Private Gynaecology and Specialist Care

Vulval pain

Vulval pain, known as vulvodynia, is a chronic condition that causes women to feel pain in the vulva and the skin surrounding the vagina. While its cause is not known, the pain stems from nerve fibres firing abnormal signals.

What are the symptoms of vulvodynia?

The degree of hypersensitivity in the vulval area differs for every woman. It may be constant or intermittent, causing anything from mild discomfort to searing, burning pain. You could experience constant pain, which is known as unprovoked vulvodynia. Pressure-provoked vulvodynia can be triggered by any activity or touch, such as sitting down, riding a bike or having sex.

What causes vulvodynia?

While there’s no underlying root cause for vulvodynia, the condition could be due to one or more of many things, including:   

Nerve injury or irritation
An abnormal response in vulvar cells, after a trauma or infection
Hypersensitivity to yeast infections
Hormonal changes

How is vulvodynia diagnosed?

Because there are no visible signs of vulvodynia, women sometimes find it difficult to get a diagnosis – especially in cases where they visit their GP as opposed to a gynaecologist who would have experience of the condition.

Our team of gynaecologists always take a thorough patient history, to assess possible reasons for the vulval pain. In order to give a diagnosis, they first have to rule out other reasons for the pain. Often, they’ll examine the woman’s cervix to check for any cell abnormalities, as this can sometimes be a cause of vulval pain.

Can vulvodynia be cured?

Vulvodynia is a debilitating condition for many women. There is no simple cure, but we understand how the symptoms can have a deeply negative impact on daily life, which is why we’re dedicated to finding effective ways to treat the condition.

Our team of gynaecologists have already helped a number of patients to manage the pain. And because our approach is holistic, we aim to find the best integrated treatment plan for every individual.

Visiting our clinic

To find out more about how our gynaecologists at The Medical Chambers Kensington can help you, please call 020 7244 4200 for a confidential chat or make an appointment online.