Guest guest Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Has anyone successfully treated vulvodynia with acupuncture? I have a new patient with this condition and I have never treated it before. Any insight would be helpful. Thank you! Christopher Vedeler L.Ac., C.Ht. Oasis Acupuncture <http://www.oasisacupuncture.com/> http://www.oasisacupuncture.com 8233 N. Via Paseo del Norte Suite D-35 Scottsdale, AZ 85258 Phone: (480) 991-3650 Fax: (480) 247-4472 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Hi Christopher, I briefly treated someone years ago who had what she thought was a recurrent yeast infection (main symptoms were burning sensation, and pain during penetrative sex; she also had more discomfort when bladder was full, frequent urination, general dryness). My treatments were only moderately helpful (I gave her Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan; acupuncture focused on Chong, Ren, Liver...) After months of frustration and medical testing she was diagnosed with vaginismus; the burning pain apparently due to the local musculature constantly contracting, thought perhaps to be due to some old injury to the coccyx. She got sent to PT and given exercises which helped a lot as long as she did them regularly; I recall her describing them as being like " reverse Kegels. " Another woman I know (who lives on the other side of the country and so I haven't treated her) also had what she thought was a recurrent UTI, and it was eventually diagnosed as interstitial cystitis, but had many of the same symptoms as my patient (local burning sensation, painful sex, etc.); I think she also injured her tailbone somewhat not long before all this happened, though no connection was made at the time. Anyway, I know you asked about vulvodynia and not vaginismus or IC, but I throw this info out because I've seen several women go through months and months of testing and pain and ever-changing diagnoses, and considering the above two cases I think I might not worry too much about the biomedical dx, and make sure to ask about injuries/falls etc. I think I would have done better with my patient if I had treated the Du and UB channel more, for example (though I still think the herbs were right and that she just wasn't on them long enough). There's an article on IC on the ITM website that mentions using sacral nerve root stimulation for vulvodynia as well, you might take a look at that. Hope this is helpful. Would be interested to hear what your findings are when you see her. good luck, Nora Madden On 3/31/06, Christopher Vedeler L.Ac. <ckvedeler wrote: > > Has anyone successfully treated vulvodynia with acupuncture? I have a > new patient with this condition and I have never treated it before. > > Any insight would be helpful. > > Thank you! > > Christopher Vedeler L.Ac., C.Ht. > Oasis Acupuncture > <http://www.oasisacupuncture.com/> http://www.oasisacupuncture.com > 8233 N. Via Paseo del Norte > Suite D-35 > Scottsdale, AZ 85258 > Phone: (480) 991-3650 > Fax: (480) 247-4472 > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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