6 Main causes of pain in the vagina

Vaginal pain is common and does not usually mean anything very serious. Because it has varied causes, as soon as the pain begins, attention should be paid to habits and some symptoms, such as pain or burning when urinating, redness in the intimate area, swollen vagina, presence of sores, lumps or warts and bleeding outside the menstrual period.. Thus, as soon as the first symptoms appear, you should go to the gynecologist.

In pregnancy, pain in the vagina is common and poses no risk to the mother or baby. It usually arises from the third trimester, which is when the baby, who is practically formed, starts putting pressure on the mother's organs, especially in the womb, causing pain. See what happens in the third trimester of pregnancy.

1. Use of tight clothing

Wearing tight clothing is often the main cause of pain in the vagina. This is because clothes that are too tight and of synthetic fabric prevent air from entering the woman's intimate area, increasing the temperature and humidity of the place, which favors the proliferation of fungi and bacteria. The consequence of wearing tight clothes is noticed when the woman presents the first symptoms of a urinary or vaginal infection, which are pain and burning when urinating.

What to do: You must go to the gynecologist or urologist to determine the cause and, therefore, to establish treatment. It is advisable to wear lighter clothes, well ventilated and not made of synthetic fabric, in addition to choosing cotton panties. Sleeping without panties is a good alternative, as it prevents the region from spending so much stuffy time.

2. Urinary infections

Women have a high chance of having more than one urinary tract infection in their lifetime. This is because the female urethra is short and the distance between the vagina and anus is small, which favors the migration and proliferation of fungi and bacteria. Urinary infections usually happen when there is no good hygiene of the intimate area or when wearing tight clothes that make the vagina feel stuffy.

A woman with a urinary tract infection usually has a great desire to go to the bathroom, but she cannot eliminate a lot of urine and, in addition, may experience pain, burning or itching in the vagina. Find out what are the symptoms of urinary tract infection.

What to do: When you notice the first symptoms of urinary tract infection, you should go to the urologist or gynecologist so that you can identify the agent causing the infection and start treatment. In addition, it is important to pay attention to the hygiene of the intimate region. Treatment is usually done with antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or ciprofloxacin, for example.

Some natural remedies can help prevent and treat urinary tract infection, but they do not exclude the use of antibiotics. Learn more about home treatment for urinary tract infection.

3. Allergic reactions

Some women have increased sensitivity to some products, such as soap, fabric softener used to wash panties, tampons, toilet paper or some type of condom. Allergic reactions can be noticed from swelling, redness, itching, pain or burning in the vagina.

What to do: It is important to identify what causes the allergy and avoid using this product. The gynecologist may recommend the use of some medication, such as anti-inflammatory ointments, which should be used in the region that has been sensitized.

4. Sexually transmitted diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are diseases caused by microorganisms and that can happen through unprotected intimate contact and when you have more than one partner in the same period of time. STDs are manifested by redness, small wounds, lumps or warts in the intimate region, burning when urinating, vaginal discharge and pain in the vagina. Find out what are the main symptoms of STDs in women.

What to do: In the presence of symptoms that are indicative of STDs, you should go to the gynecologist to confirm the diagnosis, by evaluating the symptoms or observing the genitals, and that appropriate treatment is started. Usually treatment is done with the use of antibiotics, antifungals or antivirals depending on the microorganism causing the disease.

Although some STDs are curable with treatment, it is important to use a condom during sexual intercourse and avoid intimate contact with more than one partner. Learn all about STDs.

5. Presence of cysts

Some cysts can alter the anatomy of the vagina and lead to pain, such as the ovarian cyst, which is a fluid-filled pouch that forms inside or around the ovary. In addition to the ovarian cyst, some cysts in the vagina can also cause pain, such as Bartholin's cyst and Skene's cyst, which are cysts formed in glands that are located in the vagina. Learn more about Bartholin's cyst and inflammation in the Skene gland.

What to do: When you notice vaginal bleeding outside the menstrual period, pain during intimate contact, difficulty getting pregnant, delayed menstruation or pain in the vagina, you should go to the gynecologist, as it may be a cyst.

The treatment indicated by the doctor varies according to the size of the cyst and can be recommended from the use of birth control pills to the indication of surgery to remove the cyst or uterus. Learn how to identify and how to treat the ovarian cyst.

6. Dryness of the vagina

Dryness of the vagina usually occurs by decreasing the production of estrogen, which is a female hormone, and is more common to happen during menopause. When there is little mucus production, a woman may experience pain in the vagina, usually during sexual intercourse.

What to do: To reduce the discomfort caused by the dry vagina, lubricants can be used to facilitate sexual intercourse, use vaginal moisturizers or even make hormonal replacement according to medical advice.

7. Vaginismus

Pain and extreme difficulty in penetrating the vagina can be vaginismus, a rare disease, but of little public knowledge, which can be caused by physical factors, due to genital diseases, or psychological, which can involve sexual abuse, traumatic birth or surgery, for example.

What to do: To find out if she really has vaginismus, a woman should go to the gynecologist and seek guidance, because there is treatment, which can be done with drugs and therapies that can help improve intimate contact. Learn other symptoms, causes and treatments for vaginismus.

When to go to the doctor

It is important to go to the gynecologist when the pain in the vagina recurs and when you have any of the following symptoms:

• Pain or burning sensation when urinating; Swollen vagina; Redness; Itching; Appearance of sores, warts or lumps in the vagina; Bleeding outside the menstrual period.

In addition to going to the doctor, it is important to always perform good hygiene of the intimate area and avoid wearing warm clothes.