See also: anal itching - itching in pregnancy
The vaginal itching is a sense of tingling or irritation to the external genitals (vulva) and vagina, which can take pleasant or extremely annoying tones.
Causes
Generally, vaginal itching is a disorder of multiple etiology; this means that most of the time it recognizes different causes of origin, including a certain psychological component.
Intimate itching is one of the characteristic symptoms of many sexually transmitted diseases or other vaginal infections. These include candida - a disease caused by the homonymous fungus, which is accompanied by dense and whitish vaginal discharge, similar to dairy products - and trichomoniasis, in which vaginal discharge takes on a foamy, yellowish-greenish appearance and sometimes turns out to be bad smell.
Other causes of vaginal itching with a predominantly organic etiology are represented by diabetes, hormonal or nutritional alterations that lead to craurosis, by menopause (in response to the decrease in estrogen the vaginal wall becomes drier and thinner), from pregnancy (again hormonal alterations can modify the vaginal microenvironment, triggering an annoying itch sensation), vaginitis, bartholinitis, pinworms ("worms" of children), bacterial vaginosis and a certain allergic sensitivity to particular garments, medicaments or detergents ( including those used to wash underwear).
Lastly, let us remember that a diet particularly rich in sugar, diabetes itself, stress, the use of antibiotics or estroprogestinic contraceptives and the weakness of the immune system can cause candida, from a normal diner, to turn into an opportunistic parasite, determining - among other things - also an annoying vaginal itching.
Care and prevention
See also: Medications for the treatment of Vaginal Itching - Remedies for vaginal itching
To keep the vaginal flora in balance is important:
properly clean intimate areas. Both poor personal hygiene and obsessive cleansing contribute to altering the local microflora. We recommend the use of a soap with physiological pH (4 or 5), while intimate deodorants and internal washes should be limited.
Avoid wearing synthetic underwear, such as jeans and pants that are too tight, as they retain moisture and heat, creating favorable conditions for the development of harmful microorganisms. The same goes for the panty liners, which should be changed frequently in the days of flow.
The continued rubbing of the garment against the genitals can also cause local irritation and itching. For this reason it is advisable to choose cotton, which guarantees better transpiration than synthetic fibers.
Always use condoms in occasional sexual intercourse; if an infection is suspected (indicated by symptoms such as vaginal itching and bad smelling losses) sexual rest is important until the medical diagnosis and, if this is positive, until the end of any antibiotic therapy. Always extend care to your partner, even if symptom-free.
Avoid the common use of towels and underwear, at home, in the hotel, or in any other condition.
Avoid staying long with the wet swimsuit.
When they dry and clean the private parts, you should always perform a movement that proceeds from the front to back and not vice versa. This is to avoid the easy and risky transport of bacteria from the rectum to the vagina.
Follow a healthy and balanced diet (in particular, reduce the consumption of sweets and simple sugars - see candida diet -); occasionally giving oneself regenerating breaks and practicing regular physical exercise; these small attentions to one's body will be rewarded with better immune efficacy.
The vaginal itching can stimulate the need to scratch the affected areas to try to mitigate it; however, it is important to strive to resist the stimulus so as not to further aggravate the problem. If itching is present, during sexual intercourse it is good to use a condom, to avoid contracting or transmitting venereal diseases, and possibly a lubricant to avoid aggravating discomfort and itching.
Physiological vaginal discharge appears white, transparent and filamentous, with an unpleasant odor and dissociated from vaginal and vulvar itching. If the secretions have strange characteristics, such as bad smell, abnormal color (yellowish, greyish, greenish, reddish), creamy or frothy appearance, it is important to bring them to medical attention as soon as possible.
