Monday, February 1, 2010

Vaginal Pain

It’s a little known fact but most women, at least 75% will experience a yeast infection at least once in their lifetimes, and most will experience recurrent yeast infections. If you suffer from a yeast infection then you know that vaginal pain can be one of the symptoms.

Other symptoms besides vaginal pain include vaginal itching, a burning sensation, a rash, soreness of the vagina, redness around the affected area, and sometimes even a slight swelling in or around the vagina.

These are all common symptoms of yeast infections, and you might experience some of them, all of them, or none of them. This depends to a great extent on your present overall health, your susceptibility towards the yeast infection and the severity of the yeast infection.

Vaginal pain can also herald pain when urinating and pain during sexual intercourse. If your vaginal pain is severe in either of these cases, you should consult with your doctor immediately to see what relief might be available to you.

You should be aware also that some people have adverse reactions to medications like Monistat which are used to treat yeast infections. A lot of people have no reactions but it has been reported that some people might experience vaginal pain or a burning sensation.

In fact continued use of these drugs if you experience such a reaction can make your vaginal pain worse. As an alternative you have the choice of using herbal remedies to treat your vaginal pain but you should do so only if you’re certain you want to, and if you’re not taking any other medications.

If you are taking other medication for either a yeast infection or other medical conditions you should ideally check with your physician to ascertain whether your remedies will react with each other.

In most cases the home remedies for yeast infection are harmless and are the product of common sense, but it always pays to be cautious. For instance remedies utilizing such things as yogurt or garlic are fairly harmless unless you’re allergic to any of these.

You can include these in your daily diet to help get rid of vaginal pain, but if you’re seeking immediate relief you can smear your vagina with unsweetened yogurt to dull the vaginal pain.

Or you also have the option of using a peeled garlic clove wrapped in gauze and tied with a length of unwaxed dental floss. You then insert this into your vagina like a tampon with a piece of the dental floss dangling to be able to pull out the gauze.

And if these don’t work you could always try using a vinegar douche to rid you of your vaginal pain. Douching isn’t normally recommended, but in the case if yeast infections, it can be beneficial if used properly.

You’ll want to use 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to 1 quart of water for the vinegar douche. These are all viable methods for dealing with vaginal pain, and yeast infections.

Vaginal Odor

A side effect of yeast infections which you might notice is vaginal odor. This can come about as a result of the vaginal discharge which is a common symptom of yeast infections.

This can be cleared up speedily if the yeast infection is also cleared up. Unlike the old school of thought douches are not needed to get rid of vaginal odor. And although douches have been known to cause many a problem of the vagina there are still quite a few women who use them to get rid of vaginal odor.

In actual fact the vagina needs no such help. The only time that there will be a strong unpleasant vaginal odor is when there is a medical condition such as a yeast infection. There are some method to cure home remedy for yeast infection this can help wash away strong odor or in some cases when a woman is menstruating.

And even in this last case the odor is not necessarily a vaginal odor, but is instead is the odor of dried blood and the discarded byproduct from the ovaries. The vagina itself normally holds a musky odor that is unique to every woman.

Many people aren’t aware of this, or refuse to believe this, but the vagina is self cleaning organ and needs no outside help.

By using such things as industrial douches, scented feminine hygiene products, and vaginal deodorant sprays to ensure of the elimination vaginal odor, you are in fact destroying the delicate balance of the vagina.

Douches for instance will rid you of any perceived vaginal odor, and flush out anything and everything that’s residing in the vagina including the good bacteria which is needed to keep the vagina in balance. This is why douching on a regular basis is bad for you.

The use of scented feminine hygiene products like scented pads, panty liners and tampons, although might seem harmless, in the long run it can be quite detrimental. Since these products all stay in intimate contact with your vagina there can be a buildup of infection causing bacteria which can also lead to an imbalance.

This is especially true of tampons. If tampons are left in the vagina long periods of time during menstruation, the accumulation of blood left to ferment in the humidity of the vagina can lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), as a result of certain types of bacteria forming.

The purpose of the scented tampon – to mask the unpleasant vaginal odor – is also lost if the tampon is left for long periods of time. Vaginal deodorants will also only work for a short period of time at masking vaginal odor. In the long run these deodorants will destroy the vaginal balance creating even more problems.

The moral of the story then, is that although you might believe that you have a vaginal odor, this is not necessarily the case unless you’re suffering from a medical condition of which vaginal odor is a symptom of yeast infection. A woman’s natural vaginal odor can be pleasant and musky, and not at all revolting as you might be led to believe.

Vaginal Itching

Vaginal itching cause by yeast infection can be a terrible thing and something that most women would prefer to avoid like the plague. Unfortunately due to any number of reasons this just isn’t possible. Many women suffer from vaginal itching and at the most unfortunate and uncomfortable of times as well.

Since it’s not exactly possible to go around itching your vagina in public, most have to settle for suffering in silence, or resorting to a little flexing of inner muscles in the hope that some relief can be had.

