How is female 'sexual pain disorder' treated?

How is female 'sexual pain disorder' treated?

Jennifer Berman (Director, Berman Women's Wellness Center) gives expert video advice on: When should a woman see a doctor about painful sex?; How are sexual pain disorders diagnosed?; How is female 'sexual pain disorder' treated? and more...

Sexual pain disorder is treated based on what the cause is. So, probably the most common cause that I see is, a condition called, vulvodynia which is, inflammation, irritation, pain in the opening of the vagina. It's a disorder of the small nerve fibers in the opening of the vagina that cause a sheering, tearing, ground glass, burning kind of pain that is absolutely debilitating, and the really you know, horrible thing about this problem is that it co-exists with other inflammatory problems such as irritable bowel, interstitial cystitis, lupus, sjögren's, things along those lines, and there is no cure. There is only treatment and palliation of symptoms, which include in this case of vulvodynia, not unlike interstitial cystitis, dietary changes, vaginal physical therapy, topical hormonal therapies, medications that eliminate nerve pain, and anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory products.