Itching and burning in the vagina
Content:
- Causes of itching and burning in the vagina
- Itching in the vagina during pregnancy
- Treatment of itching and burning in the vagina
Severe itching and burning in the vagina can begin to bother a woman at any age. As a rule, these unpleasant sensations are accompanied by redness of the vulvar mucosa. The resulting discomfort makes the woman scratch the itchy area, this leads to the appearance of wounds. The injured skin is the gateway for microorganisms that cause inflammation and ulceration.
It should be understood that itching and burning are just symptoms that do not occur on their own. They are the result of any irritating factors. These can be both minor external irritants (for example, poor hygiene), and serious illness. Therefore, severe itching and burning in the vagina should not be tolerated. Self-treatment often leads only to the aggravation of the problem, chronicity and progression of the disease (if any). To find out the causes of itching, you need to see a doctor. Only a specialist, based on the research carried out, will be able to choose an adequate treatment.
Causes of itching and burning in the vagina
The causes of itching and burning in the vagina include the following:
- The disease caused by fungi of the genus Candida is thrush or candidiasis. Symptoms accompanying itching and burning are cheesy and abundant discharge with a thick consistency.
- Allergic reaction to possible multiple irritants: to medications, food, intimate hygiene products, the secret of a sexual partner, etc. It is known that exposure to a local irritant always provokes itching in a characteristic area.
- Sexually transmitted diseases, among which the most common are: syphilis, gonorrhea, donovanosis, chancre, lymphogranuloma venereum.
- The disease caused by chlamydia is female chlamydia. In addition to itching and burning, the patient is worried about discharge and an increase in body temperature. As far as pain is concerned, it ranges from minor to intense.
- Infection with ureaplasmas and mycoplasmas can lead to itching in the vagina.
- With genital herpes, there is also some discomfort in this area. In addition, the disease is accompanied by profuse painful rashes in the genital area.
- Cervicitis and endometritis, which are often complications of genital infections, can also cause burning itching in the vagina. An increased amount of exudate produced by the inflamed mucous membrane of the cervix or the uterus itself has an irritating effect.
- Kraurosis of the vulva. With this disease, itching occurs near the entrance to the vagina, which is associated with age-related changes in the woman's body.
- Also, with climacteric changes, a pathological process such as atrophy of the vaginal mucosa may be associated.
- Oncological diseases of the female reproductive system - malignant and benign processes can cause itching and burning in the vagina. It is possible that discomfort in the intimate area is associated with myoma, fibroma, cyst or polyp of the uterus, cervix, ovaries.
- Diabetes mellitus can cause itching in the vaginal area. (read also: Causes, Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus)
- Itching and burning are sometimes caused by pathologies of the thyroid gland, liver and kidney disease.
- Itching can be triggered by frequent and severe stress, mental illness, diseases of the nervous system, severe emotional overload, depressive disorders, etc.
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Itching on the eve of the vagina can provoke helminths and pubic lice.
- Blood diseases such as leukemia, lymphogranulomatosis can cause itching.
- Violation of the rules of intimate hygiene can cause itching in the vagina. Moreover, both insufficient and excessive hygiene is dangerous.
- Microcracks that appear as a result of deterioration in the functioning of the mucous membranes can be the result of poor nutrition. It is possible that a woman suffering from itching in the vagina is overly addicted to diets and suffers from vitamin deficiency.
Itching in the vagina after taking antibiotics
Itching that occurs in the vagina after taking antibiotics may be due to the development of bacterial vaginosis. The reasons for this condition are explained quite simply.
Any antibacterial agent is aimed at inhibiting the growth and reproduction of bacterial flora. As a result of their death, the extinction of the inflammatory process occurs. However, antibiotics are able to destroy not only pathogenic, but also beneficial bacteria living in the human body, including in the vaginal mucosa.
In addition, the vaginal microflora is also represented by fungi. They are always present there and normally do not have a negative effect on a woman's well-being. Their overgrowth is inhibited by beneficial bacteria. After their death, nothing prevents fungi from multiplying and against the background of reduced immunity, their number begins to increase. As a result, the woman suffers from candidiasis, which provokes severe itching and burning.
To prevent the development of candidiasis, it is necessary to use probiotics and prebiotics from the first day of taking antibacterial drugs. Moreover, their reception does not end after the termination of the course of antibiotics, but is extended for another 10 days.
Itching in the vagina after intercourse
Normally, after intercourse, no discomfort should arise.
If, after intimacy, a woman experiences itching and burning, then this may be due to several reasons:
- The woman suffers from a genital or other infection, the symptoms of which are exacerbated by excessive friction.
