Why is My Itchy Vagina Also Sore – Reasons for Painful Vaginal Itching Infections?

Last Updated on Tuesday, 3 August 2010 09:49 Written by Natural Health Team Saturday, 20 March 2010 12:36

There is nothing more embarrassing than having an itch on the vagina when out socializing. It`s funny if you think about it, if an itch is on the end of your nose, your head or ear you scratch it regardless of who stands before you, but when it`s round the crotch/anus then the way we get relief is not so openly done. Could this have something to do with why the genitals are called the privates, hence the secrecy between fingers meeting up with the itchy vagina? Okay it doesn’t look nice to scrawb at your bits when in the company of people, but an itch is an itch and made for scratching. And another thing is, what must people think for why you scratch i.e. pubic lice (crabs) or maybe VD might even cross their mind. Now you can always retreat around the corner out of sight to scratch, or find the root cause for your itchy vagina and cure it. There are many reasons accountable for a vaginal itch or anus one. If you itch because you have a vaginal rash then this is easily treated and rid using home treatments, however and more often than not an itchy vagina comes about from vaginal infections.

One infection strongly connected for causing an itch is vaginal thrush. As with specific infections they can also affect the vaginal opening and surrounding skin along with pain. Bear in mind that not all women get the symptoms associated with infection but if they do, the way they cope and respond to vaginal treatments can differ greatly. There are 3 common infections we address on a regular basis and the reason why is, because it is normally one of them that is responsible for a vaginal itch.

If you experience vulval discomfort then we look towards the thrush infection, bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas vaginalis and herpes simplex.

Thrush

Thrush as we are aware is caused by a fungal organism called Candida albicans which lives in our bodies. Candida albicans grow and mass around the genitals which bring on thrush symptoms. Clarified symptoms are a white, thick, yeasty smelling vaginal discharge, and a very itchy sore and red vulval region. Sometimes the rectum (anal) opening can also become painfully itchy. Most Vaginal infections excluding some STDs are treated with antifungal drugs, vaginal creams, and vaginal pessaries. Creams and pessaries which need inserting inside the vagina can however cause burning and skin irritation similar to the thrush infection. Because of this confusion comes to the fore over whether it `s the side effects of the treatment or the symptoms of the infection. Although vaginal treatments are deemed safe  particular feminine products have to be ideal for you and the infection you suffer from. If vulval skin is itchy and sore then cream can help with easing discomfort. Some medications come in oral form. Personal preference will prevail for whatever treatment you use, however if it is not a 100% for clearing your infection then it is waste of time and money leaving you still infected. Temporary cures are not want you want you want rid and gone forever. If you`re pregnant or breastfeeding consult with GP before using vaginal treatments.

Treatment for thrush can be obtained from the pharmacy but talk to the pharmacist before purchase because; it is possible to mis-use treatments for vaginal itching/soreness that are not thrush. Wrong treatments may lead to long-standing vulval problems and can worsen the condition you set out to heal.

Don`t let anyone tell you any different that after being diagnosed with thrush that you have been sexually active. Thrush is not a sexually transmitted infection. Thrush does not always cause symptoms in men and may present as balanitis or a non-specific urethritis (NSU.)

Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial Vaginosis also like thrush bringing soreness, burning and itching of the vulva but hardly ever sees redness or swelling. We associate the unpleasant fishy smell with bacterial Vaginosis and a smelly grey or white vaginal discharge. Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) happens when the good bacteria in the vagina are removed to make way for bad bacteria. So it is bad bacteria we look to treat and destroy to ease soreness, relieve itching and rid the fishy smell. Because of similar symptoms it is easy to think you have thrush when you have BV. Bacterial Vaginosis is the more severe out of the two infections because it can lead to internal infection called pelvic inflammatory disease.

