Just like other parts of your body it’s important to keep your vagina healthy. Primarily, a vagina is a pipe of muscle inside a female’s body running from the opening of the womb to the vaginal opening. It’s an essential part of your body because it acts as the channel for menstrual flow, takes the penis during sexual intercourse, and serves as a canal where the baby passes through during childbirth. Because of these, your vagina always needs to be clean and healthy.
However, there are times when your reproductive organ may experience problems. Whether it’s a change in your normal vaginal discharge or changes in urination, these are some signs you might experience if you have a vaginal problem to deal with. Luckily there are many different products on the market which can help improve your vagina’s health. You can learn more about these types of products with a little research.
If you want to keep your vagina healthy, below are the top three vaginal health issues and their natural solutions you should be aware of:
- Bacterial Vaginosis
This is one of the most common vaginal health issues a woman can experience throughout their reproductive years. Also known as BV, this vaginal problem occurs when there’s an overgrowth of some bacteria other than the Lactobacillus bacteria, which usually colonizes the vagina.
To know if you’ve contracted bacterial vaginosis, you need to watch out for noticeable symptoms. These include:
- Itching or irritation in the vagina.
- Abnormal vaginal discharge which is foamy or watery.
- Fish-like odor in your vagina.
- Burning or painful feeling when urinating.
On the other hand, being pregnant, having multiple sexual partners, not using condoms during sexual intercourse, and using douches can increase your risk of contracting BV. Therefore, you must be careful with your sexual activities to prevent catching this vaginal issue.
Fortunately, treating bacterial vaginosis doesn’t have to be complicated. Once you’re diagnosed with BV, your doctor might prescribe some antibiotics to address the problem. However, if you don’t like taking medicines orally, you can apply a cream or gel as long as your doctor prescribes it. Also, you can try taking some feminine health products to reduce the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis.
- Vaginal Yeast Infection
Another vaginal health issue you should take seriously is the yeast infection. It’s typically a fungal infection caused by the overgrowth of the fungus known as Candida. This bacteria lives inside the body, such as in the vagina, without putting your health at risk. However, when there’s an imbalance of bacteria and yeast cells in your vagina, yeast can multiply and lead to intense irritation, itching, and swelling.
To determine if you have a vaginal yeast infection, below are the common symptoms that you should remember from the get-go:
- Burning sensation while urinating.
- Soreness and redness.
- Rashes.
- Itching and swelling around the vagina.
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
- Whitish-gray vaginal discharge.
Like other vaginal health issues, a yeast infection occurs based from several factors such as taking antibiotics to decrease the number of good bacteria in the vagina, a weak immune system, pregnancy, and even stress. Therefore, if you think you experience one or two or more symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection, visit your doctor right away to begin the treatment.
Thankfully, treating this vaginal issue is never difficult. Aside from the oral medications, you can also try some natural remedies such as applying creams or oils to your vagina. But, before doing so, make sure to consult your doctor about it to get the most out of your treatment.
- Trichomoniasis
This is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a parasite and transmissible through unprotected sex. Although it’s the most curable vaginal infection, it can be transferred to anyone even without symptoms. This is probably the reason why using condoms for safe sex is always recommended to avoid contracting STI.
If you have trichomoniasis, you might notice the following symptoms in your vagina:
- Unusual fishy smell and discharge in your vagina.
- Discomfort when urinating.
- Redness, itching, and soreness of your vagina.
- Pelvic pain, although it’s rare.
If you think you’ve contracted this vaginal health issue, you should talk to your doctor immediately for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Remember, when you’re unable to treat trichomoniasis, you have a higher risk of getting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).
Since trichomoniasis isn’t a new sexually transmitted infection, many treatments are available in the market. Up to date antibiotics such as tinidazole and metronidazole remain the most effective way of treating this vaginal problem. On the other hand, you can also try some natural remedies if you’re allergic or resistant to one of the antibiotics. These include pomegranate juice, ginger extract, myrrh, tomato, basil, turmeric, and many more. But, before trying these natural solutions, speak to your doctor first to know if they’re safe.
Conclusion
Indeed, your vagina plays an essential role in your reproductive health. By keeping your vagina happy and healthy, you can also make sure you’re in good general health. So, if you’ve noticed some abnormal symptoms in your vagina, see your doctor immediately and get yourself treated.
Lastly, with the information mentioned above, you’ll know exactly which vaginal problem you have and how to treat it effectively and quickly.
