Can Vulvar Itching Be TMS? Has anyone else experienced this?

GhostlyMarie

GhostlyMarie

Peer Supporter
So, for the past year I have had on and off vulvar itching. It feels like needle pricks (like if you’ve ever gotten bitten by a bug or fleas or something) and general tickling/bugs crawling. I notice that if I am doing something that takes my mind off of it, I don’t have itching but if I am sitting, and not doing anything, I will feel itching lol I notice it gets more prevalent before and after my period also. I’m in the process of eliminating feminine hygiene products to see if that’s causing it.

HOWEVER! The itching began the day after my first pelvic floor physical therapy consultation and then it never left. I was so scared of this appointment because I was so afraid that the PT would prove that I had some kind of pathological dermatoses or that I had nerve issues in my vulva. I cried the whole day before the appointment. The day after that consultation, the itching began. I had thought it was because of the rubbing (my PT didn’t hold back on stretching and manipulating the area) and lube the PT used to assess my pelvic floor but then the itching never went away. I guess it was PTSD triggering event seeing as I am a SA survivor and having someone touching me down there was mentally difficult. I have been to multiple gyns, GPs, and a vulvar derm and all of them have said I look perfectly normal down there but I still itch.

I am wondering if this could be tms? I do notice that if I don’t feel itching for a couple days and then I think “huh, I haven’t had that sensation in a while”, it will come back lol my skin looks normal, there’s no sign of eczema or lichenification or infection… and the sensation moves around and feels like it jumps. One spot will stop itching and then another will start and it just goes on like that. I am terrified of having something like lichen sclerosis and its primary symptom is itching so I’m wondering if I scared myself so much that my nervous system generated the sensation. To be fair, I get itching all over my body randomly but I’m more concerned about yen vulvar itching.

has anyone else experienced itching as a tms symptom? How did you eliminate it with mind-body methods? I am sure I answered my own question but I really just want someone to relate to. lol. TIA!
 
Vulvular sensations like any can most certainly be TMS.
Here's a youtube talk from UCLA and the science behind it.
As for alleviating your personal symptoms, it is exactly the same as any TMS symptoms. A great method is by reading a book by Dr. Sarno, and then using the free Structured Education Program which can be found by scrolling down the informational page at TMSwiki.org

 
Hello Mary. I'm a midwife, and juste Can tell that kind of symptom IS so common in case of AS. It just the time for the body to express it. So it certainly might be TMS.
I'm at the beginning too so I have no legitimity to give advices but what I tell to my patients is to accept it first, Say "thanks for the message" and forget it and live your life. It will go away.
 
lili2002 said:
Hello Mary. I'm a midwife, and juste Can tell that kind of symptom IS so common in case of AS. It just the time for the body to express it. So it certainly might be TMS.
I'm at the beginning too so I have no legitimity to give advices but what I tell to my patients is to accept it first, Say "thanks for the message" and forget it and live your life. It will go away.
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What is AS? O.o and thank you for your reply! I am doing my best to not give it too much attention or thought but omg, itching is so hard to not pay attention to haha
 
Cactusflower said:
Vulvular sensations like any can most certainly be TMS.
Here's a youtube talk from UCLA and the science behind it.
As for alleviating your personal symptoms, it is exactly the same as any TMS symptoms. A great method is by reading a book by Dr. Sarno, and then using the free Structured Education Program which can be found by scrolling down the informational page at TMSwiki.org

Click to expand...
Thank you for your response! The video was very comforting and informative. I’m going to watch it a couple of times to really let the info sink in.
 
Hi I've had vulva itching for two years, for the first time ever I feel like I have control over it so I thought I'd share what I've done incase it's helpful to someone!

First I did Alan Gordans pain recovery program (that's free on this forum) if you replace pain with itching, and fear of pain with frustration it is all the same issues. Through somatic tracking you can see the itch for what it is. Just a sort of tingling pain that jumps around from one spot to next.

I didn't find somatic tracking helped while trying not to scratch because it focused too much on the feeling. So once you've done and understood that, I recommend using Kirsten Neff's self compassion techniques. When I feel the desire to scratch I put my hands on my heart, breathe long and slow and say 'may I be kind to myself, may I be gentle with myself, may I be calm and peaceful' As Gordan says, the itch is just a sensation; it is your frustration, anger at yourself, and fear that gives it power.

I find night time the hardest. An ice pack really helps at night. If the desire to scratch gets unbearable get up, go make a cup of tea, distract yourself. If you give in and scratch, just take deep breaths and say OK you made a mistake, it's really hard but you're doing well.

