertion with intercourse is common and can make sexual relationships difficult if not impossible. There can be a lesser degree of itching and irritation. The symptoms can be intermittent or constant making it difficult to focus and concentrate at work. Women of every age and ethnicity can develop vulvodynia but especially slim, white otherwise healthy women.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
In order to ensure that vulvodynia is properly treated, it must first be correctly diagnosed. The common method to diagnosed the conditions is by eliciting the pain in the characteristic areas on cotton swab testing in the presence of an otherwise normal vulvar exam. Traditionally areas of redness have been said to be present in some women, but the same pattern of variable degree of redness are present in women just as frequently without symptom. However, arriving at a diagnosis using only this methods is inadequate.
At Fowler Gyn International.com (FGI), Dr. R. Stuart Fowler who is a specialist in vulvovaginal disorders, utilizes advanced tools to diagnose the vulvodynia. The extensive research that Dr. Fowler has undertaken has helped him to understand the underlying etiology of vulvodynia and just how vulvodynia can be successfully treated on a consistent basis.
Dr. Fowler does not use the medications commonly used by other “specialists” in part because none of them have shown to be consistently successful and they do not address all the variables implicated in vulvodynia. The medications in common use include Amityptylline, nerurontin, bacolfen, cromolyn, boxoin, corticosteriods and a surgical procedure known as vestibulectomy.
Once an accurate diagnosis is made, FGI offers women a customized treatment protocol which generates takes 6-8 months for marked improvement in the symptoms. This approach has been used in thousands of women with success who have experienced agonizing pain for years despite multiple visits to healthcare providers. If you have been suffering with vaginal pain without getting any relief, then you no longer have to wonder how vulvodynia can be treated. Instead, you can contact FGI for a precise diagnosis and individualized treatment solution.