(An overview of the various vaginal infections)
The vagina plays a significant role in your reproductive anatomy. When focusing on a woman’s general health, she needs to take care of her vagina. Vaginal health issues not only cause physical illness but also result in mental illnesses like stress or relationship problems. Let’s learn about the symptoms and various vaginal infection in this blog.
What is a vagina?
First, let’s look at the description of the vagina to better understand vaginal infection. The vagina is a muscular canal that is covered with mucus membranes and nerves. It supports menstruation, sexual activity, and giving birth by connecting the uterus and cervix to the outside of the body.
What is vaginal infection?
Bacteria, fungi, parasites, or viruses that grow in and around your vagina can lead to vaginal infections. Some of these organisms typically live in your vagina without causing any health risks. However, if the normal, healthy conditions in your vagina are disturbed, they may go out of control leading to vaginal infection
Symptoms of vaginal infection
The following are some of the symptoms which indicate you could have vaginal infections. Some of them are
*Vaginal discharge which is not normal
*Itching or uneasiness around or inside the vagina
*An unpleasant odor coming from the vagina discharge
*Pain when you have sex and pass urine
*Bleeding after having sex or in between menstrual cycles
Types of vaginal infection
Infections in the vagina can be categorised based on the microorganisms that caused them.
Yeast infection
Yeast infection in the vagina is caused by the fungus named Candida. When a candida fungus enters the mucosal lining of the vagina, an inflammatory reaction takes place, which leads to yeast infections. The two most common antifungal treatment options for this infection are oral medicine and vaginal cream which can be applied inside of your vagina.
Bacterial infection
Here infection is caused by bacteria. When the bacteria that are normally present in the vagina overgrow, it results in bacterial vaginosis (BV).To help you get rid of it, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Usually, antibiotics come in the form of oral tablets but you may also be given a vaginal gel or cream when needed.
Sexually transmitted infections
Sexual contact can spread several types of vaginal infections. Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are infections caused by bacteria that are spread through sexual contact. Another sexually transmitted infection brought on by a parasite is trichomoniasis. To treat this kind of infection your doctor may recommend you certain antibiotics.
Viral infection
Normally, a viral infection spread from person to person. In this case, viral vaginal infection is caused either by sexual intercourse or by interacting skin-to-skin with someone who carries them. It is caused by viruses like the herpes simplex virus (HSV) resulting in herpes infection or human papillomavirus (HPV) resulting in genital warts infection.
Other infection
In some cases, the vaginal infection can be caused due to allergic reactions. An individual may be sensitive to or allergic to a wide range of items, including
*Sanitary pads
*Douches
*Spermicides
*Scented soaps
*Tight-fitting undergarments
*Vaginal sprays
To summarize
Thus, various factors contribute to vaginal infection. Always prevention is better than cure, hence follow the best preventive methods and perineal care to keep your vagina healthy. Don’t feel uncomfortable discussing your vaginal infection with your doctor, it is a part of your healthy ecosystem. Get rid of the infection in your vagina and live a healthy life.