Once you feel like you are getting somewhere download a quit smoking app. I got myself a box of chocolates and every 24hours of no itching I gave myself a chocolate! If you itch it, reset the app to 0. If I scratch absent mindedly then stop myself I don't count that. Only if I consciously decide I dont care about quitting and can't resist.

The great thing about this is you realise that scratching doesn't make the desire to itch go away. It increases it. So you can remember that next time you want to scratch.
It also makes your realise how easy it is to make the sensation go away by breathing so just like with pain it loses its power over you.

Solidarity to all you other itchy people!
 
Hi @blundy - welcome and thank you for this terrific post! Not only is it helpful and supportive, it clearly illustrates how someone can put together a unique toolkit of different skills and techniques that works for them. I really appreciate how you were able to decide that one skill (somatic tracking) just wasn't going to do it for you, but you didn't allow your TMS brain to reject the entire premise of this work, or to convince you to quit in frustration. Instead, you figured out something else! Great work!

~Jan
 
blundy said:
Hi I've had vulva itching for two years, for the first time ever I feel like I have control over it so I thought I'd share what I've done incase it's helpful to someone!

First I did Alan Gordans pain recovery program (that's free on this forum) if you replace pain with itching, and fear of pain with frustration it is all the same issues. Through somatic tracking you can see the itch for what it is. Just a sort of tingling pain that jumps around from one spot to next.

I didn't find somatic tracking helped while trying not to scratch because it focused too much on the feeling. So once you've done and understood that, I recommend using Kirsten Neff's self compassion techniques. When I feel the desire to scratch I put my hands on my heart, breathe long and slow and say 'may I be kind to myself, may I be gentle with myself, may I be calm and peaceful' As Gordan says, the itch is just a sensation; it is your frustration, anger at yourself, and fear that gives it power.

I find night time the hardest. An ice pack really helps at night. If the desire to scratch gets unbearable get up, go make a cup of tea, distract yourself. If you give in and scratch, just take deep breaths and say OK you made a mistake, it's really hard but you're doing well.

Once you feel like you are getting somewhere download a quit smoking app. I got myself a box of chocolates and every 24hours of no itching I gave myself a chocolate! If you itch it, reset the app to 0. If I scratch absent mindedly then stop myself I don't count that. Only if I consciously decide I dont care about quitting and can't resist.

The great thing about this is you realise that scratching doesn't make the desire to itch go away. It increases it. So you can remember that next time you want to scratch.
It also makes your realise how easy it is to make the sensation go away by breathing so just like with pain it loses its power over you.

Solidarity to all you other itchy people!
Click to expand...
Hi Blundy! Is it okay if I ask what this symptom feels like for you? For me, it’s like an intense pin prick or like I’m being bitten by a bug or something. It’s gets intense for a few seconds, and then will stop. Sometimes it feels like it’s under the skin and I can never quite place where the sensation is coming from and it moves around. My itching started after my first pelvic floor physical therapy appointment. Literally the day after and it has been happening off and on ever since. That was over a year ago. It also should be noted that I was TERRIFIED that first appointment and very stressed out over the state of my pelvic health. I so appreciate you commenting! It brought me comfort that I am not the only one going through this. I’m terrified over the idea of having something called Lichen Sclerosus, and itching is one of the main symptoms of that condition, so I know that my brain is perpetuating the itching based off of that fear.
 
Hi I think Ive worked out that mine is lichen simplex chronicus which even normal doctors say is caused by anxiety and is an itch /scratch cycle (ie if you stop scratching you can cure it.) But I guess can also just be called tms.
Lichen sclerosis is also caused by anxiety so if it is that it can be cured in the same way as tms. You should see that as a good thing because it means you can fix it yourself. Really it doesn't matter what it is, the main thing is to know that it is your brain trying to distract you from emotional distress, anger, fear etc. I really notice, since committing to stopping scratching, how much harder it is to resist if I'm angry or stressed.
The way you describe your itch is exactly like mine. I've also been through a sexual assault and always feel really angry and sad and vulnerable after any kind of vaginal exam so I can totally see how that would trigger it. I didn't have a particular trigger that I can remember. I just noticed that it had been itchy for a long time and wasn't going away. How are you with resisting itching? Also re using the ice pack at night, I hold it against my inner thigh every time my vulva itches and it really feels like it confuses my brain. Works really well.
 
