Women with vulvodynia are at increased risk having fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis (IC), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). So say the results of a population-based cohort study recently published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Women with vulvodynia are at increased risk having fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis (IC), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). So say the results of a population-based cohort study recently published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
The longitudinal, population-based survey, part of the Michigan Woman to Woman Health Study, included validated screening questionnaires for the 4 conditions. Surveys were sent to 2,500 women in southeastern Michigan.
A total of 1,940 completed surveys were received; 1890 (97.4%) surveys had all questions answered and were included in the analysis. Prevalence of the conditions, based on the screening tests, varied from 7.5% for IC to 11.8% for fibromyalgia, with 9.4% reporting IBS and 8.7% screening positive for vulvodynia; 27.1% reported multiple chronic pain conditions.
Presence of vulvodynia made a woman 2 to 3 times more likely to have each of the other chronic pain conditions studied, researchers found. Of the demographic characteristics studied, only low socioeconomic status was associated with concurrent presence of multiple conditions.
According to the researchers, chronic pain conditions are increasingly prevalent and under-diagnosed, and further study is needed of the relationships and commonalities among such conditions.
Read other articles in this issue of Special Delivery
Intentional weight loss linked to lower mortality in postmenopausal women
March 11th 2025A recent study shows that intentional weight loss significantly lowers all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality risks among postmenopausal women, highlighting the importance of targeted weight management.
Read More
Intentional weight loss linked to lower mortality in postmenopausal women
March 11th 2025A recent study shows that intentional weight loss significantly lowers all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality risks among postmenopausal women, highlighting the importance of targeted weight management.
Read More
2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512