So, You Have Vulvodynia. Now What?

Since “coming out” of the vulvodynia closet a few years ago, I have connected with hundreds of women with the same condition through social media. When my pain was at its worst I desperately wanted to speak to someone like me. To now bthee that person for other women by sharing my story and knowledge is an honor.

I’ve found that many of the these connections started the same way. A woman desperately searching for answers online randomly stumbled upon my videos on Instagram or YouTube. They are thrilled to see someone speak about pelvic floor dysfunction and have a slew of questions they wish to have answered. If this sounds like you, you might currently find yourself in one of two positions:

• You’re newly diagnosed (either self-diagnosed or by a doctor) and have fallen victim to the rabbit whole that is the internet. You are overwhelmed, confused, and equally frustrated by lack of educated information.
• Or, you’ve been diagnosed for some time and have received treatments such as medication and physical therapy, and are discouraged by the lack of progress. At this stage you feel like it will never improve.

This got me thinking; why not create a directory for my vagina chronicles?! Be you start clicking away I want to make something very clear, there is no magical fix. The links provided below are meant to assist you. Chronic pain is stressful, emotional, and difficult to remedy. Treating vulvodynia is very nuanced and requires an integrative approach.

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Vulvodynia is what I like to refer to as an umbrella diagnosis. It literally refers to pain in the vulva. The term does not diagnosis the underlying conditions or the potential causes.

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If you find yourself wanting personal recommendations, I’m available for one-on-one consultations via phone. I can bridge the gap between the physical and emotional aspects of healing. Click the link below to chat.

Let’s talk

Most frequently asked questions:

1. Vulvodynia, My Story
2. How long did I have vulvodynia, and what exactly is it?
3. What were my symptoms?
4. How did I find help, and what treatments did I use?
5. What were trigger point injections like?
6. Vestibulectomy; What lead to the surgery, and what is was like? What was the healing process like, am I cured, and can I have painless intercourse?

Recommended Resources, Products, & Quick Tips

1. When Sex Hurts: A Guide to Banishing Sexual Pain (find my blog post about the book here.)
2. The Nervous System and It’s Role in Chronic Pain
3. What Does It Mean to Be Pain Free
4. Pelvic Mobility and Why It’s Important
5. Uberlube (find my blog post about lubricants here.)
6. Cushion Your Assets
7. Using Lubricants While Traveling
8. Post Vestibulectomy Tips
9. National Vulvodynia Association
10. As the Pelvis Turns blog from Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center
11. Global directory of (participating) pelvic floor physical therapists.

Yoga for vulvodynia

What is the best yoga pose for vulvodynia? Unfortunately, there isn’t one. It all depends. However, movement can help manage symptoms. There are plenty of safe ways to get to started, let me show you how.

P.S. Like this obligatory yogi in nature picture? I just wanted to show off my hair.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing for Vulvodynia
2. Supine (reclined) Relaxation for Vulvodynia
3. Legs Up the Wall
4. Self Care Made Simple
5. Vulvodynia and Mobile Hips
6. Move with Love
7. Stretching for Traveling
8. IGTV Videos; Break down of Malasana and Squat Mechanics

Hope this was helpful. Follow me on IG and subscribe to my channel on YouTube for much more.