Vaginal burning: causes. A symptom of what disease can be a burning sensation in the vagina?

Vaginal burning is a symptom that, regardless of the cause, causes significant discomfort. Burning vaginal pain interferes with work, doing household chores and becomes an obstacle to sexual intercourse. And although the cause of vaginal burning is not always intimate infections, when such a symptom appears, a gynecological consultation is required.

Vaginal burning is a symptom, the causes of which can be very different. Burning pain in the vagina may be the result of an allergic reaction to cosmetics or a change in contraceptive methods. A burning sensation, usually combined with a feeling of itching, is most often one of the symptoms of vaginal mycosis. Unfortunately, this is not the only disease that this symptom may indicate.

Vaginal burning: vaginal mycosis

The content of the article

The cause of burning pain in the vagina can be vaginal thrush. This is also indicated by redness, swelling and itching of the vulva and vagina. With thrush, symptoms usually worsen after sexual intercourse or before menstruation.

Thrush

The most characteristic symptom of this disease is vaginal discharge, resembling lumps of cottage cheese and sticking to the walls of the vagina.

Before visiting a gynecologist

• 2 days before your visit to the doctor, do not light candles or use sprays to relieve symptoms.
• Abstain from any sex for 2 days
• Avoid using antibiotics for at least a week
• Do not douche or use intimate hygiene products 2 days before going to the gynecologist
• The evening before your visit (which will be the next day), wash your genitals with baby or regular soap and warm water.
• You need to urinate 2-3 hours before visiting the doctor

The gynecologist first conducts a survey. You should tell him directly about unprotected sexual intercourse, the number of sexual partners and other important points that are not necessarily related to coitus. The doctor does an examination. Almost always, a cervical smear is taken for flora, as well as a bacterial culture for aerobic, anaerobic flora and fungi (plus an antibiogram to find out which drug is best to destroy the causative agent of the disease).

The patient is also referred by the attending physician for PCR diagnostics, RIF and ELISA to detect sexually transmitted diseases, if any. In some cases, the doctor also advises checking for intestinal dysbiosis and the presence of worms. Do not refuse the prescribed examinations, because a chairside examination alone will not help identify your diseases.

Vaginal burning: sexually transmitted diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can cause burning and itching of the vagina:

• chlamydia;
• genital herpes;
• genital warts;
• trichomoniasis;
• gonorrhea.

Redness and swelling are also characteristic of these diseases.

If you suspect a sexually transmitted disease, special attention should be paid to the consistency, color and smell of vaginal discharge. Yellow-green, foamy discharge indicates infection with Trichomonas vaginalis. In addition, pain, itching and burning in the urethra, as well as pollakiuria, are possible. Pain may also occur during urination and sexual intercourse.

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection are also common with gonorrhea, during which a yellowish or bloody discharge may occur.

In turn, purulent mucous discharge from the vagina indicates chlamydia.

Diagnostics

The examination of women complaining of a burning sensation in the intimate area begins with a standard gynecological examination. The doctor assesses the condition of the external genitalia, performs vaginal examination in speculums, and bimanual palpation. To understand the causes of the pathological condition, the information obtained during a physical examination is usually not enough, so instrumental and laboratory methods are used:

• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs.
  Sonography of the genital and urinary organs in women is carried out if complaints of burning are accompanied by pain in the lower abdominal cavity, dysuric disorders or fever. On ultrasound, the obstetrician-gynecologist finds signs of inflammation, neoplasms, and foreign bodies.
• Colposcopy.
  A targeted examination of the cervix is ​​indicated if precancerous processes are suspected. With leukoplakia, white or yellowish lesions with an unexpressed vascular pattern are detected. To confirm the diagnosis, a Schiller test is performed, with the help of which areas of altered epithelium are visualized. Additionally, vulvoscopy is performed.
• Analysis of secretions
  . Microscopic examination of a smear in women reveals a large number of epithelium and leukocytes, an increase in secretion pH of more than 6.5, and the presence of pathogenic bacterial flora. To identify possible causative agents of inflammation, the secretions are inoculated onto nutrient media, where specific colonies of bacteria or fungi are found.
• Blood tests.
  Serological tests are required for the main pathogens of STDs (gonococci, chlamydia, Treponema pallidum). To exclude allergic causes of burning, a hemogram is performed to determine the level of eosinophilia, an extended immunogram to measure IgE.

Colposcopy

Vaginal burning: inflammation of the vagina

Inflammation of the vagina - vaginitis - is the result of a microbiological imbalance in the vaginal flora. The most common cause of disturbances in the vaginal ecosystem is the yeast that is responsible for mycosis vaginalis.

No less often diagnosed is bacterial vaginosis, a disease caused by anaerobic bacteria. Another cause of vaginal inflammation can be a protozoal infection or, less commonly, viruses.

The disease manifests itself as a burning sensation, pain when urinating, as well as watery, green or gray vaginal discharge with a very unpleasant fishy odor.

