If you’ve ever felt burning during sex, pain with tampons, or like your urethra is on fire when you pee… this episode is a must listen.

Dr. Jill Krapf is a board-certified OB-GYN and one of the top specialists in vulvar and pelvic pain. She’s the Director of the Center for Vulvovaginal Disorders in Tampa, Florida, co-author of When Sex Hurts, and a leading voice in the field of vulvodynia, lichen sclerosus, and vestibulodynia.

In this episode, we cover:

• The difference between the vulva, vagina, and vestibule (and why that matters)

• What vulvodynia actually is—and why Dr. Krapf thinks the term might disappear in the future

• How tight pelvic floor muscles can block hormone delivery and cause chronic burning

• Why it can feel like a yeast infection even when it’s not

• The four root cause categories of vulvar pain: hormonal, muscular, inflammatory, and nerve-related

• What to do if pelvic floor PT isn’t working

• The Q-tip test and why it still matters

• Where to find specialists who actually get it

Whether you’re navigating a new diagnosis or searching for answers after years of misdiagnosis, this episode is packed with the science, validation, and hope you deserve.

Listen now and don’t forget to follow the show for more expert interviews and real talk on pelvic and bladder health!

Resources & Links:

• When Sex Hurts book: https://www.whensexhurtsthebook.com

• Dr. Jill Krapf on Instagram: @jillkrapfmd

• National Vulvodynia Association: https://www.nva.org

• ISWSH Provider Directory: https://www.isswsh.org

• Lichen Sclerosus Support Network: https://www.lssupportnetwork.org