Vulvodynia: evolution of classification and management

The aim of this article is to make the reader familiar with the history and current status of vulvodynia. The account is presented as a historical survey, from the seventies to the nineties. It explains how and why the term came to be defined, and how some sub‐groups – in particular dysaesthetic vulvodynia and vulval vestibulitis – have been identified and described. Their management is discussed. The importance of distinguishing these conditions from those which are variants of normal is stressed. It is noted that these sub‐groups have much in common, so that a degree of convergence or overlap has come to be recognised. In parallel with this, ideas concerning aetiology and optimal management have been clarified and are explored. Appreciation of the present state of affairs, and of how it has been arrived at, will help to improve management. It will also facilitate the collection of data, which in turn may lead to further research and understanding of vulvodynia.