Vulv Health Dictionary

An opening of the female reproductive system, may be situated at the anterior, middle or posterior parts and on the ventral side of the body according to groups of nematodes.... vulva

Surgical excision of the external genitals (see VULVA). In simple vulvectomy the LABIA majora and minora and the CLITORIS are surgically removed, usually to treat a non-malignant growth. A more extensive operation is radical vulvectomy in which there is wide excision of the two labia and the clitoris along with complete removal of all regional LYMPH NODES on both sides and the covering skin. This procedure is carried out to treat cancer of the vulva.... vulvectomy

Inflammation of the vulva. Infections that may cause vulvitis are candidiasis, genital herpes (see herpes, genital), and warts (see warts, genital). Infestations with pubic lice or scabies are other possible causes. Vulvitis may also occur as a result of changes in the vulval skin. These changes tend to affect women after the menopause, although there is no apparent trigger. They may take the form of red or white patches and/or thickened or thinned areas that may be inflamed. Other possible causes of vulvitis include allergic reactions to hygiene products, excessive vaginal discharge, or urinary incontinence.

Treatment depends on the cause. A combination of drugs applied to the vulva and good hygiene is usually recommended. A biopsy may be taken, if there are skin changes, to exclude the slight possibility of vulval cancer. (See also vulvovaginitis; vaginitis.)... vulvitis

Inflammation of the vulva and vagina. Vulvovaginitis is often provoked as a result of the infections candidiasis or trichomoniasis. (See also vaginitis; vulvitis.)

walking Movement of the body by lifting the feet alternately and bringing 1 foot into contact with the ground before the other starts to leave it. A person’s gait is determined by body shape, size, and posture. The age at which children first walk varies enormously.

Walking is controlled by nerve signals from the brain’s motor cortex (see cerebrum), basal ganglia, and cerebellum that travel via the spinal cord to the muscles. Abnormal gait may be caused by joint stiffness, muscle weakness (sometimes due to conditions such as poliomyelitis or muscular dystrophy), or skeletal abnormalities (see, for example, talipes; hip, congenital dislocation of; scoliosis; bone tumour; arthritis). Children may develop knock-knee or bowleg; synovitis of the hip and Perthes’ disease are also common. Adolescents may develop a painful limp due to a slipped epiphysis (see femoral epiphysis, slipped) or to fracture or disease of the tibia, fibula or femur.

Abnormal gait may also be the result of neurological disorders such as stroke (commonly resulting in hemiplegia), parkinsonism, peripheral neuritis, multiple sclerosis, various forms of myelitis, and chorea.

Ménière’s disease may cause severe loss of balance and instability.... vulvovaginitis

In?ammation of the VULVA and VAGINA. It may be due to infection, and may be a presenting feature of late onset DIABETES MELLITUS. Trauma may sometimes be the cause.... vulvo-vaginitis

See vulvitis.... kraurosis vulvae

A rare disorder that most commonly affects postmenopausal women. Cancer of the vulva may be preceded by vulval itching, but in many cases the first symptom is a lump or painful ulcer on the vulva.A diagnosis of vulval cancer is made by biopsy.

Treatment is by surgical removal of the affected area.

The outlook depends on how soon the cancer is diagnosed and treated.... vulva, cancer of

Irritation of the vulva. Most commonly, vulval itching is due to an allergic reaction to chemicals in spermicidal or hygiene products. Itching is also common after the menopause, when it is due to low levels of oestrogen. In addition, vulval itching may be caused by a vaginal discharge due to infection (see vaginitis) or by vulval skin changes (see vulvitis).

Treatment may be with antibiotics or hormones, depending on the cause.... vulval itching

a relatively rare gynaecological cancer, most common in the elderly. The most common symptom is longstanding itch, but vulval pain, discharge, and bleeding have also been reported. Surgery is the primary treatment, with wide excision by radical *vulvectomy and regional *lymphadenectomy. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy can also be used.... vulval cancer

(VIN) premalignant disease of the vulva, which has histological features and terminology similar to those of *cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Viral aetiological factors, such as HPV, are thought to be involved. The most common presenting symptom is itch, but VIN may be asymptomatic and detected only during treatment of preinvasive or invasive lesions of the cervix or lower genital tract.... vulval intraepithelial neoplasia

pain on entry or touch of the vulva, with redness of the *vestibular glands, tenderness on pressure, and dyspareunia. The pain, which is localized, is described as a severe burning sensation; itching is not usually a feature (compare vulvitis). The condition seems to be more common in premenopausal Caucasian women with a history of anxiety and related disorders. See also vulvodynia.... vulval vestibulitis

a surgical technique of vaginal reconstruction, with the formation of a pouch between the urethra and rectum.... williams vulvovaginoplasty

n. unexplained vulval pain, often coupled with sexual dysfunction and psychological disorder, which is often described by the patient as a burning stinging sensation and/or rawness. Cyclic vulvodynia occurs in relation to menstruation or coitus and is thought to be due to changes in vaginal pH that make the vulva more susceptible to infection. Essential (or dysaesthetic) vulvodynia is thought to be due to an altered perception of cutaneous pain, like postherpetic *neuralgia. Treatment of essential vulvodynia is with tricyclic antidepressants at night, biofeedback, vestibulectomy, cognitive behavioural therapy, topical capsaicin cream, lignocaine gel, and good skin care.... vulvodynia