- The woman has an allergic reaction to contraceptives. Allergies can be triggered by chemicals used to make vaginal pills or to lubricate condoms. Latex is often treated with lubricants and spermicides, which can cause irritation and allergies.
- Latex intolerance is another possible cause of itching and burning in the vagina after intercourse. If there is such an individual feature of the body, then it can be noted after passing a gynecological examination, which is always carried out with gloves.
- Allergy to partner sperm. Sometimes itching and burning occurs in women who live an intimate life with only one partner. Moreover, discomfort arises precisely after unprotected intercourse. In addition to burning and itching, semen allergy manifests itself in redness and swelling of the external genital organs. This is a rather serious problem, the solution of which is in the competence of the doctor. In addition to physical inconvenience, this causes psychological discomfort, as there are suspicions of infidelity. Sometimes the cause of an allergic reaction to a man's semen lies in his dietary preferences or in the medications he takes.
When a burning sensation and itching occurs some time after unprotected dubious intercourse, then you should consult a doctor and undergo a comprehensive examination to identify genital infections.
Itching in the vagina after urinating
Itching in the vagina after urination may be due to the development of cystitis. With this disease, going to the toilet is more frequent, which is annoying. In addition, the very process of urination is unpleasant.
Urethritis is another disease in which itching and burning can occur after the urine output process. With urethritis, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the urethra occurs.
It is worth knowing that any disease that can cause dryness of the vaginal mucosa, causing the formation of microcracks, accompanied by profuse discharge, can cause burning and itching in the vagina after urination. The fact is that urine has irritating properties and when the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes is violated, these properties are enhanced.
Itching in the vagina during menstruation
Itching and burning may occur during your period.
If all diseases are excluded, then itching is most likely due to one of the following reasons:
- A woman has an allergic reaction to intimate hygiene products: to pads or tampons.
- A woman violates the rules of personal hygiene during menstruation. So, the pads must be changed every four hours. You need to wash yourself at least 3 times a day using non-alkaline soap.
These are the most common causes of a non-infectious nature that can provoke itching in the intimate area during menstruation.
Itching in the vagina without discharge or odor
There may be several reasons that can lead to itching in the vagina in the absence of discharge and smell:
- Condylomas and papillomas;
- Infection with the genital herpes virus;
- Genital prolapse;
- Age-related changes associated with hormonal changes in a woman's body;
- Wearing synthetic underwear;
- Overheating and hypothermia of the perineal area;
- General diseases of the body, including diabetes mellitus, renal failure, cholestasis, etc.;
- Any allergic reactions of the body;
- Fistulas of the genitourinary organs that occur after traumatic childbirth;
- Douching without medical advice;
- Exposure to chemicals;
- Nervous strain.
Itching in the vagina during pregnancy - what does it mean?
In addition to the fact that itching in the vagina during pregnancy can be caused by all the same reasons as in a non-pregnant woman, there is another provoking factor - this is a sharp change in hormonal levels in the body. As a result, the immune system functions poorly, which leads to the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.
Urinary incontinence during pregnancy due to inadequate hygiene can also provoke itching. Sometimes even the woman herself does not notice that she has incontinence, since she is excreted involuntarily and in small quantities. However, even such small portions are enough to cause some discomfort in the vaginal area.
Treatment of itching and burning in the vagina
In order to get rid of the itching sensation, it is necessary to exclude all possible external factors provocateurs. Among those: gels for intimate hygiene, washing powders, low-quality synthetic underwear, intervaginal contraceptives, etc. Sometimes the body itself tells a woman what causes discomfort. If you cannot get rid of them, then you need to seek the advice of a specialist. First of all, you should go to an appointment with a gynecologist.
It is important to be examined by a doctor if there was questionable sexual intercourse, which later led to itching and burning in the intimate area. The performed diagnostics will allow excluding the presence of genital infections, which very often proceed latently. Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases is within the competence of doctors; it will not be possible to get rid of them on their own.
Thrush, which, in addition to itching, is accompanied by secretions of a curdled consistency, is treated with antifungal drugs, including Diflucan, Flucolnazole, etc. In addition, it is necessary to undergo a course of immunostimulating therapy, abstinence from intimate life. You may need to get rid of intestinal dysbiosis in parallel.
If itching is provoked by atrophic processes caused by age-related changes in a woman's body, then most often drugs containing estrogen are prescribed. Hormone therapy is selected based on the individual characteristics of the course of the disease.
The use of Tantum Rose solution helps to cope with itching in the vagina and significantly improve a woman's quality of life. Tantum Rose has 4 actions at once:
- fights inflammation;
- acts on fungi and bacteria;
- quickly relieves itching, burning and pain.
- helps to normalize the vaginal microflora.
Tantum Rose is used at any age, even in children.
The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist
Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.