Vaginitis may also occur, for example, after pelvic radiation, adnexal removal, or chemotherapy. In this case, vaginal discharge appears with the wrong color and smell. The disorder is accompanied by burning pain and itching of the vagina and pain during sexual intercourse and urination.

Gynecological diseases resulting in itching

Pathogenic microorganisms can cause severe itching in the vaginal area. Moreover, in a minimal amount, the female microflora contains various bacteria, but as the inflammatory process develops, there are a lot of them, and in this case, serious treatment cannot be avoided.

Vulvaginitis, colpitis

Characteristic symptom: discharge with the smell of rotten fish. Most often, these diseases are caused by active reproduction of gardnerella, Escherichia coli or cocci. Itching occurs in the vagina, the treatment of which requires more than one day.

Candidiasis

Candida yeast in moderate quantities does not cause inflammation, but their growth leads to such an unpleasant disease as candidiasis. Popularly it has another name - thrush. The disease is characterized by such symptoms as a constant burning sensation and severe itching, pain in the lower abdomen, and during water procedures the woman observes a large amount of cheesy discharge.

Allergic reaction

It is rare, but it happens that a girl has an allergic reaction to a man’s sperm if barrier methods of preventing unwanted pregnancy were previously used and the sperm did not enter the vagina. This phenomenon happens extremely rarely, but still occurs. “SM-Clinic” successfully treats such ailment as well.

Infectious diseases

The disease caused by infection goes through an acute stage, and if no treatment methods are used, it becomes chronic, when redness and itching may disappear, causing the illusion of complete recovery. But, in fact, the infection moves deeper into the internal organs and “dormants,” waiting for the next provoking factor in the form of decreased immunity or a serious illness.

A woman who has not taken any measures for her recovery continues to be a carrier of the infection, infecting men through sexual contact.

Serious sexually transmitted diseases include:

• chlamydia;
• ureaplasmosis;
• trichomoniasis;
• genital warts;
• warts in the genital area;
• genital herpes.

Urethritis, cervititis, enometritis are inflammatory processes of the genital organs that occur as a result of infection.

In older women, vaginal itching can occur as a result of urogenous fistulas, benign or malignant neoplasms, mucosal atrophy, etc.

Vaginal burning during pregnancy

Pregnancy hormones change the pH of the vagina from acidic to alkaline, which promotes intimate infections. This is why pregnant women are most often diagnosed with vaginal mycosis.

There is also the risk of being diagnosed with much more serious bacterial infections, which can lead to miscarriage or premature birth.

Therefore, a pregnant woman who feels burning and itching of the vagina, as well as noticing vaginal discharge and other symptoms of sexual diseases, should seek gynecological consultation as soon as possible.

Treatment is prescribed only after a complete diagnosis of the cause of the disease

Treatment in each case will depend on the type of pathogen detected and its sensitivity to antibiotics. When sexually transmitted infections are detected, the doctor prescribes antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, and both sexual partners must undergo treatment, since it is often quite difficult to identify an infectious pathogen in a man, since it is concentrated in the secretion of the prostate gland. For vaginal dysbiosis, local treatments and drugs that stimulate the immune system are used. In addition, it is recommended to wear cotton underwear instead of “synthetics”. Changes will also affect the power supply system. You should introduce more fermented milk products into your diet and significantly reduce your consumption of sweet foods. If allergic reactions occur, contact with allergens, in particular chemical contraceptives, should be limited. In case of allergic reactions, contact with allergens (condoms, chemical contraceptives) should be avoided.

How to get rid of itching and burning?

Treatment for the symptoms described depends on the cause, of which there are many. How to get rid of them? Everyone has their own way.

The state of the vaginal microflora depends on the woman herself. To preserve women's health, you need to start treatment at the first suspicion of pathology. A timely visit to a gynecologist will save time and money.

Reason number 3 – allergies

Women who are prone to all sorts of allergic reactions may experience itching after sex when using various moisturizers, lubricants and barrier contraceptives (condoms). As a rule, irritation occurs due to a specific component: fragrance, disinfectant, latex. In this case, it is recommended to choose a neutral contraceptive that will not cause such symptoms, as well as use special restorative agents to quickly eliminate discomfort. The role of such a product can be the intimate gel lubricant Ginocomfort, developed by specialists of the pharmaceutical company VERTEX and having the appropriate documents and certificates.

One of the reasons for itching after sex may be skin irritation

Anatomically determined causes of discomfort during sex

Physiologically, partners may not be suitable for each other. Discomfort occurs when the sizes of the penis and vagina do not match: their length, diameter. If the difference is critical, during coitus the mucous membrane is injured and microtears appear. If the mucous membrane is injured regularly, chronic inflammation will occur. Injuries in the genital area increase the risk of infection entering the body and negatively affect the state of local immunity.

Reviews

Tatiana

I am happy to be among your guests at the clinic, I enjoy our communication, I am grateful for your super professionalism, for giving beauty and a sense of confidence in your professional actions, protection from “age-related changes”