The key difference between vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia is that vulvodynia is a persistent and unexplained pain in the vulva of women, while pudendal neuralgia is a long-term pelvic pain that occurs in the pelvis of women or men.
Vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia are two pain conditions that can occur in women. However, pudendal neuralgia can also occur in men as well. Both these conditions cause chronic pain. These conditions can impact the quality of life of women, such as affecting their mental health, intimacy, and social and occupational activities in daily life. Both these conditions can be treated through medications, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Vulvodynia
3. What is Pudendal Neuralgia
4. Similarities – Vulvodynia and Pudendal Neuralgia
5. Vulvodynia vs Pudendal Neuralgia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Vulvodynia vs Pudendal Neuralgia
What is Vulvodynia?
Vulvodynia is a chronic, persistent, and unexplained pain in the vulva of women. The vulva is a female genital area. It includes the skin surrounding the opening of the vagina. This condition can happen in women of all ages. It can become a long-term problem, which is very distressing to live with unless taking medications. The symptoms of vulvodynia may include persistent pain in and around the vulva and vagina, burning, stinging, throbbing or sore pain, pain triggered by touch, pain that is constantly in the background, pain that worsens sitting down, more widespread pain (from the vagina to anus), vaginismus, interstitial cystitis, painful periods and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Moreover, vulvodynia can be due to injury to the nerves surrounding the vulvar region, past vaginal infections, allergies or sensitive skin, hormonal changes, muscle spasms, or weakness in the pelvic floor.
Vulvodynia can be diagnosed through medical history, pelvic examination, and cotton swab test. Furthermore, treatment options for vulvodynia may include medications (steroids, tricyclic antidepressants or anticonvulsants and antihistamines), biofeedback therapy, local anesthetics, nerve blocks, pelvic floor therapy, and surgery to remove the affected skin and tissue (vestibulectomy).
What is Pudendal Neuralgia?
Pudendal neuralgia is a condition of chronic pelvic pain in women and men. It is caused by an irritated or damaged pudendal nerve. The pudendal nerve is the main nerve in the pelvis. This nerve supplies nerve signals to areas that include the lower buttocks, the area between the buttocks and genitals, the area around the anus and rectum, the vulva, labia, and clitoris in women, and the scrotum and penis in men.
The symptoms of this condition may include pain that feels like a burning, crushing, shooting, or prickling sensation, pain that develops gradually or suddenly, constant pain, pain that worsens when sitting down, numbness and needles sensation in the pelvic area, increased sensitivity to pain, swelling or feeling as there is an object in the perineum, needing to go to the toilet frequently, and pain during sex or erectile dysfunction. Moreover, the possible causes of this condition may include compression of the pudendal nerve by nearby muscles or tissue, prolonged sitting, cycling, horse riding or constipation that damages the pelvic area, surgery to the pelvic area, a broken bone in the pelvis, damage to the pudendal nerve during childbirth, and benign growth pressing on the pudendal nerve.
Pudendal neuralgia can be diagnosed through vaginal or rectal examination, MRI scan, nerve study, and nerve block injection. Furthermore, treatment options for pudendal neuralgia may include avoiding things that make that pain worse, pain medications, physiotherapy, painkilling injections, decompression surgery, and nerve stimulation.
What are the Similarities Between Vulvodynia and Pudendal Neuralgia?
- Vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia are two pain conditions that can occur in women.
- They may have similar symptoms, such as pain in the genital area or anus, constant pain, pain that worsens when sitting down, etc.
- They can be triggered by injury or irritation.
- They can be diagnosed through visual examination and imaging scans.
- Both these conditions can be treated through medications, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications.
What is the Difference Between Vulvodynia and Pudendal Neuralgia?
Vulvodynia is a persistent and unexplained pain in the vulva of women, while pudendal neuralgia is a long-term pelvic pain that occurs in the pelvis of women or men. This is the key difference between vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia.
Furthermore, vulvodynia is caused by an injury to the nerves surrounding the vulvar region, past vaginal infections, allergies or sensitive skin, hormonal changes, muscle spasms or weakness in the pelvic floor. On the other hand, pudendal neuralgia is caused by compression of the pudendal nerve by nearby muscles or tissue, prolonged sitting, cycling, horse riding, constipation that damages the pelvic area, surgery to the pelvic area, a broken bone in the pelvis, damage to the pudendal nerve during childbirth, and benign growth pressing on the pudendal nerve.
The below infographic presents the differences between vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Vulvodynia vs Pudendal Neuralgia
Vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia are two chronic pain conditions that can occur in women. Pudendal neuralgia can also be seen in men as well. Both these conditions may have similar symptoms, such as pain in the genital area or anus, constant burning or shooting pain, pain that worsens when sitting down, etc. However, vulvodynia causes persistent and unexplained pain in the vulva of women. In contrast, pudendal neuralgia causes long-term pelvic pain in the pelvis of women or men. So, this summarizes the difference between vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia.
Reference:
1. “Pudendal Neuralgia.” NHS Choices.
2. “Vulvodynia.” Mayo Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Causes of vulvodynia” By Klaus Cort at English Wikipedia (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “2604 Nerves Innervating the Urinary SystemN” By OpenStax College – Anatomy & Physiology, Connexions Web site, Jun 19, 2013. (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia