NEW YORK (Reuters Health) -
Transcutaneous electrical nerve
stimulation or TENS is a safe and effective treatment for a
type of vaginal pain called vestibulodynia, Italian researchers
report.

Vestibulodynia is commonly described as a burning type of
pain located at the opening of the vagina. Intercourse, tampon
insertion, and wearing tight clothing are among the activities
that may bring on the pain.

Although many women experience vestibulodynia, the cause is
not fully understood, Dr. Filippo Murina and colleagues, from
V. Buzzi Hospital in Milan, say. The current thought is that
nerve damage occurs, which alters pain perception, a problem
seen with many chronic pain conditions.

TENS involves nerve stimulation through the skin with mild
levels of electricity. Because TENS has shown promise in
treating a number of chronic pain conditions, the researchers
reasoned that it may be effective for vestibulodynia as well.

As reported in the British Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, Murina's team randomly assigned 40 women with
vestibulodynia to undergo real or “sham” TENS treatments
delivered with a vaginal probe twice weekly for a total of 20
sessions. Pain levels were assessed before and immediately
after treatment and at 3 months.

Using standard pain scales and questionnaires, the
investigators found that the TENS group experienced significant
improvements in their pain, whereas the sham group did not.
Pain during intercourse and sexual function also improved with

TENS.

While the results are encouraging, TENS is probably not a
one-time cure for vestibulodynia, the investigators caution.

The effect of TENS may decline with time. Moreover, 3 of 15
women who showed normal sexual function scores after treatment
relapsed 3 months later, the researchers note. “A maintenance
treatment program to achieve a more lasting beneficial effect
might be needed in these cases.”

SOURCE: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynecology, August 2008.