A little less of an inflammation, a little more than just a passing itch. An irritation can be symptomatic of an infection or other ailments typical of mature age. Here are which ones.
This article was written in collaboration with our doctors and specialists who have checked all the information
Among the various ailments connected with menopause there is one that is particularly annoying because often the reason is not understood. It is that vaginal irritation of which you would like to know the cause, as well as get rid of the discomfort.
If you realize that it is not a passing thing , it is good that you ask yourself about the causes because it could be an inflammation, perhaps resulting from an overly aggressive intimate cleanser , from synthetic underwear, from specific products that you use and that could bother you.
A recurrent vaginal irritation could be the signal of an infection or of Vulvo Vaginal Atrophy, a true pathological condition that affects 1 in 2 women in menopause and which causes thinning and fragility of the vulvar tissues which therefore become more sensitive and easily irritable .
Vaginal irritation: be careful if you also have these signs
Vaginal irritation and discharge
When in addition to irritation there are also whitish, yellowish or otherwise non-bloody discharge , it is usually an infection.
Infections can be caused by various factors: they can result from fungi, such as candida albicans which affects many women, from bacteria (one of the most common is Gardnerella), or be sexually transmitted (Trichomonas vaginitis), and then c is vaginal herpes.
The most characteristic symptom of bacterial vaginosis is abundant, foul-smelling and greyish discharge, which must be an alarm bell for you. In these cases it is necessary to intervene with specific treatments prescribed by your doctor, but it is also advisable to adopt targeted behaviors, for example using cotton underwear and limiting the use of panty liners, if the cycle has not yet completely disappeared, and even at the level preventive you must pay close attention to intimate hygiene and the products you use, then avoiding keeping the wet or damp swimsuit on for a long time.
Find more specific information in these articles:
- Candida albicans
- Cervicovaginitis
- Gardnerella
- Trichomoniasis
- Vulvar vestibulitis
The irritation could be indicative , for example, of a contact dermatitis or a vulvar dermatosis but the discomfort you feel could be attributable to an infection that generally occurs also with burning, pain, itching and vaginal discharge .
Irritation and blood loss
When the losses are of a blood nature, more or less concentrated, then it could be a cystitis especially if the irritation is also associated with intense itching and pain on urination . These are the typical signs of this infection which, in menopause, can also present itself after intimate intercourse precisely because the change in hormonal balances lowers the genital defenses.
If, on the other hand, the blood loss is not accompanied by the typical symptoms of cystitis, it is even more advisable to listen first to the other signals that the body sends and then book a visit to your trusted gynecologist: it could be Vulvo Vaginal Atrophy .
Intimate Irritation and Vulvo Vaginal Atrophy
The answer to your questions could be yet another, if you are in menopause and in addition to irritation you also feel:
- vaginal dryness
- itching and burning
- difficulty urinating
- pain in sexual intercourse
These are precisely the typical disorders of Vulvo Vaginal Atrophy: they can occur together or separately and with a different intensity, from mild to severe, and can cause stress, limit your quality of life and even your sexual activity.
You don’t need to be alarmed because the AVV has a specific cause. In menopause, with the decrease in estrogen, a kind of involution of the mucous membranes and vulvo-vaginal tissues occurs . If during the fertile age the tone of the vaginal walls was stimulated by estrogens that made the walls soft, elastic and distensible, now, due to hormonal changes, there is a thinning, a loss of elasticity and therefore a stiffening of these walls . In the long run, and if Vulvo Vaginal Atrophy is not properly followed by a gynecologist, the vaginal canal is likely to shrink, shorten and the vaginal surface can become delicate andbleeding easily due to the presence of many very small lesions , while the vulvar area becomes atrophic and also vulnerable to infections.
Despite the great diffusion of Vulvo Vaginal Atrophy (1 woman out of 2 postmenopausal) , women are unlikely to reveal these disorders and if you too are among those who prefer not to talk about these topics because they concern the intimate sphere for which you do not feel free to open up with someone, remember that telling your gynecologist about the symptoms early and evaluating with him the therapy that best suits your needs and your lifestyle is very important, because vulvo vaginal atrophy is a chronic and progressive condition that can be manage them by limiting the annoyances and the impact on intimate life.
Going to a doctor is important, both to perform any targeted tests and examinations, and to understand who is the real responsible for your ailments and return to having a pleasant and satisfying daily life .
