Vulvodynia is the medical term for pain the in the vulva area of a women's body. The term is generally reserved for chronic pain in the vulva with no known cause.

What is going on in the body?

The vulva is a general term for the external part of a woman's genitals. The vulva includes the area of skin directly above the vagina, the clitoris, the inner and outer labia or lips of the vagina, the opening to the vagina, and the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. Pain in the vulva can be due to many known conditions. These include infection, injury, and allergic reactions to medications, soaps, or feminine products. If no cause can be found, the condition is called vulvodynia.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

This condition is usually diagnosed when no cause for a woman's pain can be found. Though different theories exist as to why this condition occurs, the exact cause is unknown. This condition occurs most often in middle-aged white women.

The main risks of this condition are frustration and depression. True vulvodynia does not result in any physical health risks and is not related to cancer.