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Causes of itching in the intimate area in women
Itching itself is a non-specific symptom of a huge number of diseases and not only. It itches when a mosquito bites, itches when shaved hair grows back, itches when eating chocolate. So for itching in the intimate area in women, there can be many reasons.
– Itching can be caused by unsuitable intimate hygiene gel or synthetic underwear, as well as bacteria, fungi that cause diseases. The perineum may itch due to genital infections, due to hormonal changes. What exactly caused itching in a particular case will be shown by tests and examination by a doctor, explains gynecologist Alexandra Saifullina.
Dysbacteriosis
A common cause of itching in the intimate area of a woman is dysbacteriosis. Lovely ladies know that every course of antibiotics threatens with an extraordinary trip to the gynecologist.
– Dysbacteriosis, which is most often caused by taking antibiotics, almost always leads to a violation of the vaginal microflora: the number of beneficial lactobacilli decreases and the number of opportunistic bacteria and fungi increases. Thus, inflammation begins, the symptoms of which are itching and burning, explains gynecologist Alexandra Saifullina.
One of the consequences of dysbacteriosis can be thrush, scientifically candidiasis. It occurs when fungi of the genus Candida begin to actively spread in the microflora of the vagina. Women who have experienced this disease know that severe itching and burning in the perineum are its faithful companions.
Genital infections
If it is not very difficult to get rid of dysbacteriosis, and this disease is common, then sexual infections are a much less pleasant diagnosis. By the way, they also often provoke itching in the intimate area in women.
Itching can be caused by sexual infections such as:
- chlamydia,
- trichomoniasis,
- mycoplasmosis,
- syphilis,
- gonorrhea.
“Almost every genital infection has nonspecific symptoms, one of which is itching in the intimate area,” explains gynecologist Alexandra Saifullina.
Each of these ailments has its own set of symptoms and complications, so you should not delay going to the doctor in this case. So, chlamydia and trichomoniasis can provoke endometritis, inflammation of the fallopian tubes and appendages, infertility, mycoplasmosis – miscarriage and intrauterine development of the fetus, gonorrhea – all the same, and in addition, inflammation of the space around the uterus and inflammation of the pelvic organs, and syphilis can cause problems almost throughout the body.
Illness and stress
Sometimes itching in the intimate area in women is the result of a disease. For example, this seemingly harmless symptom may indicate diabetes. Also, itching in delicate places can be the first sign of hepatitis or anemia.
Another reason for the development of painful itching in the perineum is inflammation in the vagina, internal genital organs. The inflammatory process provokes the secretion, and that irritates the delicate skin.
Skin diseases are quite capable of provoking itching in the intimate area, for example, eczema or psoriasis, as well as lichen sclerosus.
Experiences also sometimes cause an uncontrollable desire to scratch here and there. In the case of chronic stress, people with a weak nervous system can eat something, gnaw something, or scratch themselves intensely. This distracts the body from the irritant, gives a person the opportunity to disconnect from problems in the head. Often, nervous people prefer to comb precisely intimate places where the consequences of their actions are not so noticeable.
Age changes
Alas, we want to be forever young, but the body is steadily hinting at our real age. One of these hints, again, can be itching in the intimate area in women. Hormonal changes can significantly affect the condition of the skin and microflora.
Fortunately, modern medicine will help to cope with such an itch.
Treatment of itching in the intimate area in women
Up to this point, we have discussed the causes of itching in the intimate area, of which there are countless. Accordingly, it is necessary to deal with the problem, based on the cause.
It is better to entrust the treatment of itching in the intimate area in women to a doctor. The gynecologist will conduct the necessary tests and find out which reagent causes an unbearable desire to itch. As a rule, for this it is enough to pass a smear for a degree of purity.
If it turns out that the itching is caused by a banal allergy to underwear or shower gel, it will be enough for a woman to change them and forget about the problem.
Medication
When the source of the problem is clearly not synthetic underwear or intimate hygiene gel, then the woman may need medical treatment for itching. Depending on its cause, it can be various antibacterial drugs in the form of suppositories or tablets in the vagina.
If itching in the intimate area of a woman caused dysbacteriosis and its derivatives, the doctor will prescribe a diet, probiotics and prebiotics, as well as antifungal or antibacterial drugs.
Thrush tablets are divided into imidazoles (active ingredients clotrimazole, miconazole, isoconazole and others), polyenes (nystatin, natamycin, etc.) and triazoles (fluconazole, itraconazole).
When STDs are the cause of itching, both partners will have to be treated, otherwise itching will haunt you after each sexual intercourse. If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics that act on chlamydia, trichomoniasis – local treatment against trichomonas, mycoplasmosis – antifungal drugs, syphilis – antibiotics effective against pale treponema and drugs based on bismuth and iodine, gonorrhea – again antibacterial solutions and a course antibiotics.
When itching is the result of age-related changes, the doctor may choose a hormonal topical cream for the woman.
Folk remedies
Since it is difficult for a woman to independently determine what exactly causes itching in the intimate area, it is better to wait with alternative treatment before going to the doctor.
A complex effect on the problem helps to get rid of itching. The gynecologist will prescribe suitable drugs for you and recommend, if desired, folk remedies that will complement the medical treatment well.
When to see a doctor
If you have begun to suffer from itching in the intimate area, first of all, consider whether you have changed the washing gel or maybe abused synthetic underwear and panty liners. It was so? Then let’s try to abandon the innovations for a start: choose a different gel and put on cotton panties.
If this does not help, and the itching only intensifies, and even worse, other unpleasant symptoms are added to it, for example, vaginal discharge? Here then we run on reception to the gynecologist and we hand over a smear. We wait longer – we breed more bacteria and fungi.
Prevention of itching in the intimate area in women
– In order not to suffer from itching in the intimate area, we carefully monitor hygiene, every day we wash ourselves with clean warm water, 2-3 times a week we wash ourselves with intimate hygiene gel. We wear cotton underwear. We try not to wear panty liners, they can only be worn in periods before and after menstruation, so as not to stain the linen, explains gynecologist Alexandra Saifullina.
If you have a new sexual partner, do not forget to protect yourself with condoms, and it is best to ask him for a certificate of the absence of STDs.
And, of course, do not forget to visit a gynecologist every six months and take the necessary tests.