Diagnosis

Before diagnosing vulvodynia, your doctor will ask you questions about your medical, sexual and surgical history and to understand the location, nature and extent of your symptoms.

Your doctor might also perform a:

• Pelvic exam. Your doctor visually examines your external genitals and vagina for signs of infection or other causes of your symptoms. Even if there's no visual evidence of infection, your doctor might take a sample of cells from your vagina to test for an infection, such as a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis.
• Cotton swab test. Your doctor uses a moistened cotton swab to gently check for specific, localized areas of pain in your vulvar region.