News
This section contains all the latest news and information from the Vulval Pain Society.
Smears without Tears: new revised smear guide now available for download!
We're very happy to announce that you can now download our brand new, fully revised leaflet version of Smears without Tears, our patient's guide to making a speculum exam more comfortable. The guide offers physical, practical and psychological tips for getting the best out of smear tests and other speculum examinations and minimising any possible discomfort or distress. It's aimed chiefly at women with vulval or vaginal pain, but we think the guide may be helpful for anyone who is uncomfortable with smear tests. Smears without Tears has been jointly developed by the Vulval Pain Society and the London Vulval Pain Support Group, from whose site the guide can also be downloaded.
Download Smears without Tears: A woman's guide to making a speculum examination more comfortable
VPS Webinar with David Nunns, 'Vulvodynia research update' - full video presentation now viewable online
You can now watch the full video recording of the very first VPS webinar held on 16 January 2013. In this webinar, Dr David Nunns of the VPS discussed contemporary vulvodynia research, including the use of enoxaparin injections and Melissa Farmer's groundbreaking 2011 study in which vulvodynia symptoms were reproduced in mice.
UPDATE: British Association of Dermatologists Vulval Health Survey 2015
Please note that this survey is now CLOSED. The survey page says to look out for the announcement of the result soon, so as soon as we have any news on that we will be posting it here and on our Older studies page.
VPS Webinar with Clare Staunton, 'The Partner Perspective' - full presentation and Q & A now viewable online
You can now watch Clare Staunton's recent webinar from Monday 17 November 2014 online, either from our Webinars page or by clicking on one of the links below. Please note that this recording includes both Clare's presentation and the Q & A following it.
Watch Clare Staunton's presentation, 'The Partner Perspective' from a PC, laptop or notebook
Watch Clare Staunton's presentation, 'The Partner Perspective' from a smartphone or tablet
The technical problem we had with this recording has now been resolved, but nevertheless, please do This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any difficulties with watching the webinar.
Volunteers needed for educational vulval films
The Gynaecology Department at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is looking for volunteers to take part in a series of short training films on the vulva. The films will be aimed at health professionals (doctors and nurses), but also at patients, and they will aim to cover a number of important clinical aspects of care, including vulval self-examination, use of vaginal dilators (trainers) and vulval desensitisation. Volunteers do not need to have vulval pain or a vulval condition to take part in the films.
VPS Webinar with Krystal Woodbridge, 'Maintaining Intimacy' - presentation now viewable online
For anyone who missed Krystal Woodbridge's webinar on Wednesday 1 October 2014, or who attended but would like to see it again, the webinar itself and the Q & A session following it can now be viewed on our Webinars page, or by clicking on the links below.
Technical problems with watching the webinar or Q & A? Please let us know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Listen to 'Airing Pain: The power of the mind' podcast
UK pain charity Pain Concern produce Airing Pain, a series of audio podcasts dealing wtih different aspects of pain from both the patient's and the health professional's perspectives. Listen to Programme 47: The power of the mind, which looks at new techniques using both the brain and the mind to control pain. You might also be interested in the many other programmes available in the series. All the podcasts can be played online, or downloaded from the site for later use. Transcripts are available for some of the programmes as well. Happy listening!
UPDATE: Liverpool University vulval pain study
We are pleased to be able to report that this study, 'Vulval pain: the journey to diagnosis', which explores women's psychological journey from first symptoms of vulval pain to a formal diagnosis, has had sufficient participant response for analysis and is therefore now closed. Further news and updates on the work will be posted here and on our Older studies page once these are available.