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Acupuncture Augmentation of Lidocaine Therapy for Provoked, Localized Vulvodynia: A Protocol for a Feasibility and Acceptability Study

Provoked localized vulvodynia (PLV) is a prevalent sexual pain condition in women for which acupuncture’s effectiveness is unknown. In this IRB-approved feasibility study, our objective is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of acupuncture augmentation of lidocaine, a first-line usual care therapy, as a treatment for PLV pain. Thirty women with PLV will be randomized to either the traditional acupuncture (TA) with lidocaine 5% cream group or to the nontraditional acupuncture (NTA) with lidocaine 5% cream group. Each will also be diagnosed according to her traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pattern. The course of TA treatment includes manual and electrical-stimulated acupuncture using a semi-standardized protocol based on this TCM diagnosis. The NTA treatment includes standardized minimal needling and sham electro-acupuncture on points located away from classically described acupoints and/or channels not traditionally associated with vulvar pain. Participants will attend 18 sessions over a twelve-week period and a follow-up at 24 weeks. The primary outcome measure will be the change in Tampon Test pain score from baseline to week 12.