title: Acupuncture for the treatment of vulvodynia: a randomized wait-list controlled pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of vulvodynia in American women has been reported to be between 8.3% and 16%. However, there is no consistently effective standardized treatment for vulvodynia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the feasibility and potential effects of using a standardized acupuncture protocol for the treatment of women with vulvodynia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome was vulvar pain, and sexual function was the secondary outcome. Pain was assessed by the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, and function was measured by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six women with vulvodynia met inclusion criteria. The women were randomly assigned either to the acupuncture group or to the wait-list control group. The 18 subjects assigned to the acupuncture group received acupuncture two times per week for 5 weeks for a total of 10 sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reports of vulvar pain and dyspareunia were significantly reduced, whereas changes in the aggregate FSFI scores suggest significant improvement in sexual functioning in those receiving acupuncture vs. those who did not. Acupuncture did not significantly increase sexual desire, sexual arousal, lubrication, ability to orgasm or sexual satisfaction in women with vulvodynia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was the first randomized controlled pilot study to examine the use of acupuncture for the treatment of vulvodynia. The acupuncture protocol was feasible and in this small sample appeared to reduce vulvar pain and dyspareunia with an increase in overall sexual function for women with vulvodynia. This study should be replicated in a larger double-blinded randomized controlled trial.
authors: Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Judith M
authors: JM
authors: Schlaeger
authors: Nenggui
authors: N
authors: Xu
authors: Cheryl L
authors: CL
authors: Mejta
authors: Chang G
authors: CG
authors: Park
authors: Diana J
authors: DJ
authors: Wilkie
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000628:therapy*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido; D009948:Orgasm; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D056650:Vulvodynia / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Acupuncture; Dyspareunia; Female Sexual Function; Provoked Vestibulodynia; Vulvar Pain; Vulvar Vestibulitis; Vulvodynia