Beyond The Yeast Infection: 3 Other Possible Causes Of Vaginal Itching
Posted on: 31 July 2015
Often, when women develop an itch "down there," they assume a yeast infection is to blame. After all, yeast infections are pretty common. It is possible, however, that your vaginal itching has another more sinister cause. Here's a look at three other ailments that are known to cause vaginal itching.
Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in your vaginal canal. Like a yeast infection, it causes itching and discharge. However, the discharge caused by bacterial vaginosis is not thick and white like that caused by a yeast infection; it's thin and grayish white. If your itching is accompanied by an unpleasant, "fishy" odor that becomes worse after intercourse, there's a good chance bacterial vaginosis is to blame.
Luckily, bacterial vaginosis is quite easy to treat. Your OBGYN can perscribe an antibiotic such as metronidazole or clindamycin, which you'll probably be told to apply topically for several days.
Contact Dermatitis
Are you experiencing itching not only in your vagina, but also in the vulva tissues surrounding it? Is the itchiness accompanied by a feeling of dryness? If so, ask yourself if you have recently used a new soap, bubble bath, laundry detergent, or other hygiene product. These are symptoms of contact dermatitis, a condition in which the skin becomes irritated and inflamed after contact with ingredients in certain products.
If you can pinpoint a product that you think may be causing your contact dermatitis, stop using it and see if your symptoms clear up in a few days. If they do not, visit your OBGYN.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
A number of sexually transmitted infections, the best known of which are gonorrhea and chlamydia, can cause vaginal itching. Chlamydia may also cause a burning feeling during urination and pain during intercourse. Gonorrhea can also cause spotting between periods of a greenish vaginal discharge. If you have had sexual contact with a new partner recently, there's a chance your itching is caused by one of these infections.
Keep in mind that men don't always show symptoms of these STDs, so even if your partner is symptom-free, you should still visit your OBGYN or a place like Bayview OB GYN Women's Care Florida and get tested if you think there's a chance you've contracted an STD -- even if your partner is symptom-free. Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are treatable with antibiotics, but leaving them untreated can have negative consequences like infertility.
Hopefully the information above will help you get to the bottom of your unpleasant itchiness. Most causes of vaginal itching have a rather innocuous cause and are easily treated.
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