Vestibulitis is a disease that causes pain in and around the opening to the vagina and affects several thousand women in Sweden.
When Vera Svahn applied for a time at the youth clinic where the doctor in question worked, she had been to several different care institutions without having been helped.
- It feels like I got my life back.
When you are sick, and do not get well, you grab straws, says Vera Svahn.
A woman suffering from severe pain
But the fact that individuals feel that they feel good about a treatment is not enough for it to be applied, according to Jan Bleckert, chief physician and specialist in general medicine.
The research situation is too thin.
- There are a few studies that have been done but they have not been able to determine that this method is effective.
And all doctors must act according to what we call science and proven experience, he says.
The region is now calling all the women who have been treated with cortisone injections.
To date, one of the women treated has reported that she suffered severe pain after the treatment.
Injections in a sensitive area
- We do not suspect that these women have received any lasting bodily injuries.
But considering how sensitive it can be to give an injection treatment in an area that is very sensitive in a young woman, there will also be psychological factors to take into account, says Jan Bleckert.
In addition to having used an untested method, the doctor is criticized for inadequate documentation, inadequate follow-up and for having only referred three of the women to the specialized care.
Long queues for specialist healthcare
But the waiting times for specialist healthcare can be long.
When Vera Svahn sent a self-referral to the vulva clinic in Malmö, she was told that the waiting time was one year.
- A very difficult message, when you are in so much pain that you barely function in everyday life, she says.