UNC Center for Vulvar & Urogenital Pain

Why Choose UNC?

During the physical examination, we look carefully for contributions to the pain not usually detected by the routine pelvic examination, such as muscle spasms, trigger points, and subtle changes in pelvic structures. Our physicians have years of experience treating chronic pelvic pain and developing the right treatment plan for each individual patient.

There is rarely a single identifiable cause and, despite the fact that it most likely to occurs in women of reproductive age, it is estimated that only 30% of etiologies attributed to the development of chronic pelvic pain are gynecologic. Our clinic understands the many contributing factors to a presentation of pain disorders and we take the necessary time to evaluate previous records, speak with referring physicians, and take a thorough history of the pain problem. We investigate the possible contributions of all involved systems in the body, as well as the changes in the pain that may have occurred over time.

What is chronic pelvic pain?

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common gynecologic complaint and one of the most common reasons women visit their gynecologists. It is defined as noncyclic, non-menstrual pelvic pain persisting longer than 6-months, and located below the umbilicus.

This pain disorder affects approximately 15% of women in the United States and is responsible for up to 20% of gynecologic office visits, and 15% of hysterectomies. It is not surprising that CPP is estimated to cost the health care system nearly 2 billion dollars per year.

Research?

We are currently recruiting patients for the following study:

Pain with Vaginal Sex or Tampon Use: Vestibulodynia UPDATe Study

To learn more about ongoing minimally invasive gynecologic surgery research, visit our research page.