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The oral medication gabapentin can increase sexual desire and satisfaction for women with chronic pain or discomfort around the vulva, according to US researchers. They found improved sexual

function in women treated with the drug, which is normally given for epilepsy, neuropathic pain and occasionally migraine. > “Our theory was that reducing pelvic floor muscle pain might

> reduce vulvodynia pain overall” >  > Gloria Bachmann Their study, which was the first to analyse sexual function in women with vulva pain treated with gabapentin, has been

published in the _American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology._ The women in the study were diagnosed with provoked vulvodynia, a chronic pain syndrome that is characterised by symptoms

such as stinging, burning, irritation or itching at the entry to the vagina. The pain usually occurs with contact, such as from tampon insertion or intercourse, which can lead to sexual

dysfunction, noted the researchers. The researchers studied 230 women, who had an average age of 37 and, for most, had the condition for more than five years. They experienced less pain and

improved sexual desire, arousal and satisfaction after using the oral medication, said the researchers. However, their overall sexual function remained lower than women without this pain

disorder. Gloria Bachmann Source: John O’Boyle Gloria Bachmann Lead study author Gloria Bachmann, director of the Women’s Health Institute at Rutgers University, said: “Previous studies have

suggested gabapentin reduces the pain of fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that includes widespread pain in various parts of the body. “Our theory was that reducing pelvic floor muscle pain

might reduce vulvodynia pain overall and thus improve sexual function,” she said. She added: “We found that women with greater muscle pain responded better in terms of pain and improved

arousal than those with less pain, which suggests that gabapentin be considered for treatment in women who have significant muscle tightness and spasm in the pelvic region.”