Treatment of Vulvar Pain Syndrome

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Treatment of Vulvar Pain Syndrome N National V Vulvodynia AA Association Volume XIII, Issue II Spring 2008 Treatment of Vulvar Pain Syndrome By Sophie Bergeron, PhD, department of sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Quebec, and department of psychology, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Quebec; Caroline F. Pukall, PhD, department of psychology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario; and Geneviève Mailloux, BSc department of psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Québec. Introduction The most common subtype of localized vulvar pain syndrome is provoked vestibulo dynia (PVD), also According to the most recent definition by the Interna- known as vulvar vestibulitis syndrome. It is character- tional Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease ized by pain in the vulvar vestibule that is triggered (ISSVD), vulvar pain syndrome consists of “vulvar by contact, whether sexual or nonsexual, e.g., tampon discomfort, most often described as burning pain, oc- insertion. Dyspareunia, or painful intercourse, is one Thecurring classic in the definition absence of of vulvodyniarelevant visible is “vulvar findings pain, or ofthree its defining to six months symptoms duration and without the main a verifiable presenting cause com.’- burning,specific, rawness clinically or identifiable,irritation” present neurological for more disorder.” than six plaint.It was furtherPVD is decided considered that descriptorsthe most frequent such as general-form of months,A recent which population-based cannot be attributed study suggests to any thatother the cause. life- vulvarized or painlocalized syndrome be used in withpremenopausal an accurate women,pain map, with but Vulvartime cumulative vestibulitis incidence is a subset of vulvarof vulvodynia pain syndrome in which is prevalencethat further estimates sub-classification, ranging from such 12 percent as provoked in the gen- vs. the16 burningpercent, orindicating pain only that occurs approximately with light touch 14 million in the eralunprovoked, population was to not 15 warranted.percent in generalFor the remaindergynecologic of vestibule,women in the the area United immediately States surroundingalone may experience the vaginal practice.this article, Women the terms suffering generalized from PVD vulvodynia typically describeand vul- opening.idiopathic The vulvar International pain during Society their lifetime.for the Study of theirvar vestibulitis pain as a burning will be and/or utilized cutting for simplicity. sensation. Vulvovaginal Disease developed a new set of definitions forThere vulvodynia is currently in 2003. no Theywidely created accepted two subgroups: scheme that (i) Generalized vulvar pain syndrome, formerly known as localizedclassifies vulvodynia vulvar pain and syndrome (ii) generalized and differentiatesvulvodynia. dysesthetic or essentialSee PUDENDAL vulvodynia, NEURALGIA, is best described page 2 it from other types of pelvic or genital pain. Vulvar as a constant burning of the vulva, often including but pain syndrome is not included in disease classification not limited to the vestibule. The most common subtype systems, such as the International Classification of of generalized vulvodynia is unprovoked. Although MultilevelDisease (ICD-10), Nerve or in pain Blocksclassification in systems, the lessTreatment prevalent than PVD,of Vulvodynia it is thought to affect six to such as that of the International Association for the seven percent of women in the general population. ByStudy Andrea of Pain. In J. 2003, Rapkin, the ISSVD MD revised and Johnits classi S.- McDonald,Unprovoked generalized MD vulvodynia (UGVD) is often fication of vulvar pain syndrome based on two broad considered to be a more debilitating condition because Dr.types Rapkin of symptom is a professor presentations, of obstetrics namely and gynecology localized atof the the David chronic, Geffen unrelenting School of nature Medicine of the at thepain. Universityvulvar pain of Californiaand generalized – Los Angeles vulvar pain.(UCLA) Localized and the director of the UCLA Pelvic Pain Clinic. Dr. McDonald isrefers the chairman to the involvement of the department of a portion of anesthesiology of the vulva, and Inthe addition director to of disrupting the residency sexual training functioning program and interferat the - Harbor-UCLAsuch as the vulvar Medical vestibule, Center. and generalized indicates ing with the reproductive process, there is preliminary the involvementany characteristics of the entire of neuropathic vulva, composed or nerve of pain, the such as burning and extreme sensitivity to both painful labia majora,and nonpainful labia minora, stimuli clitoris, (hyperalgesia and vestibule. and allodynia, respectively), are also classic featuresSee