Therapeutic frustration often leads the physician to suggest a psychiatric cause. Patients' lack of understanding of the cause of their pain enhances their loss of self-esteem. One previous patient attempted suicide before being properly diagnosed. In summary, intercourse-related vaginal pain syndrome is a real entity. The presumptive diagnosis is made by excluding the causes previously associated with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome.
Definitive diagnosis is established by cessation of symptoms with vaginal delivery.
Practitioners need to be aware of the characteristics of this unique syndrome. As with other myofascial syndromes, treatment may be difficult, but patients may at least benefit from a diagnosis and an explanation for their pain. Friedrich EG Jr. Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome. Tension myalgia of the pelvic floor. Inc. Reproduced here with permission from Mosby, Inc., and Dr. Gilles Monif, co-author.