Trichomonas Vaginalis

Have you been diagnosed with having Trichomonas Vaginalis but at the time of diagnosis did not hear clearly or understand what the GP had to say. This happens regular where a woman might have been frightened by the medical term used for her condition and goes home none the wiser. Well Trichomoniasis or Trich as it is called at times is a vaginal infection which causes vulva soreness, reddening and inflammation. A common symptom of Trich is a foamy, yellow greenish vaginal discharge. Some women feel pain when weeing. The organism responsible for the symptoms is a parasite in the vaginal mucus. It spreads through penetrative vaginal sex and the exchange of vaginal fluid, meaning, sharing sex toys or sex gadgets.

Herpes Simplex is a viral infection

This virus exists in two types. Herpes simplex type 1 appears as cold sores around the mouth, and herpes simplex type 2 involves the genitals. When the infection first takes hold, painful sores show on the vulva and vagina. It may hurt to urinate as urine is acidic and stings if it comes in contact with herpes sores. Other symptoms include a tingly and itchy vagina, swollen glands in the groin and general flu-like symptoms. Swollen glands or flu-like symptoms only happen during the first attack.

As with particular viral infections, there is no permanent way of ridding herpes and its recurrence.

Now we have covered vaginal infections let us focus on the vaginal rash and how to treat it. This shouldn`t take long as it is just simply water that will do the trick. There are solutions for soothing but just keeping the vagina fresh airy and dry will speed up the recovery process making this the best solution.

vagina

Sexual Diseases – Scabies, Trichomoniasis And Thrush

Last Updated on Sunday, 10 January 2010 04:10 Written by Natural Health Team Sunday, 10 January 2010 04:10

A healthy sex brings a lot of joy and gratification whereas unsafe sex with infected people brings a lot of worry and panic in life. If you have had sex with a person, make sure you and your partner are healthy and free from any infection. Safe sex is the best way to protect against sexual diseases.

Scabies, Trichomoniasis and Thrush are common sex related diseases. Here, we will discuss the causes, symptoms and treatment of scabies and trichomoniasis.

1. Scabies is caused by sexual contact with someone who is infected but this is rare. The major symptoms of scabies are itchiness, red raised bumps on the skin, particularly between fingers or under the breasts, around the wrist and on genitals or buttocks.

You can get rid of scabies by treating the whole body with a special lotion which could be purchased from the medical stores. Some people also wash their bed sheets and towels in very hot water to avoid getting scabies again, although the risk of infection in this way is very small.

2. Trichomoniasis is caused by a tiny organism which affects the vagina and urethra. You can get this disease by having sex with someone who is infected. The symptoms of trichomoniasis in women are yellow or white discharge from the vagina which is quite smelly and itchiness in the vaginal area. Men may have no symptoms so they may not know they have got the disease. This disease can be treated by taking special tablets which you can get form your doctor.

3. Thrush can be caused by a yeast infection which you can get by having sex with someone who is infected. But you can also get thrush without sexual contact. It is caused by yeast called Candida albicans which affects the vulva and vagina in women and penis in men.

The major signs and symptoms for a woman that she has got thrush include itching around her vulva and a thick white discharge from her vagina. The vulva may also smell a little and it may hurt to pass urine. The major signs and symptoms for a man that he has got thrush include a sore and itchy penis.

Woman can treat themselves by putting a tampon dipped in plain yogurt into their vagina. If this does not work, they should see their doctor. Doctor may prescribe a cream. Men are usually given a cream.

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Diseases

Colposcopy: What Every Women Should Know About It

Last Updated on Thursday, 7 January 2010 09:55 Written by Natural Health Team Thursday, 7 January 2010 09:55

A woman’s body has been likened in almost every field as the cradle of life. For one, women are burdened with the responsibility of childbearing wherein all of us made  our longest and most dangerous journey inside our mother’s womb. As such, efforts are put in place to ensure that women’s health especially those relating to reproduction are taken cared of, maintaining her health in tip-top condition to avoid any aberrations.  With numerous possible causes that could undermine a woman’s health, the need to protect women from various maladies is all too apparent to everyone.

What is Colposcopy?

One such measure to help protect women is colposcopy. Colposcopy is a medical diagnostic procedure that is used to examine an illuminated and magnified view of the cervix and the tissues of the vagina and the vulva. Such a procedure helps to detect the presence of both premalignant and malignant lesions in these areas. Developed in 1925, the colposcopy procedure has a main goal of preventing cervical cancer by detecting precancerous lesions and treating them early. 

