I’ve read that a few people have experienced this, is this likely to be nerve pain? The burning sensation is predominantly at the opening of the vagina however sometimes all over. It doesn’t hurt to touch, is this likely a lyme thing? Or bart?

Any suggestions as to herbs that may help at all?

Thanks heartsinpain, I don’t know if I have HSV 1 or 2. How is this normally picked up?

I do think it’s probably related. If a partner have you cold sores he could have gave it to you else where. Definitely try L-Lystine it should help you a lot. Good luck

For herpes viruses, olive leaf, lysine, and rhus tox (homeopathic) can help reduce outbreaks considerably. These three things or even lysine alone can eliminate outbreaks for some people who are unwilling to risk the liver toxicity and side effects of prescription antiviral meds. But with no sores, now or in the past, this does not sound like herpes to me.

Another idea is vaginal atrophy. It thins the tissues and can sting like crazy, but probably would hurt when touched, or at least when stretched. If your body is not producing very much estrogen, then this is a possibility. It is not well-known except among people in menopause and the MDs who specialize in menopausal patients, but it also can happen for other reasons (hormone dysfunction, breastfeeding, etc.). I learned about this one the hard way.

Another possibility is just good old fashioned nerve pain like you mention. I have endometriosis, too, so it's hard to separate that from Lyme nerve illness, but sometimes I get crazy stabbing pains in my vagina, cervix, urethra, you name it. Sometimes they are milder, or even prickly or burning. They usually are transient and related to either menstruation or ovulation.

You also might want to check with a pelvic floor physical therapist or someone else with expertise in vulvodynia. Your muscles could be cramping, which could cause pain and irritate the sensitive nerves in that area, and there are exercises you can do to ease this.

Also, I assume you have looked into yeast and would have mentioned other symptoms like a change in scent, discharge, or itching. But just in case, I know these infections can affect people in various ways.

Does it hurt more if you gently massage the area? Do you menstruate, and if so is it near your time to menstruate or ovulate? Any other symptoms in the region?

Sorry to hear you are dealing with this. I know how distracting it can be!

Oh I forgot to mention sometimes I get this really subtle pins n needles type feeling down there. I don’t know if the 2 are linked?!

This is very familiar issue for me as I have struggled with this a lot even before I realised I have Lyme. There is no one cause for vulvodynia, thats why I would like to give you some practical advice. This is what helps me:
- try to distinguish is the pain more itching and being uncomfortable or more nerve type pain
- in case it is more nerve type pain, don't use any topicals, especially metronidazole combinations, this can make everything much more worse
- I'd you don't have visual redness or discharge that indicates infection and you don't feel it is an infection please do not use antifungals and other topicals
- try to handle it as if it would be herpes 2, even if you don't have lesions (Lysin -minimum 3 gr. per day, if your kidneys ok you can even try more for a short time, Pau d'Arco as a tee, if you don't have significant autoimmune issues
- ibuprofen orally or Voltaren topically on the low back until the end of spine
This type of nerve pain is very real, doctors normally start giving you prescriptions fur suppositories etc, but it doesn't help if it is a nerve related pain.
My opinion it is either a virus of herpes family (could be another type than 2) or Lyme/bartonella related.
Hormones can exacerbate the situation, but are not always the cause.