Abstract
IntroductionThe current approach to women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) comprises a multidimensional, multidisciplinary therapeutic protocol. As PVD is considered to be a chronic pain disorder, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can be used as an additional therapy for women with otherwise therapy-resistant PVD.
AimsThe aims of this study were to evaluate whether TENS has a beneficial effect on vulvar pain, sexual functioning, and sexually-related personal distress in women with therapy-resistant PVD and to assess the effect of TENS on the need for vestibulectomy.
MethodsA longitudinal prospective follow-up study was performed on women with therapy-resistant PVD who received additional domiciliary TENS. Self-report questionnaires and visual analog scales (VASs) were completed at baseline (T1), post-TENS (T2), and follow-up (T3).
Main Outcome MeasuresVulvar pain, sexual functioning, and sexually-related personal distress were the main outcome measures.
ResultsThirty-nine women with therapy-resistant PVD were included. Mean age was 275.6years (range: 19 to 41); mean duration between TENS and T3 follow-up was 10.1 +/- 10.7months (range: 2 to 32). Vulvar pain VAS scores directly post-TENS (median 3.4) and at follow-up (median 3.2) were significantly (P
ConclusionThe addition of self-administered TENS to multidimensional treatment significantly reduced the level of vulvar pain and the need for vestibulectomy. The long-term effect was stable. These results not only support our hypothesis that TENS constitutes a feasible and beneficial addition to multidimensional treatment for therapy-resistant PVD, but also the notion that PVD can be considered as a chronic pain syndrome. Vallinga MS, Spoelstra SK, Hemel ILM, van de Wiel HBM, and Weijmar Schultz WCM. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as an additional treatment for women suffering from therapy-resistant provoked vestibulodynia: A feasibility study. J Sex Med 2015;12:228-237.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 228-237 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of Sexual Medicine |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan-2015 |
Keywords
- Dyspareunia
- Provoked Vestibulodynia
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
- Vulvar Pain
- Female Sexual Pain Disorders
- Genito-Pelvic Pain
- Penetration Disorder
- Vestibulectomy
- SEXUAL PAIN DISORDERS
- DISTRESS SCALE FSDS
- FUNCTION INDEX FSFI
- QUALITY-OF-LIFE
- VULVAR VESTIBULITIS
- CONTROLLED-TRIAL
- DYSPAREUNIA
- CLASSIFICATION
- DYSFUNCTION
- MANAGEMENT