Generalized Vulvodynia
Vulvodynia is often described as a vulvar discomfort with sensations of pain, burning, irritation, rawness, stretching, aching, soreness or throbbing. The symptoms of generalized vulvodynia can come at any time regardless of whether the area is touched or not. Patients often complain of constant burning. Until recently, hardly anyone had ever heard of vulvodynia. This is because many women suffer in silence. At least 30% of women with these conditions will suffer without seeing the doctor. Also, many doctors are unfamiliar with the possible causes of pain in the vulva and so they treat women for the conditions they are familiar with and that have worked for most of their patients in the past. This works well for most women but the small group of women with one of the less common diagnoses are left returning to their doctor again and again, or going from doctor to doctor and being told that they have a yeast infection, a bacterial infection, both infections at the same time or vaginal atrophy (thin vaginal skin due to menopause requiring estrogen therapy). | 
