One of the most frustrating and frightening parts of having a physical ailment is when the doctors do not know how to label it. Somehow having a name for what ails us gives us an odd sort of comfort. However, from a doctor’s point of view, the fact that a set of symptoms is given a name by one doctor does not mean that another doctor would apply the same medical moniker if presented the same patient.
This past spring, 28 experts gathered together to address the lack of terminological consensus which surrounds the pain in the vulva or Vulvodynia. At the “International Consensus Conference on Vulvovaginal Pain Nomenclature” these specialists shared their experiences in attempting to diagnose, evaluate, treat, and name the pelvic pain which untold numbers of women experience.
For more information, the National Vulvodynia Association offers a useful tutorial about the terms and concepts related to Vulvodynia and conference attendee, Stephanie Prendergas wrote an informative review of the conference findings, for Pelvic Health and Rehab.