VAGINAL ITCHING- CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

Females of all ages are at risk of having an itchy vagina, hence a crucial need to understand the causes, symptoms, and how it can be managed. Stay tuned to this article to discover ways to prevent vaginal itching and live free of vaginal infections.

Vaginal itching is always an uncomfortable symptom. Sometimes, it is painful too. The good thing is that it is relatively common, and there are several remedies. Sometimes, it happens on its own. At other times, it comes with other symptoms. Some of the associated symptoms of vaginal itching include; A burning sensation, vaginal odor, vaginal discharge, or vaginal dryness.

Causes of Vaginal Itching

There are numerous causes of vaginal itching ranging from stress to STIs. A few of the reasons are summarized below;

~ Chemical Irritants: Exposure of the vaginal to chemical irritants might trigger some allergic reactions that create itching around the vaginal. These irritants include detergents, douches, soap, and fabric softeners. It’s best not to wash with any of these.

~ Skin diseases: Skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis can cause redness and vaginal itching all over the body. Sometimes, they affect the genitals.

~Yeast infections: This is mainly due to an overgrowth of a bacteria known as Candida in the vaginal. This overgrowth occurs due to bacterial imbalance in the vaginal, which may be triggered by hormonal changes in the body and the usage of antibiotics. Yeast infections usually present with symptoms like Vaginal discharge, itching, and burning sensation around the vagina.

~ Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): These are infections contracted through sexual contact with an infected person. Some of the STIs causing Vaginal itching include Genital warts, Genital herpes, Chlamydia, and Trichomoniasis.

~ Bacterial Vaginosis(BV): Bacterial Vaginosis, often shortened as BV, occurs when there is an imbalance of the normal beneficial bacteria in the vagina. It’s mostly common in females of childbearing age.

~ Menopause: Women going through menopause or those who’ve gone through it are often at risk of vaginal itching due to a reduction in the estrogen level that occurs during menopause. A condition known as Vaginal atrophy usually arises, which is the thinning of the mucosa that causes excessive dryness in the vaginal, which later results in itching

~Stress: Physical stress and emotional stress sometimes leads to vaginal itching. This occurs when the immune system is weakened by stress, thereby increasing the body’s susceptibility to infections.

Treatment of Vaginal itching

Doctors treat vaginal itching based on the cause. That’s why you need to avoid self-medication. It’s often a futile effort and may even cause harm. Some of the common meds include:

~Antihistamine: to relieve irritation and some allergies

~Metronidazole

~Antibiotics for STIs

~Antifungal creams, e.t.c.