Getting an accurate diagnosis of vulvodynia is usually a long and difficult process. You have had burning and stinging pain with sex, you have seen doctor after doctor, and they have put it down to chronic thrush and given you creams and tablets galore, all to no avail. Then you finally see a clinician [...]
“I don’t need supplements; I prefer to get it from food” Ever heard anyone say that? Maybe you say it yourself! I hear it every day. I’m sorry to say, I just don’t buy it! That’s right: for optimal health, I think we need specific supplements. There are six main reasons why, which I’ll [...]
The MTHFR gene mutation gets a lot of bad press. Its role in cardiovascular disease susceptibility is undisputed, and a long, long list of chronic diseases is related to its unlucky presence in your gene pool. I’m afraid this post will be yet further bad press for the not-so-innocent MTHFR. But this time it's [...]
Chronic pain is not easy to live with. And it’s no more easy for researchers to fully understand. It’s also not easy for clinicians working with people living with chronic pain. A clinician who thinks there’s a simple solution is not likely to be the best one to help you! That aside, let’s not [...]
Epigenetics! Everyone’s talking about the interaction of our genes with the environment, and how it affects our health. The power to change the future – and the present, for that matter! – is in our hands. Epigenetics and pain go together just like epigenetics and all other health issues. We know genes influence our [...]
It’s a situation I see regularly in my clinic: new mums with vaginal amnesia. Let me explain vaginal amnesia. Vaginas are sensitive creatures. It’s an obvious statement, but it’s worth stating the obvious. They are easily overwhelmed by stress, tension and pain. New mums usually have a fair bit of all three going on. [...]
Are urinary tract infections really that straightforward? For a long time, urinary tract infections have been treated as though they are simple, garden-variety ailment that is straightforward to treat. This seems to be the attitude of both the doctors treating them and many of the women suffering from them: oh well, another UTI, better [...]
The One Absolute “Must-Have” For Pain With Sex in Vulvodynia and Vaginismus I see dozens of women in my clinic every month who have pain with sex. Some of them have been diagnosed with vaginismus. Some have been diagnosed with vulvodynia, but have vaginismus as well. Some have been diagnosed with vaginismus, but their [...]
Getting From the Plastic Thing to the Real Thing – Part 1 Pain with sex can be a bit of a project to resolve. I’ve written a lot about painful sex due to muscular causes. (The old term is vaginismus. I still use this term because usually that’s what the doctor has called it to [...]
Get Acquainted With Them In vaginismus and painful sex, using vaginal dilators is often part of your rehab program. Let’s face it, anything unfamiliar can be a bit scary. A new experience is always a bit daunting, even when it’s positive. And it makes sense from an evolutionary sense to be cautious when encountering [...]
