Why your cookie jar is itching

Research shows that at least three out of four women will get a vaginal discomfort in their lifetime with some getting recurring cases. The leading culprit of this discomfort is often vaginal itching.

Causes of vaginal itching may be different for different women but we all agree that this is uncomfortable for everyone. There are many reasons as to why women get the itchiness in the women-bit from time to time. Some of the common causes are:

Yeast infection

Your vagina has a balanced amount of yeast and bacteria. At times, Lactobacillus bacterial growth does not occur as should be leading to an overgrowth of yeast. This is often referred to as vaginal candidiasis. Yeast infections occur to up to 75% of women and are characterized by itching, but burning, discharge, and pain with urination or intercourse.

Hormonal changes

Most women who are at their menopause and perimenopause (the transition phase just before menopause) undergo a change in hormone production and balance. During this period, estrogen levels drop causing thinning in vaginal tissue and eventually dryness. The dryness in turn escalates to itchiness which causes a great discomfort and is a known reason for less sexual desire in women of this age bracket.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV)

This is a common case of Bacterial overgrowth in the vagina among women of childbearing age. Like noted above, your vagina is composed of both healthy yeast and bacteria. Although some women do not realize when they have BV, most will experience a watery vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor, accompanied by burning and itching around the vaginal area.

Pubic lice

An infestation from pubic lice, one of the bugs that habit in hairy patches feeding on blood, is also a cause of itching around the vagina. Pubic lice (Pthirus pubis), are known to lay their eggs on the coarse hairs of the genital and perianal regions of the human body. Their eggs which take about a week to hatch and saliva are a major cause of itching around the vagina if one is infected. Although they are not known to transmit any disease, the discomfort from itching is definitely unwelcome.

UTIs

Urinary tract infections are common to people of all ages and may be caused by different situations in different people. A urinary tract infection occurs when your urinary track (system that carries liquid waste out of the body in the form of urine) get infected. The urinary track usually consist of kidneys, bladder and urethra. Bladder infections happen when the bladder gets exposed to bacteria. The result is usually a burning sensation while urinating, pain and discharge. This should be addressed fast to prevent further spread to kidney.

Contact dermatitis

This term refers to what occurs when the skin develops an allergic reaction after being exposed to a foreign substance. When this happens, the body releases inflammatory chemicals that can make the skin feel itchy and irritated. The skin of the vulva can be very sensitive and is subject to irritation from products of all manner. Using new creams or wearing new fabric against the vulva can cause this type of irritation and itch even when you have no infection. You are advised to stop use of a new product if it causes this irritation as it could lead to further complications.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

Also known as also called a sexually transmitted infections (STIs), some Sexually transmitted diseases like Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes, Genital warts and Trichomoniasis are known causes of vaginal itchiness. Getting tested for STDs when this itchiness occurs helps you seek cure in time.

While not all vaginal troubles are caused by these factors, most of them come from one or a combination of them. Seeking proper medical attention is key to ensure you do not accelerate the problem by treating the wrong thing.

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