Comorbidities of vulvodynia

As a chronic pain disorder, vulvodynia impacts women with more than localized vulvar symptoms. One study which evaluated muscle pain in women with vulvodynia found a significantly increased intravaginal muscle pain score in women with provoked vulvodynia with fibromyalgia versus those without. Interstitial cystitis may be the result of inherent abnormalities in bladder mucosa as has been noted by biopsies in affected women. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with patients reporting abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Estimates of IBS prevalence suggest that up to 14 percent of women are affected. The comorbidities of vulvodynia are also characterized as pain syndromes, most of which have poorly or incompletely understood pathophysiology. Small fiber polyneuropathy is documented in many women with chronic pain disorders. Women with vulvodynia are at greater risk of adverse psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety.