National Vulvodynia Association (NVA) posts excellent tutorial
This NVA tutorial is targeted toward healthcare practitioners, but it’s a fascinating and helpful learning tool for those of us who suffer with vaginal and vulvar pain. The tutorial describes some other causes of the pain and ways to manage symptoms.
What’s so wonderful is that this excellent organization developed the tutorial because, “healthcare providers need educational programs to assist them in acquiring the knowledge and skills to evaluate and manage patients with vulvodynia.”
Also from the NVA site, “According to an NIH-funded study conducted at Harvard Medical School, approximately 16% of American women between 18 and 64 years of age report suffering from chronic vulvar pain at some point in their lives, with more than 90% reporting many years of pain. It is estimated that six million women may currently be suffering from the condition. According to this study, the incidence of symptom onset is highest between the ages of 18 and 25, and lowest after age 35. (Harlow BL, Stewart EG, JAMWA, 2003 and Jantos M, Burns NR, J Reprod Med, 2007). Once considered to be a condition that affects primarily Caucasian women, recent studies have shown that African American and Hispanic women are just as likely to develop vulvodynia.”
Please give us feedback after you’ve looked through the tutorial.