Do you experience constant pain in the genital region, making day-to-day life unbearable and sex virtually impossible? You could be suffering from vulvodynia. Vulvodynia is the presence of chronic pain in the vulva, characterised as a chronic rawness, irritation, burning, and soreness with no identifiable physical cause. Ok, so what’s the next step? Vulvodynia can be primary, without a physical cause, or secondary. It is important to visit your family doctor and have an internal examination, to exclude secondary causes such as skin conditions, an infection, or a structural problem.

My physical examination was normal, is it all in my head? There are many factors that play a part in Vulvodynia. Anxiety and Tight muscles Psychological factors certainly contribute; sometimes just the anticipation of discomfort during sex can cause a tightening of the vaginal walls that is painful, a condition known as Vaginismus. This makes intercourse almost unachievable, further compounding anxiety and intimacy issues.
Inflammation and Pain In some women with Vulvodynia, a certain part of the vulva known as the vestibule (the part just below the clitoris), can become red, swollen, and irritated. In this case, the pain is not usually constant, it is mainly generated by touch and pressure to this area. Constant, searing, burning pain is usually neuropathic pain. This occurs when nerve fibres which are meant to trigger when they receive a painful stimulus such as a pin prick, signal back to your brain constantly, and also misinterpret non painful stimuli such as touch and pressure as painful ones.

Can CBD Oil Help?

The answer to this is that it most certainly could. We know that CBD is very effective at treating all types of pain including inflammatory and neuropathic pain. It also helps to relieve stress and anxiety, which are undoubtedly a big part of the problem. However, more studies are needed to clarify exactly how much of an impact CBD could have on symptoms of Vulvodynia. For more information on the potential benefits of CBD , please visit Dr K CBD LTD.

Are there other treatments? Other treatments include…. Creams: these can be anti-inflammatory, anaesthetic / numbing creams or localised oestrogen therapy.

Tablets: these can be painkillers, either simple or anti-inflammatory or oral medication prescribed to treat neuropathic pain.

Biofeedback: This assumes that pain is caused by unstable muscles in the pelvic wall which contribute to the shooting and stabbing pains. This approach uses electrical stimulation to retrain the muscles. Pelvic floor exercises also work in this way.

Psychological Support: Anxiety and stress management, as well as challenging negative beliefs through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy could also produce results.

Acupuncture: some women find relief of symptoms with this, although this is not usually a long- term solution.

Speak to your GP for more information on the above.