Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to treat vestibulodynia: a randomised controlled trial

Objective  To assess the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in the treatment of vestibulodynia. Design  Double-arm randomised placebo-controlled trial. Setting  An outpatient department for vulval disease. Population  Forty women with vestibulodynia, a vestibular discomfort mostly reported as a burning pain, occurring in the absence of relevant visible findings or a specific, clinically identifiable, neurological disorder. Methods  Twice a week active TENS or sham treatment were delivered through a vaginal probe via a calibrated dual channel YSY-EST device. Women of both groups underwent 20 treatment sessions. Main outcome measures  Visual analogue scale (VAS), the short form of the McGill–Melzack Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), the Marinoff Scale for dyspareunia and the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire (FSFI) were assessed at baseline, at the end of treatment and at follow up 3 months after the end of treatment. Results  The VAS and SF-MPQ scores (6.2 ± 1.9 and 19.5 ± 11.9 before treatment, respectively) improved significantly in the active TENS group (2.1 ± 2.7, P= 0.004 and 8.5 ± 10.7, P= 0.001, respectively), but not in the placebo group. The Marinoff dyspareunia scale and the FSFI also showed a significant improvement. Conclusions  TENS is a simple, effective and safe short-term (3 months) treatment for the management of vestibulodynia.