The vulvar vestibule is one of the body cavities that can be found in the external regions of the female genitalia. The term "vulvar" indicates the external part, while the "vestibule" denotes the cavity. The vulvar vestibule is also known as the vestibule of the vulva or vestibule of the vagina.
This particular bodily cavity is the component of the vulva that creates a space in the labia minora. This is a pair of longitudinal cutaneous folds that lie underneath two tougher and larger ones, referred to as the labia majora. As a result, the vulvar vestibule provides the opening into the vagina, and by extension, the urethra.
The edges of the vulvar vestibule is called Hart's Line. It is named after 19th-century Scottish surgeon David Berry Hart, who first described it and specialized in the branches of medicine that concerned the female reproductive system, gynecology and obstetrics. At the top of Hart's Line is the clitoral glans, which form the clitoris' external region and is protected by the clitoral hood; as well as the clitoral frenulum, which is created by the labia minora. At the bottom is the labia minora's rear, known as the frenulum labiorum pudendi.
The medical condition specified for the vulvar vestibule or vulva is referred to as vulvar vestibulitis. It belongs a class of disorders that afflict the female genitalia, which are collectively known as vulvodynia or vestibulodynia, which literally means "pain of the vulva." Chronic pain is the defining symptom of vulvar vestibulitis, which is often characterized by a burning, itching, stinging, or sharp, throbbing sensation. The frequency of the pain varies from one case to another; it may occur only during sexual intercourse, appear and disappear with irregularity, or remain constant. In some instances, the pain may spread from the vulvar vestibule to other areas of the female genital organs such as the clitoris; the more specific term for this is clitorodynia.
The cause of vulvodynia in general has not yet been determined. Medical researchers theorize that autoimmune disorders, propensity to develop allergy and inflammation, nerve defects in the vagina, history of sexual abuse, and unsuccessful genital surgery are some of the disease’s possible causes. Diagnosis of vulvar vestibulitis is typically difficult, not just because so little is known of its nature, but also because the symptoms are not easy to discern and pain is sometimes attributed to psychological orientation or the first few instances of sexual intercourse.
