Vagina itching can be irritating, frustrating and embarrassing. Determining the precise cause guides physicians to the correct treatment. The signs and symptoms of the underlying disorder are often similar, but there are sometimes visual differences that will help diagnosis the problem.
Vaginitis
Vagina inflammation, also called vaginitis, might result in itching, pain and discharge, according to the Mayo Clinic. Vaginitis occurs from an alteration in the normal pH balance in the vagina, which often results from a vaginal infection, invasion of bacteria or low estrogen levels.
The four common types of vaginitis are bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, trichmoniasis and atrophic vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis occurs from the overgrowth of organisms naturally found in the vagina and can be spread during sexual intercourse, although it is not always sexually transmitted. The Mayo Clinic says yeast infections occur from the fungus Candida albaicans and results from a change in the environment surrounding the vagina or internal changes, such as a new medication, uncontrolled diabetes and hormonal changes. A microscopic parasite causes trichomoniasis and spreads through sexual intercourse but shows no symptoms in men. Atrophic vaginitis results from reduced estrogen levels after menopause, thus causing vaginal tissues to thin and dry out. Noninfectious vaginitis occurs because of an allergic reaction to soaps, perfumes and spermicidal products.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is a contagious infection that passes from one infected person to another through intimate contact, states "Understanding Medical Surgical Nursing" by Linda Williams and Paula Hopper. A variety of STDs cause vulvovaginitis, an inflammation of the vulva and vagina that results in itching, redness, burning, pain, excoriation and swelling of the labia and vagina. Some microorganisms that cause vulvovaginitis might produce an odorous, colored discharge with a variety of consistencies.
Parasite Infestation
Genital parasites can spread person to person through close body contact, infected linens and clothes. The most common parasites to affect the vagina are public lice (also known as crabs and pediculosis pubis) and Saroptes scabiei (commonly referred to as scabies), says Williams and Hopper. Lice and scabies both cause vaginal redness and itching. Scabies also causes bumps or tracks on the skin where they burrow in the skin and lay eggs. Pediculosis pubis itching can range from mild to severe and intensifies at night. Lice also leaves gray-blue areas on the skin as a result of the parasite's saliva combining with the bilirubin in the blood, according to Williams and Hopper.
References
- The Mayo Clinic: Vaginitis
- "Understanding Medical Surgical Nursing"; Linda Williams and Paula Hopper; 2003
