The first descriptions of a disorder very similar to what we nowadays define as vulvodynia can already be found in the literature in the late 19th century. Since then, the classification and terminology have undergone remarkable changes. The most recent update occurred in April 2015 at a consensus conference of the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD) and two other societies, the International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS) and the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Heath (ISSWSH). This 2015 classification defines vulvodynia as vulvar pain of at least 3 months duration, without clear identifiable cause, which may have potential associated factors. Further, vulvodynia is characterized as either localized (affecting only a part of the vulvar area, e.g., the vestibule or clitoris) or generalized (present in the whole vulvar area). Vulvodynia may be provoked (sexual, nonsexual, or both), spontaneous, or mixed, and the onset can be primary (present at the first attempted introital penetration) or secondary (appearing later in life after a period of painless intercourse). Vestibulodynia refers to the pain in the vulvar vestibule (i.e., the area surrounding the vaginal opening). The term vestibulodynia was recommended for the first time in 2003 by the ISSVD when it replaced the previous term “vulvar vestibulitis syndrome” (VVS). The terms localized provoked vulvodynia (LPV) and localized provoked vestibulodynia (LPV) are both widely used, and the condition may also be called as provoked vestibulodynia (PVD).
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