Understanding vulval pain

Vulval pain can be a symptom of many conditions. For example, if a patient has fissures as a result of lichen sclerosus or psoriasis, they will complain of pain. Pain is also frequently described in Behcet’s disease, vulval Crohn’s disease and erosive lichen planus, to name but a few. Gynaecological and neurological disorders, including pudendal nerve entrapment, endometriosis and pelvic radiotherapy may also give rise to pain. There are, however, patients who describe vulval pain but have no obvious cause for their symptoms.