VS is short for Vestibulodynia Syndrome, which I have suffered from since age 12 (I'm now 28).
Symptoms are: tender vulval area, painful when pressed (makes MB and sexual intercourse challenging) - intercourse is possible and even pleasurable if the symptoms are mild, but when severe, it is not possible to have sex.
Other symptoms are swelling of the vulva and vestibular glands (these are the glands in the enterance to the vagina which regulate vaginal moisture), dryness, burning when urinating (caused by the urine hitting the inflammed vulva), frequent UTI's and secondary infections like thrush, burning pain and irritation caused by wearing tight jeans etc.
I had to give up horse riding for this reason. Normally it is contact pain only so if I'm not having sex or attempting contact sports etc I suffer no pain.
There is Vulvodynia also which is the same as above except there is also nerve damage to the vulva which causes sudden and unprovoked pain, such as shooting pains up the vagina.
I think I have vulvodynia also as I do get spontaneous pain. I remember once sitting in the library, reading MacBeth and I got this sudden stabbing pain right in my bits and had to pretend it was something else
50% of women with VS cannot orgasm.
CAUSES OF VS: Frequent UTI's and other infections and use of anti-fungal medications which can trigger VS (most women who get it have a history of previous anti-fungal medication use), hormone changes due to puberty or menopause, nerve damage caused by childbirth (although in my case childbirth eased my symptoms because of stretching the birth canal), immune system malfunction.
There are no cures and once you've got VS you have it for life, although there are some treatments and it usually gets milder the longer you have it. Mine is mild now, after 16 years.
Jo - who has had a good sex life despite all this and still likes sex so if I can do it, anyone can!
