Inflammation, burning, and irritation can be unbearable on any part of the body. But when burning and irritation are localized to the vagina, it can be excruciating. The vagina is one the most tender, sensitive areas of the body, so vaginal burning and vaginal irritation are problems that you must deal with immediately if you do not want to lose your mind from the discomfort.
Causes of Vaginal Burning and Vaginal Irritation
Vaginal burning and vaginal irritation are symptoms of other medical conditions. Let’s take a look at some of the health problems which can lead to vaginal burning and vaginal irritation.
- Infections usually cause vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. The infections can be non-infectious like candida, or they can be sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea or genital herpes.
- Your hygiene routine or sex life may have something to do with your vaginal burning or vaginal irritation. Do you use scented or colored toilet paper? These have dyes that can cause allergic reactions in the form of vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. Do you wipe from back to front after using the toilet? Fecal matter or bacteria from the anus can get transferred to the vagina in this way which can cause vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. Anything that comes in contact with your vagina – lubricants, panty liners, tampons, sanitary pads, soap, vaginal deos – has the potential to cause vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. Even the detergent that you use to wash your panties can leave residues on your underwear which can transfer to the vagina. One way to figure out if any of these things is causing your vaginal burning or vaginal irritation is to see if the severity of either increases after using or coming into contact with one of them.
- You may just have sensitive skin. Which means that even mild soaps can cause vaginal burning and vaginal irritation.
- A change in the hormonal levels in the body usually causes vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. – Women going through menopause are at high risk for vaginal burning and vaginal irritation as the lining of the vaginal wall thins out considerably when estrogen levels in the body drop.
- If there is an increase in the level of irritants in your urine, it can lead to vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. This usually occurs when you have a urinary tract infection.
- In very rare cases, the vaginal burning and vaginal irritation may be caused by a skin condition called lichen sclerosis. This condition is characterized by white patches on the skin of the vulva, which generally leads to scarring of the vaginal area.
Symptoms of Vaginal Burning and Vaginal Irritation
- If you have vaginal burning and vaginal irritation, you will feel extremely itchy and will want to scratch all the time.
- You may not feel vaginal burning at all times. There may be vaginal burning or extreme discomfort during and after sex. Urinating can bring on bouts of vaginal burning.
- The skin around the vagina or on the labia and vulva may get very sore and tender to the touch.
- Vaginal burning and vaginal irritation is often characterized by red, inflamed skin around the mouth of the vagina, the labia or the vulva.
Since vaginal burning and vaginal irritation are just one of the many symptoms of an infection or an allergic reaction, you will notice other symptoms as well. Following are some of the symptoms of infection that may accompany your vaginal burning and vaginal irritation.
- Bad vaginal odor
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Fever
- Pustules on the genital area or even other parts of the body (herpes)
- Rashes on genital area or other parts of the body (syphyllis)
Treatment for Vaginal Burning and Vaginal Irritation
Vaginal burning and vaginal irritation can make you want to scratch the affected area. Don’t. Scratching will just make things worse. Instead see your doctor immediately so that the cause of your vaginal burning and vaginal irritation can be diagnosed. The treatment for vaginal burning and vaginal irritation will depend on the cause.
- If vaginal burning and vaginal irritation are caused by non-infectious infections like candida, they will be treated with anti-fungal medication which has to be inserted into the vagina as well as taken orally.
- If caused by chemicals in products, then vaginal burning and vaginal irritation will usually respond to steroid creams or ointments.
- Vaginal burning and vaginal irritation caused by sexually transmitted diseases will be treated with antibiotics.
- Menopausal vaginal burning and vaginal irritation will have to be treated with tablets or creams of estrogen. Hormone replacement therapy may also help.
- For lichen sclerosis, a high-strength steroid cream can help ease vaginal burning and vaginal irritation.
While the medication takes its time to work, here are a couple of other things you can do to soothe vaginal burning and vaginal irritation.
- Aloe vera is can effectively soothe vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. Make sure that it’s natural aloe vera gel though. If its green, its not natural. Natural, pure aloe vera gel is colorless and has no scent.
- If vaginal burning and vaginal irritation are acute, you can lie down and apply a cold compress. Wrap a small packet of peas in a towel and gently place between your legs in the area where the burning and irritation are strongest.
- If your baby girl has developed vaginal burning and vaginal irritation, ensure that you change her diapers often.
- Avoid sex till vaginal burning and vaginal irritation has decreased.
- Here’s a simple home remedy to temporarily reduce the severity of vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. Take a tampon and dip it in some yogurt. Insert the tampon into the vagina. It is thought that the live cultures in yogurt are similar to the good bacteria in the vagina. So the yogurt can help to increase the level of good bacteria in the vagina, promote healing of the infection or allergic reaction, and reduce vaginal burning and vaginal irritation.
Preventing Vaginal Burning and Vaginal Irritation
Any woman who experiences vaginal burning and vaginal irritation has a really hard time with it and does not want it to occur ever again. Here’s what you can do to prevent vaginal burning and vaginal irritation.
- Its important that you take steps to prevent infections if you want to prevent vaginal burning and vaginal irritation. Use a condom during sex to reduce your risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
- Switch to completely natural, very mild, unscented soaps to wash your genital area. Also use mild, unscneted detergents to wash underwear.
- In fact, even switch to toilet paper, tampons and sanitary napkins that are natural, not dyed, and unscented.
- Wipe from front to back after using the toilet.
- Eat a healthy diet to build your immune system. The stronger your immune system, the less likely you are to develop an infection which can cause vaginal burning and vaginal irritation.
- Choose cotton underwear over those made of synthetic fabrics.
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