Do you know what your "cause" is?

With me it was very, very obvious, my pelvis has been severely unstable for 9 years due to another condition and my V started after a physio had me use extra pelvic floor activity during exercise in an attempt to gain some stability, it didn't work and left me with V so an additional problem for the last 3 years of the 9. After being silly and doing as you say "fighting symptoms" I finally went to a women's health physio who checked my resting tone, 2 or below is normal, some women can have problems at 5 and around 15 was the highest she'd seen in 30 years so my resting tone of 20 that crept up to 29 when I was totally relaxed talking to her was a bit of a giveaway too! Because of my other condition I have to be very careful and can't have my pelvic floor released yet so I'm not a good example of typical PFD. I do find relaxing the pelvic floor helps my V though and clenching makes it much worse so again pretty obvious with me! Physio is a longterm situation so some women would be fine after a couple of months and others take much longer, the only way to know if you should stick with it is if there is still some trigger points and spasm to release and/or areas to realign and stabilise. Only a trained physio would be able to tell you if those problems exist on you and it really is worth going to one and finding out.

thanks for taking your time!
i also had pysio but it seems not to help me so well, although i also have to admit it is hard to find time forall the exercises al the time. but my physio concluded that i seemto have no issues to relax my muscles and it seems to be the skin.
now i dont know if i should just be more patient or assume that is not my ideal treatment.

Hi Juleps

I'm having physio at the moment too as I do have issues relaxing my muscles. Earlier on I went to see a vulval dermatologist to check whether it was a skin problem. For me it wasn't, so the next thing to try was physio. I think Sarah is right you have to know the cause so you can find the treatment that's the right one for you. Unfortunately this can take loads of time (and money). If you haven't already it may be worth seeing a dermatologist to check whether it is a skin problem. Good luck.

Hi Girls,

I agree with Kathy, seeing a derm will definitely rule out certain skin problems and the biospy isn't that bad. If you can afford it, DO IT!

I had a vulvar biopsy done. At the time I had folliculitus so it showed that I had that, and some other type of inflammation but no word on what it was. They ruled out skin diseases, so who knows. The process like you said, is lengthy, expensive and frustrating as hell. I'm seeing a PT on the 20th to rule out PFD. I have a feeling the muscles have a lot to do with it.

I saw a vulvar specialist, best thing going, expensive as hell, but so worth it in the end! If you can find one you should go seriously

ok so a dermatologist?
what and how do they tests things?
does anyone actually have the skin as the issue as the seems for most people it´s muscles?!

Mine was skin and nerves once I had the surgery I was fine but no dermatologist is going to be able to diagnose vv unless they're specializing in vulva issues

They will need to biopsy a piece of your skin. Some ladies have this due to a skin condition, others bacterial/yeast issues, others pelvic muscle probs, etc. Try and find a derm that specializes in the vulva.

I saw a vulvar dermatologist, there are a handful in the uk and they travel around the hospitals and run one clinic a month in several they cover so yes there are vulvar dermatologists out there and they also deal with prescribing pain meds for V too if it turns out not to be a dermatological issue. A biopsy is a possibility when you see one but it depends what there is to see.

Mine examined me but didn't do a biopsy as she said the skin was healthy.

When the pain started for me during sex I just kept saying it would fade that it was just an odd circumstance that wouldn't last. Weeks of this I finally went to the doctor who told me I had thrush which I treated and the first time I had sex afterwards the pain was gone. Then next time it was back. I went back to the doctor and had multiple tests again an everything came back clear and so I was sent away. This happened with multiple doctors and the pain continued until I was finally diagnosed with vulvodynia. As they say the cause is often unknown, but I think the cause for myself may have been the thrush