In line with protecting women’s reproductive health, another procedure that is widely used is the Pap smear. Although the Pap smear is common and widely used, it is classified as a screening and not a diagnostic tool. That is why when a gynecologist detects something anomalous in a woman’s body, a closer look at the cervix is recommended using a colposcope..

Colposcope: Modern Tool in Detecting Cervical Anomalies

The colposcopy procedure is very similar to the Pap smear although in the former, acetic acid is placed on the cervix. This causes the cervical cells to fill with water enabling light to pass through them. The instrument itself, the colposcope, is a large electric microscope that is positioned approximately 30 cm from the vagina. A very bright light at the end of the colposcope makes it possible for the gynecologist to clearly see into the cervix.

What Colposcopy May Reveal

During the colposcopy procedure, the gynecologist focuses on the areas of the cervix where light does not pass through. This is because gynecologists know that possible infections occur in these areas. Abnormal cervical changes are seen as white areas, and the whiter the area, the worse the cervical dysplasia is. Abnormal blood vessel changes are also apparent through the colposcope. Abnormal vascular changes can occur in dysplasia. Typically, the worse the vascular changes are means that the worse the dysplasia.

The Importance of Follow-up in Colposcopy Procedures

Although colposcopy is very helpful in detecting anomalies in the cervix and so help protect the woman’s health, an even more important aspect of the procedure is the follow-up. Here, it is important to take into consideration the lifestyle of the woman so she could be properly advisedon activities that may bring her closer to the danger of developing cervical complications. It also advises women to practice safe sex especially if the cervical anomaly is due to sexual intercourse.

women health

What is Cervical Cancer and Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 October 2009 02:41 Written by Natural Health Team Wednesday, 21 October 2009 02:41

Definition of cervical cancer: Cancer that forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope).

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb). It is sometimes called the uterine cervix. The body (upper part) of the uterus, is where a fetus grows. The cervix connects the body of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal). The part of the cervix closest to the body of the uterus is called the endocervix. The part next to the vagina is the exocervix (or ectocervix).

What causes cervical cancer?

Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You get HPV by having sex with someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms.

Most researches believe that the human papilloma virus (HPV) is a strong cofactor in the development of pre-invasive and invasive carcinomas of the cervix, as well as pre-invasive and invasive squamous cell cancer of the vagina and vulva. Ninety to nintey-five percent of squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix contain the human papilloma virus DNA.

Symptoms of cervical cancer

Bleeding that occurs between regular menstrual periods

Bleeding after sexual intercourse, douching, or a pelvic exam

The most common symptom is abnormal vaginal bleeding. This is any bleeding from the vagina other than during menstruation.

Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer

Biopsy procedures

While the pap smear is an effective screening test, confirmation of the diagnosis of cervical cancer or pre-cancer requires a biopsy of the cervix. This is often done through colposcopy, a magnified visual inspection of the cervix aided by using an acetic acid (e.g. vinegar) solution to highlight abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix.

Treatments and drugs of Cervical Cancer

Cone biopsy (conization). During this surgery, the doctor uses a scalpel to remove a cone-shaped piece of cervical tissue where the abnormality is found.

Surgical treatment for invasive cervical cancer is radical hysterectomy, which is the removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, adjacent lymph nodes, and part of the vagina. If cancer has spread (metastasized) to lymph nodes in the abdomen, lymphadenectomy (surgical removal of lymph nodes) may also be performed.

Cryosurgery Hysterectomy — The removal of the uterus through the abdomen or vagina is a major surgical procedure requiring at least an overnight stay in the hospital. There are very few reasons to perform a hysterectomy for pre-invasive lesions. It is sometimes used for women who have had more than one relapse and no longer have enough tissue to perform another LEEP.

If the cancer has spread further within the pelvis or to other organs, radiation therapy is preferred. This treatment is ineffective in about 40% of women with large or extensive cancers.

Cervical Cancer