For some women the yeast infection reason of vaginal itching is so unbearable they have to seek relief in anyway possible, and this might involve a quick trip to the ladies room to give in to a bout of maddened itching.

Relief for vaginal itching can come in many forms, but one of the easiest things you can do is to use some Aloe Vera to help you. If you’re able to use some fresh Aloe Vera juice and apply to the affected area. You can either use your fingertips to do this or you can soak a piece of cotton wool in the juice and apply it that way.

Alternately for itching, you can also use powdered Slippery Elm bark. This will need to be purchased from a store which sells herbs. Mix this powder with a little water to form a paste and apply to the affected area much as you did with the Aloe Vera juice.

Another good remedy to put a stop to unbearable vaginal itching is to use a yogurt tampon. Dip the tampon into a tub of unsweetened yogurt and then insert into the vagina.

Alternately you could freeze some yogurt in the fingers of disposable gloves, and use these as frozen yogurt tampons which you would then insert into your vagina.

You also have the option of using a vinegar sitz bath to relieve your vaginal itching. You will need to fill the bathtub hip deep with water and add ½ a cup of apple cider vinegar to this. Sit in the tub with your legs widespread until the water has cooled.

Or you could try using a Tea Tree oil soaked tampon instead. You’ll need to use an applicator tampon to make this easier.

First coat the top half of the tampon in a lubricant of your choice, then add a few drops of Tea Tree oil to it, and insert the tampon into the vagina. The lubricant was added merely to stop the Tea Tree oil from soaking into the tampon.

By using these home remedies for yeast infection you can make vaginal itching a thing if the past, along with those secret flexes and grinding of the pelvis into the seat as you change position, as are mad dashes to the ladies room.

All of these have been proven to work to stop vaginal itching, but if you feel the need please consult your physician before embarking on the usage of any one of these remedies.

Vaginal Rash

A vaginal rash is nothing to laugh about and it can at the best of times be an irritant and at the worst of times, it can be quite painful. Many women suffer from vaginal rash and it can come in the guise of many different conditions such as yeast infections, herpes, genital warts, and trichomoniasis.

Although something like yeast infection isn’t all that serious, if you have a vaginal rash due to herpes or even genital warts it can be the precursor to some other condition. And since you don’t know this for certain until you have a proper medical examination, this should be the first thing on your list of things to do, along with an abstinence from sexual intercourse.

To many people this might seem difficult but if your vaginal rash is severe, you will be only too glad to abstain until you become healthier as you can experience some pain during sexual intercourse.

There’s also the chance that you might pass your infection on to your partner through sexual intercourse. And although the use of protection such as a condom is recommended, there’s still a good chance that it might not be enough and that the infection will be passed on.

Another thing that you might want to be aware of if you have a vaginal rash is that you might experience pain or burning when urinating, have an intense itching sensation, and in the case of yeast infection you might even have some vaginal discharge.

There’s also the possibility that your vaginal area will become sore and tender, and in some cases it can turn quite red and angry looking. These are all symptoms of vaginal rash and depending on each person they could experience all, only one or some, or even none of the symptoms. In some cases there will also be additional symptoms present for with a vaginal rash.

There are treatments available for vaginal rash and they range from the prescription to over-the-counter to herbal or home remedies. What treatment you take depends to a large amount on your preference, the exact nature of your vaginal rash, your overall health, and the recommendations from your doctor.

Also, if you don’t get your vaginal rash examined by medical personnel, and decide instead to treat it yourself with either over-the-counter medications or natural home remedies for yeast infection, you should be aware that potential problems can arise.

The most serous of these problems is the fact that while you may treating a yeast infection or something similar, in reality your vaginal rash may be as a result of something else.

What this signifies is that your body will become used to the medication that you’re using and when it comes time to use it for the necessary condition, the medication won’t work. So if you suspect that you might have a vaginal rash consult your physician to get a correct diagnosis.

Vaginal Sores

Vaginal sores can be a symptom of yeast infections, or another vaginal problem such as genital warts. Since it might be difficult to know whether you have vaginal sores, you will only have other symptoms to go by so these should be heeded and attended to by a qualified physician.

Again, the problem with vaginal sores is that since you have to rely on other symptoms to warn you of this, you might very well ignore these other symptoms thereby causing your vaginal sores to become worse and in some cases, spread.

Symptoms to indicate that you might have vaginal sores include, but are not limited to itching in and around the vaginal area, tenderness, soreness, a burning sensation, pain during sexual intercourse, possible pain during urination, and maybe an outer rash or redness on the vulva or outer lips.

If you have any or all of these indications you could have vaginal sores, or you could be suffering from some other medical condition. This is why it’s always good to have these looked at by trained medical personnel.

Another problem that arises with such things as vaginal sores stands for reason of yeast infection is that quite a lot of people are embarrassed about their condition and won’t seek medical help. While all this is very admirable from a social standpoint, it can be potentially dangerous for you to ignore such blatant symptoms as those mentioned earlier.

