Vulvodynia (vulvodynia) manifests itself with severe vulvovaginal pain, which makes it difficult for women not only to have sex, but also to play sports, and even simply sit on a chair. Treatment of vulvodynia is difficult, and the modesty of patients complicates it even more. What are the causes and symptoms of vulvodynia?
Vulvodyniatofemale diseasewith severeirritation and pain in the vulva . Our protagonists were ashamed of their ailments at first, and when they dared to see a doctor, none of them could help them, because many doctors still do not know anything about this disease.
Vulvodynia: symptoms
- It's like a burn - says Iza - but in the case of a burn, the pain goes away after a few days, and it lasted for years with me. It is like Chinese torture. Joanna: - Imagine that you have hundreds of needles in your underwear that stick into your skin. Iza explains that it is worst when she goes to bed. - Lying down does not bring relief. In bed, everyday stimuli and impulses fall off - the head is not occupied with anything and this feeling of steaming "comes out". Magda: - It hurts so much that you can't sleep, walk, you can't even wear pants. Dr. Ines Ehmer, a German gynecologist specializing in the treatment of vulvodynia, says that women with this condition can find much more nerve endings in the vaginal area than he althy women, which increases sensitivity to even the slightest stimulus. There may also be damage to the vulva nerve. The effects are similar to the medically described facial trigeminal neuralgia, only the pain is localized in the pelvic area.
Vulvodynia: millions of women in the world suffer
Iza, Magda and Joanna met on the forum of www.vulvodynia.pl. According to its creators, psychotherapists Agnieszka Serafin and Mikołaj Czyż, vulvodynia is a chronic ailment of female genitals. It usually results in a burning, often shooting pain, irritation and dryness of the vulva (Latinvulva ). Agnieszka Serafin: - In our country, the majority of women struggling with this type of symptoms are convinced that they are completely isolated, that this is just their problem.
ImportantWhat is vulvodynia
The International Society for Research on Vulvo-Vaginal Diseases defines vulvodynia as: "chronic pain or discomfort,characterized by burning, pricking or irritation in the female genitalia when there is no infection or skin diseasevulvyor vaginal disease likely to cause these symptoms. ' Most women fall ill between the ages of 18 and 25. It is estimated that up to 13 million women suffer from vulvodynia in the USA. In Poland, the disease is not investigated and it is very rarely diagnosed.
Agnieszka herself suffers from vulvodynia. - I know from experience what a breakthrough for me was reading on English-language websites that these ailments have a name and that they affect millions of women. According to Iza, it is impossible to function normally with vulvodynia. There is only one goal in life: to make it stop hurting. And this terrible realization that there is no pill you can take and it will pass in a moment. Iza: - It is like that. You cannot ride a bike or horseback. You don't feel like going away from your own bathroom. You are not going camping in a camping holiday. You won't sit in the chair for too long. If you are constantly burning intensely, after a while you are not only able to function normally, but also to think at all. Man ceases to be himself. In fact, the entire normal world ceases to exist. There is only this duo - me and my vulvodynia.
Vulvodynia can ruin your life
Iza: - I don't know, maybe you can do a little bit, but the whole intimate sphere is limping. Nobody with a broken arm will play tennis and have sex with a sick vulva. Of course, you can do other sports … Although a sick person does not have much choice. Can you enjoy yourself while suffering? Joanna: - I am 42 years old, I have been married for 17 years. The husband doesn't want to talk about it. When I start a conversation, he doesn't listen or change the subject. My intimate life no longer exists. Iwona: - My husband did not believe that I was in pain. He said that if the doctors didn't see the problem, it probably didn't, the problem was in my head, or in the fact that I was not physically attracted to it. He lasted less than 4 years and left. We are divorced. Joanna: - The family is like the husband. They don't want to talk about it. They can discuss their pains for hours: in the spine, pancreas and others, and all I have to do is mention myself and the conversation is over.
Vulvodynia is still a taboo subject?
The first Polish woman who agreed to speak publicly about vulvodynia is Anna Kasperska, the heroine of Anna Dymna's program "Let's meet". Anna found out about vulvodynia in one of the English he alth centers where she was brought. On the same day, she started a blog to make Polish women aware of what the disease is and what the treatment looks like. Anna: -Many women in Poland do not know what it is. Maybe because they don't know it isdisease - they are afraid to talk about it. Today I am speaking openly about my problem because I am angry with Polish doctors that no one has diagnosed it. At one point I thought there was something wrong with me because I fly from one doctor to another. I was told I should go on vacation instead of treating me. You have to talk about it! Joanna learned about the fact that she has vulvodynia from "Let's meet". - I have the same symptoms as the heroine of this show. I will not let myself be persuaded of depression, hypochondria, spine diseases or any other disease suggested by the doctors I visited.
Treatment of vulvodynia on multiple fronts
As the cause of vulvodynia is still unknown, there is no effective cure for this disease. Various pharmaceuticals, physiotherapy and - sometimes - surgery are used. Anna treated vulvodynia at a clinic in London. She heard: "It's vulvodynia, we are starting the treatment." I took medication for 3 months, and then I was referred to a dietitian, physiotherapist and psychologist - he says. - The pain is gone. I know it can come again, but I'm ready. I know how to heal.
According to an expertdr n.med. Jacek Tulimowski, obstetrician gynecologistItching and dryness, whether it is on the skin or on the mucosa, is always hard to deal with. Doctors do not have a "table" of specific symptoms for this condition. And what the patients say is often difficult to objectively assess. In addition, similar ailments (to a lesser extent) occur in other gynecological diseases. We also do not have methods to facilitate diagnosis. It is similar with treatment. As a rule, we do it by feeling, because each patient has different specifics that bring relief. I know from experience that the best results are achieved by individual selection of pharmacological therapy and psychotherapy. It is worth mentioning the psychological barriers of patients. Quite often they do not tell the whole truth about their ailments, they also do not want to talk about intercourse and related problems.
Magda went to the gynecologist with the list of drugs that the girls from the forum were taking. He prescribed a drug that relieved his symptoms. He also uses an appropriate diet (no preservatives, drinks a lot). She is still a long way from normal he alth, but it is better. Joanna: - The worst moment when I had no support is behind me. In doctors who have not heard of the disease, or in a family that refused to believe the symptoms. Today it is better, because I got in touch with other women who are experiencing the same for me. Knowing that such a disease exists changed a lot.