Your vagina is a very sensitive part of your body. Your reproductive health depends on the health of your vagina too. One of the most closely guarded parts, your vagina is also most often one of the most neglected parts in terms of grooming.
Sharda, 32, had quite the normal life. She was married, sexually active and quite hygienic. That’s why, when she began observing that she had increased vaginal discharge. Dismissing it off as a trivial thing, she continued with her routine. One day at work, she could smell something foul, like a fish market. Thinking of it as a damp smell from somewhere, it’s only when she visited the washroom that she realized the smell she had been laughing about was in fact, coming from her vagina.
In a state of panic, once back home, she took a bath and washed her vagina with some perfumed soap in the hope of getting rid of the smell. While it worked temporarily, the discomfort increased.
Not taking any more chances, she visited her gynecologist, who, upon examination, told Sharda that she had something called Vaginitis.
What Is Vaginitis?
When there is an infection in your vagina, or even an imbalance in the bacterial population that resides in there, it results in inflammation, itching and even a spike in vaginal discharge. When that happens, it results in a condition called Vaginitis.
The symptoms, just like Sharda experienced, could be an increase in discharge that smells foul, or even itching. When you itch your sensitive parts, it can lead to bruising, aggravating the condition even more. There are other symptoms like discolored discharge, painful urination, pain and discomfort during intercourse and sometimes even bleeding.
There Are Several Things That Can Trigger Vaginitis.
An bacterial imbalance - Your vagina has a lot of different types of bacteria residing in it, but they are mostly split into two categories: lactobacilli and anaerobes. When the anaerobes become more than the lactobacilli, it disturbs the balance and causes problems leading to vaginitis.
Yeast infections - Yeast infections are one of the most common occurrences, yet they can contribute towards giving you vaginismus. The presence of fungus in your vagina can cause itchiness and infections, developing into vaginitis.
Sexually transmitted infections - Having intercourse can assist the spread of a parasite called trichomonas vaginalis. This organism has the potential to trigger an infection causing vaginitis.
Soaps and disinfectants - When you use things like soaps, perfumes or other products, it can lead to an imbalance in the pH levels in your vagina and this could be another reason behind vaginitis.
Menopausal dryness - After your reach menopause, there could be excessive dryness due to hormonal imbalance. This is also one potential cause of vaginitis.
How Can You Prevent Vaginitis?
Like mentioned, vaginitis is a very common problem, yet many women neglect it till the discomfort becomes unbearable. Here are a few things that you can do to prevent the onset of this problem.
Avoid soaps, deodorants, or other harsh products to groom your vagina. These products, as said before, can cause your pH balance to go haywire.
Keep your vagina clean and dry. Avoid wearing damp or fitted undergarments so that your vagina doesn’t breed fungus.
When you clean, always wipe from front to back. Wiping from the back to the front might lead to the deposit of fecal matter inside your vagina, leading to infections.
Wear cotton undergarments so that you don’t sweat and your skin can breathe. Use soft material so that there is no chance of rashes getting formed.
Always use a latex condom while having intercourse. Make sure that these are not flavored as they can contain irritants.
Avoid baths and instead opt for showers.
While these steps will help you address the prevention part of it, in case you have any symptoms, it is essential that you visit a gynecologist and talk about it. It is a wise choice to avoid self-medication as only a qualified gynecologist will be able to diagnose the issue and prescribe medications or treatments. Do not suffer in silence. Our doctors at the Birthplace are here to help you, so do not hesitate to ask for help.
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