TREATMENT, of vulvodynia. page 2 M Because there are no abnormal anatomic features associated with vulvodynia, the pain has been Thischaracterized article was as excerpted neuropathic with in permission etiology, ofand the in publisher, some cases, Informa a variant Healthcare, of pudendal from Urogenital neuropathy Pain or inneuralgia. Clinical PracticeNeuropathic by Drs. pain Andrew is a chronic P. Baranowski, abnormal statePaul thatAbrams, evolves and over Magnus time, Fall. ultimately Copyright leading © 2008 to aby number Informa of Healthcare changes in USA,the central Inc. This nervous book issystem available (brain at medical and spinal bookstores, cord) and online peripheral booksellers, (somatic at www.informaworld.co and autonomic) nervousm or system.by calling 1.800.634.7064. See NERVE BLOCKS, page 10 Treatment (from page 1) evidence to suggest that vulvar pain syndrome can with most attempts being unidimensional. In other adversely affect general psychological well-being and words, proposed interventions tend to focus solely on overall quality of life. Despite a high prevalence rate one aspect of vulvar pain syndrome to the exclusion and the fact that this urogenital pain condition was of others, and biopsychosocial models are the excep- first described over 100 years ago, there has been a tion. In our 1997 review of the literature on PVD, we paucity of sound research to elucidate its descriptive concluded that there were no effective treatments to characteristics, etiology, or treatment. In the understand- date because there were no existing randomized trials able urgency to treat women afflicted with vulvar pain comparing treatment and control groups. Since then, syndrome, interventions have been advanced without only a handful of randomized controlled treatment the benefit of randomized controlled outcome studies. studies have been published. This is surprising in light This has resulted in a variety of approaches which have of the fact that interest in vulvar pain has increased sig- no known efficacy. nificantly over the last five years. TREATMENT MEDICAL TREATMENTS Due to the lack of knowledge concerning the etiology Topical Applications of vulvar pain syndrome, the treatment literature is characterized by a wide variety of medical, surgical, Medical interventions typically begin with minimally cognitive-behavioral and alternative approaches di- invasive treatments such as the topical application of rected at different proposed mechanisms or symptoms, different types of antifungal, corticosteroid, estrogen or other creams. It has been our experience that some type of corticosteroid cream is the most commonly prescribed first-line treatment and that many women NVA News National Vulvodynia Association self-medicate with, or are prescribed, antifungal P.O. Box 4491, Silver Spring, Md. 20914-4491 agents. There is no published evidence, however, that (301) 299-0775; FAX: (301) 299-3999 any of these creams are efficacious. Cromolyn cream www.nva.org has also been suggested as a first-line treatment since it blocks mast cell degranulation, but studies examin- NVA News is published three times per year. ing the presence of mast cells in women with vulvar pain syndrome have yielded contradictory evidence. Editor: Interestingly, results from a randomized double-blind Phyllis Mate placebo study revealed that participants in both the therapy and the placebo groups exhibited statistically Contributor: Chris Veasley significant improvements in their symptoms, with no Layout: Andrea Hall significant differences between groups. These findings point toward a potentially large placebo effect in the The National Vulvodynia Association is an educational, treatment of vulvar pain syndrome, which has also been nonprofit organization founded to disseminate informa- documented in other pain syndromes. tion on treatment options for vulvodynia. The NVA recommends that you consult your own health care The use of topical anesthetics has long been recom- practitioner to determine which course of treatment or mended in the treatment of vulvar pain syndrome, but medication is appropriate for you. only recently has a prospective study examined its ef- fectiveness in women with PVD. Findings show that nightly applications of 5 percent lidocaine ointment NVA News, copyright 2008 by the National Vulvo- dynia Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Permis- for seven weeks resulted in a significant decrease in sion for republication of any article herein may be pain and a significant increase in the ability to have obtained by contacting the NVA Executive Director at 301-299-0775. See TREATMENT, page 3 Page 2 NVA News/Spring 2008 Treatment (from page 2) intercourse from pre- to post-treatment. However, the of the systemic antifungal did not improve the outcome lack of a placebo control
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