You’re much better off leaving your social graces and conditionings behind you and getting then necessary treatments for your vaginal sores. Additionally, by going in for a medical checkup you have the option having a pap smear performed which can give you a much better idea as to what you might be suffering from.

Especially in cases such as vaginal sores, a pap smear will be better able to identify the reason behind the vaginal sores appearing. For this procedure a speculum will be inserted into your vagina and widened so as to open the mouth of the vagina.

This facilitates a specimen gathering brush – sort of like a long cotton bud – to be inserted into your vagina where it will take a small swab of the surrounding vaginal walls. This specimen will then be sent off to testing and come back later in the form of report which you will then be informed about by your doctor.

It might sound like something out of a torture chamber but it’s all very simple and fast and over before you know it. A pap smear can also show you whether you have anything more serious than vaginal sores. With this knowledge you can then begin treatment home remedy for yeast infection of your vaginal sores.

Vaginal Yeast Infection

When a woman suffers from a vaginal yeast infection it’s not because she has a choice, it’s because her normal bodily balance has gone out of synch, which in turn creates a hospitable environment in the vagina for the yeast producing bacteria to thrive.

The reason that a vaginal yeast infection is more common than any other type of yeast infection is due to the fact that the vagina is the perfect place for these little bacteria to grow.

In fact, even when the body is in balance there are yeast producing bacteria present in the vagina. The Candida Albicans bacteria are normally controlled and kept to a minimum by the immune system and the good bacteria.

When something goes wrong however and the balance of the vagina is thrown off track, the Candida Albicans bacteria can take over and create ever more masses of yeast, which in turn leads to a vaginal yeast infection.

Which is why, really, you should ideally try to keep your body in as balanced and healthy condition as possible. This means that to even think about giving your immune system a fighting chance to win out against a vaginal yeast infection, many women turn to such home remedies for yeast infection as yogurt to aid them.

The unsweetened yogurt uses the live lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria cultures to fight to off the Candida Albicans bacteria. In other words you’re sending in reinforcements to fight the good fight.

This is also why many women use the unsweetened yogurt directly instead of orally. In other words they smear their vagina with the stuff so that the good bacteria, the lactobacillus acidophilus, has only a hop skip and a jump to get into the thick of things so to speak.

Besides which, by applying the yogurt directly to the vaginal yeast infection, relief from the burning and itching sensations are almost immediate, and that’s definitely worth the fuss and the mess with the yogurt.

After applying the yogurt, which can be done in a number of ways, you should then look into setting your body back on track by aiding and abetting it in the guise of dietary changes.

Since a vaginal yeast infection, will thrive on such foods containing sugars and sweeteners you should really stay away from these, along with foods containing carbohydrates, yeasty foods, and fermented foods.

You should also try and stay away from such things as red meats and alcohols. And along with what you shouldn’t eat for a vaginal yeast infection, there are also foods which you should eat, and these include whole grains, brown rice, plenty of vegetables, unsweetened yogurt, and garlic to name but a few.

Yeast Allergy

Since a rose by any other name is still a rose, it stands to reason that a yeast infection by any other name is still a yeast infection, or rather, a yeast allergy. You could take this to mean that you have an allergy to all things yeast and that you can’t have it any form, but in this instance yeast allergy is aimed more towards internal yeast problems which can affect your health.

So, yes, in a way it is an allergy of sorts to yeast. And yes, you should also ideally stay away from such things as foods containing yeast, and fermented foods. This also includes alcohols, especially such things as beers and wines, if you suffer from a yeast allergy.

Yeast allergy sufferers should also stay away from such things as red meats, refined foods, and mushrooms. Sugars and sweeteners along with carbohydrates should also be avoided.

And just as there are foods that you should stay away from if you have a yeast allergy, there are also foods which you should include in your diet if have a yeast allergy.

These foods include vegetables, chicken, brown rice, millet and buckwheat as well as citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit, vinegar, garlic, cranberries, and yogurt or curd.

Then again you can also include in your yeast allergy diet things like cinnamon and oregano as well. And if you’re looking at herbal remedies for a yeast allergy, you have no need to look any further than Echinacea, Tea Tree oil, Slippery Elm, Aloe, Goldenseal, Yarrow, Comfrey, Sage and Raspberry.

You also have the option of using Mullein, Pau D’arco, Black Walnut hull, Calendula, and Myrrh. The world of herbs in relation to a yeast allergy doesn’t end there either. There are many herbs available which can boost a flagging immune system and help to rid your body of yeast producing bacteria that is a reason for yeast infection.

Besides the use of herbs and dietary changes in the fight against a yeast allergy, you also have the option of using prescription medications and over the counter medications. Both these methods can yield results in the case of a yeast allergy.

Or you have the option of using preventative measures to help keep a yeast allergy at bay. Home remedies for yeast infection; this is especially useful if you suffer from recurrent yeast allergies.

Preventative measures includes abstaining from sexual intercourse if you or your partner are suffering from a yeast allergy, wearing loose fitting clothing so that the infected area isn’t constricted, and also avoiding douches, scented feminine hygiene products and sprays.