Psychosomatic aspects of vulvodynia. Comparison with the chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To examine psychosomatic aspects of vulvodynia (VD) in comparison with the chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). STUDY DESIGN: Sixty-seven VD patients and 97 CPPS patients were examined with psychological tests (Freiburg Personality Inventory, Giessen Test) and compared with a control group of 34 healthy women. Sociodemographic data and psychoanalytic diagnoses were collected for 36 VD patients and 106 CPPS patients (inpatients). Descriptive statistics, chi 2 test and multivariant analyses were used. RESULTS: CPPS patients had significantly higher somatization than VD patients (P < .004). Both CPPS and VD patients, as inpatients, were significantly more depressive than the control group. In milder forms of VD, the patients (outpatients) exhibited no depression. The incidences of sexual abuse and severe psychological disturbances were significantly higher in the CPPS group (P < .01). CONCLUSION: VD and CPPS are two, distinct psychosomatic gynecologic syndromes and indicate psychosomatically oriented therapy.