blundy said:
Hi I think Ive worked out that mine is lichen simplex chronicus which even normal doctors say is caused by anxiety and is an itch /scratch cycle (ie if you stop scratching you can cure it.) But I guess can also just be called tms.
Lichen sclerosis is also caused by anxiety so if it is that it can be cured in the same way as tms. You should see that as a good thing because it means you can fix it yourself. Really it doesn't matter what it is, the main thing is to know that it is your brain trying to distract you from emotional distress, anger, fear etc. I really notice, since committing to stopping scratching, how much harder it is to resist if I'm angry or stressed.
The way you describe your itch is exactly like mine. I've also been through a sexual assault and always feel really angry and sad and vulnerable after any kind of vaginal exam so I can totally see how that would trigger it. I didn't have a particular trigger that I can remember. I just noticed that it had been itchy for a long time and wasn't going away. How are you with resisting itching? Also re using the ice pack at night, I hold it against my inner thigh every time my vulva itches and it really feels like it confuses my brain. Works really well.
Click to expand...
I resist the itch by trying not to scratching it haha my whole ordeal started after I had a bad reaction to the antifungal cream, monistat. I got chemical burns down there that lasted a few weeks. Then I had this relentless burning that I got rid of through tms work but then it turned into itching after my pelvic floor physical therapy appointment. My skin looks normal and no doctors can figure out what’s wrong with me but my PT chalked it up to probably be pudendal neuralgia/nerve related. I also have on and off burning with urination that actually went away for 9 days after reading Alan Gordon’s book. My itching only really shows up right before my period and after. So it’s either “hormones or a nerve problem” is what I’ve been told. I’m pretty sure it’s TMS however! I believed that about my other symptoms but the itching really freaks me out so I’m doing my best to stay calm and somatic track the sensation but it’s difficult lol
 
Yeah I find somatic tracking helps a bit but slow breathing and smiling gently to myself with my hand on my heart works best when it's itching. Cos focusing on the actual sensation makes it more intense sometimes. I don't actually feel any fear in connection to the itch, only frustration
 
Last summer when I was very anxious, I caught covid and experienced long covid (1 month), then virginal fugus infection. I thought it could be TMS too.
 
blundy said:
Yeah I find somatic tracking helps a bit but slow breathing and smiling gently to myself with my hand on my heart works best when it's itching. Cos focusing on the actual sensation makes it more intense sometimes. I don't actually feel any fear in connection to the itch, only frustration
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That’s me! I get frustrated but then I catch myself and realize that I am being too hard on myself. I do my best to stay calm. I would love for you to keep me updated on how you’re doing! And thank you again for you words and helpful advice!
 
Hi!! I am in a very very similar boat to you - it’s been going on for 2 years. Chronic vulva itch which does flare before my period. I have also had many biopsies done because I do actually have a lot of redness and look abnormal down there, and I do have a some sort of vulval dermatitis, but nothing more serious than inflammation of the skin shows up. I also had severe bladder issues a while back, but they have calmed down now. I’m pretty convinced that i COULD have TMS, but i’m looking for any evidence that could corroborate that. Can you please let me know how you’re going now :) I hope coping if not better!
 
@lalaland
What you have is a common TMS symptom. All TMS is healed by doing the same things, despite the symptom you have. So every success story could apply to you. You just need to dig in and get started. Believe and get to work. Don’t look for more proof. Have you read a book by John Sarno? Try reading The MindBody Prescription. That’s a good place to start.
 
I recovered from scrotal pain which included periods of nearly 24/7 itchiness, stinging sensations, during its height the skin was also noticeably more red than normal. All resolved via TMS approach.

I know not totally related to your situation but as Diana said the specific symptom doesn’t matter.
 
Diana-M said:
@lalaland
What you have is a common TMS symptom. All TMS is healed by doing the same things, despite the symptom you have. So every success story could apply to you. You just need to dig in and get started. Believe and get to work. Don’t look for more proof. Have you read a book by John Sarno? Try reading The MindBody Prescription. That’s a good place to start.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I really appreciate your reply. I do find it hard to suspend disbelief but I will do my best - and I will order his book! Thank you so much. Do you have any suggestions for what to do/read after reading his book?
 
Rabscuttle said:
I recovered from scrotal pain which included periods of nearly 24/7 itchiness, stinging sensations, during its height the skin was also noticeably more red than normal. All resolved via TMS approach.

I know not totally related to your situation but as Diana said the specific symptom doesn’t matter.
Click to expand...

Wow thank you, it definitely helps seeing success stories like this especially with visual components! Glad you have healed
 
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