Summary
The Vulvar Pain Functional Questionnaire (V-Q) was developed by Kathe Wallace, Hollis Herman, and Kathie Hummel-Berry through the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. It was created to fill a gap in clinical practice—moving from measuring just "how much it hurts" to "how the pain stops you from living your life." The 11 Questions of the V-QThe V-Q consists of 11 specific items that cover clothing, movement, social life, and intimacy. For each question, you choose the statement that best describes your experience.Clothing: Ability to wear tight-fitting vs. loose clothing.Walking: Distance you can walk before pain increases.Sitting: Duration you can sit before it becomes difficult to work or relax.Medication Side Effects: Impact of pain pills on concentration/energy.Bowel Movements: Pain levels during and after digestion.Social Life: Frequency of seeing friends or attending events.Medical Exams: Pain levels during a gynecological speculum exam.Tampon Use: Ability to use internal menstrual products.Vaginal Penetration: Pain during sexual intimacy (if applicable).External Sexual Touch: Pain when touched sexually outside the vagina.Self-Stimulation: Pain during solitary sexual activity (masturbation). Scoring and ResultsThe V-Q uses a weighted scoring system (0 to 3 points per question). Individual Item Scoring:0 points: No limitation / No pain.1 point: Mild limitation / Occasional pain.2 points: Moderate limitation / Significant pain.3 points: Total limitation / Severe pain. Total Score: The maximum score is 33. Interpretation: Higher Score = Greater Functional Limitation.Lowering Score = Improvement. Clinicians look for a decrease in the total score over a 4–6 week period as a sign that physical therapy or medical treatment is successfully restoring your quality of life.