Any woman at various periods of her life may experience discomfort in the vagina, accompanied by itching, burning, increased dryness of the mucous membrane, or, conversely, excessive humidity in the area of the external genitalia. This condition has many causes. It occurs, for example, when the composition of the vaginal microenvironment changes during pregnancy, with menopause, but it can also indicate the presence of a serious ailment. In any case, you should definitely consult a gynecologist.
Causes of discomfort
If there is discomfort in the vagina, the reasons for this may be different. The main thing is taking antibiotics. Such drugs can destroy both beneficial and harmful bacteria. A decrease in the number of positive lactobacilli leads to the fact that the environment in the vagina ceases to be acidic, and this provokes the growth of pathogens.
Also, the cause of discomfort may be thrush caused by Candida yeast. Even if you managed to get rid of her with medications, discomfort in the vagina can pester a woman for at least another two months. This is explained by the fact that this organ has not yet fully recovered after inflammation and there are insufficient quantities of beneficial lactobacilli in its microflora.
Itching and burning in the vagina is often caused by hormonal failure. This occurs if the level of the female hormone estrogen is significantly reduced. When menopause occurs, vaginal dryness also occurs.
Discomfort in the vagina after intercourse
A rather unpleasant phenomenon when there is discomfort after an act of love, able to spoil all the fun. The reasons for this may also be different, and you should definitely find out. Do not delay this, since itching and burning in the vagina are almost always symptoms of an infectious disease that has arisen in the genital area.
Often this condition is caused by opportunistic microorganisms, the reproduction of which occurs when various provocative factors occur, which causes inflammation and develops candidiasis, colpitis, bacterial vaginitis, vulvovaginitis. In addition to itching, discharge is noted having the smell of rotting fish.
Also, discomfort in the intimate area after sexual intercourse is caused by materially-related causes: genital injuries, acute inflammation, adhesions after surgery, and tumors. After timely treatment, discomfort disappears.
Mid-cycle allocations
Discomfort in the vagina in the middle of the cycle is quite rare: minor spotting can occur due to the use of oral contraceptives, as well as in those women who have installed the intrauterine device. In this case, a consultation with a gynecologist is necessary.
Bloody leucorrhoea of varying intensity, not associated with menstruation, in most cases indicate the presence of the disease. These may be the following ailments:
- cervical erosion or cancer;
- endometriosis;
- menstrual irregularities.
This pathological condition also requires urgent medical attention.
Visit to the gynecologist
Discomfort that occurs in the vagina that does not pass for a long time requires a doctor's consultation. For this, two days before the visit to the gynecologist, you need to refrain from sexual contact. You should also exclude the use of special antibacterial agents for intimate hygiene, replacing them with baby hypoallergenic soap.
During the examination on a gynecological chair, the doctor takes a smear from the cervical canal, and to identify fungi, a smear is necessary for bacterial culture. Also, a woman should take blood tests for bacteria and infections and a feces test for worm eggs. In addition, a PAP test is carried out to determine cancerous tumors, ELISA and PCR to detect chlamydia, papillomavirus, mycoplasmosis and ureaplasmosis.
Colposcopy and ultrasound may be required. Based on the results, the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment, carried out inpatient or outpatient, which will get rid of discomfort in the intimate area.
Treatment
If discomfort in the vagina is detected, treatment should be carried out in accordance with the causes that caused it.
Gynecological diseases do not always provoke this condition. This can result in wearing tight synthetic underwear, severe stress, hypothermia, the use of various hygiene products. Also, discomfort can occur after intercourse, if it was too aggressive.
In some cases, for a complete recovery, it is enough to eliminate the provoking factor or restore the vaginal microflora with preparations containing lactic acid, as well as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
If sexually transmitted diseases were diagnosed, the doctor prescribes antibiotics, drugs that increase immunity and normalize the microflora of the vagina and intestines, and also recommends vitamin and physiotherapy. Both partners should be treated, during the period of therapy stopping sexual intercourse or using condoms. To soften the walls of the vagina, intravaginal suppositories such as Terzhinan, Ovestin, and Estrokad are prescribed.
Thrush is well treated with candles, and if discomfort in the vagina is associated with atrophic changes in the mucous membranes, estrogen preparations are prescribed.
Folk recipes
Along with traditional treatment, recipes of traditional medicine can also be used. It can be various infusions and decoctions based on herbs.
For example, for douching, the following solution is prepared, which has an anti-inflammatory effect: 1 tbsp. l chamomile or calendula, as well as dioecious nettle, are stirred in a glass of boiling water. In the same way, it is possible to dilute potassium permanganate in 0.5 l of water to a light pink color and mix with three liters of milk. The resulting fluid should be douched 5 times a day until complete recovery.
However, whether syringing treatment should be supplemented is a moot point, since most gynecologists are against such a procedure because of its shortcomings.
Output
Thus, if there is discomfort in the vagina, you should definitely visit a doctor and not self-medicate. Only a specialist will be able to establish the cause of this condition and prescribe competent treatment, the timely conduct of which will completely get rid of discomfort in the intimate area.