| A year ago, the pain in my vagina finally went away. After years of
being misdiagnosed, unsuccessfully treated, told there was nothing wrong with me and that
I was crazy, I finally found a cure. A small box of electronics gave me back my life. I was one of hundreds of thousands of American women
suffering from vulvodynia, a painful disorder that causes inflammation and intense burning
in the vulvar area. Vulvodynia can make sitting, walking or even wearing tight clothing a
torturous experience. Sexual intercourse is often impossible.
After two years of searching for relief, I found Howard Glazer,
Ph.D., a clinical professor of psychology and obstetrics and gynecology at Cornell
University Medical College in New York |
|
City, who uses biofeedback
to treat vulvodynia. He explained that many women with this disorder also have unstable
pelvic floor muscles, which can cause the vulvar area to become hypersensitive, inflamed
and painful. Biofeedback treatment for vulvodynia allows
women to heal themselves by strengthening and stabilizing these muscles as they monitor
their own progress. Glazer's method involves inserting a sensor, which is attached to a
biofeedback instrument, into the vagina. The instrument then directs patients when to
vaginally squeeze and release the sensor, and provides feedback about the strength of each
contraction and the amount of tension in the muscle when it is relaxed. This exercise,
performed daily, stabilizes pelvic floor muscles and diminishes pain. |
|
Early research on
biofeedback's effectiveness for treating vulvodynia is promising: After nine months, all
women using this method improved to some degree, and half are pain-free. I dreaded inserting something into my already sore vagina, but I felt I had
no choice. For the first few weeks, I felt no improvement and almost gave up. But after
eight weeks things improved slightly; after 12 weeks, I had no pain except during sex.
After 24 weeks, I could make love without pain.
Now, a year later, I still do a modified regimen of biofeedback, but
my pain is just an unpleasant memory. Biofeedback made me feel as if I could understand,
control and heal my own body. For further information, contact the National Vulvodynia
Association, Box 4491, Silver Spring, MD 20914; or call 301-299-0775. |
