Healthy Vagina
The vagina is a closed muscular canal that connects the vulva (the external female genital area) with the cervix (the neck of the uterus). The vagina is just as important as any other body part of a woman, and should also be kept healthy. Fertility, sexual desire, and ability to reach orgasm can all be affected by vaginal problems.
Having vaginal health issues can affect your self-confidence, and cause stress or problems between you and your partner. Make sure you have optimal vaginal health; know what you can do to keep your vagina healthy, and watch out for symptoms that could be signs of any problem. Various factors can affect your vaginal health, and they include:
- Unprotected sex. You can contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs) if you don’t have any form of protection during sex.
- Forceful sex or injury to the pelvic area. These can result in vaginal trauma or micro-tears in the vagina.
- Health conditions or treatments. Endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) are just some of the conditions that might cause painful sex.
- Antibiotics. Taking certain antibiotics can increase the risk of vaginal yeast infection.
- Contraceptives and feminine-hygiene products. Barrier contraceptives such as condoms can irritate the vagina. Feminine-hygiene products can cause imbalances in the vagina’s natural environment and pH level, and make it easier for infections to set.
- Pregnancy and childbirth. While you are pregnant, you will have increased vaginal discharge, but you will not have your monthly menstruation until your baby is born. Vaginal tears and decreased muscle tone in the vagina are relatively common if you have a vaginal delivery during childbirth.
- Psychological issues. Anxiety and depression can contribute to a decreased level of sexual arousal, and lead to uncomfortable or painful sex. Trauma such as sexual abuse or a painful sexual experience in the past can cause pain associated with sex.
- Hormone levels. Hormones play an important role in sexual arousal; changes in hormone levels can affect your vagina and arousal. For example, estrogen levels decline after menopause and while breastfeeding. This can cause thinner vaginal lining and sparse lubrication, which can make sex painful.
Normal Vaginal Discharge
Just as how a mouth produces saliva, a healthy vagina produces its own secretions to cleanse and regulate itself. These are normal vaginal discharge, and should not be interfered with because disrupting the delicate balance of vaginal secretions makes it easier to develop vaginal infections.
There are a few reasons why the vagina produces normal discharge: it cleanses and moistens the vagina, and helps prevent or fight infections. The color, texture, and amount of vaginal fluids may vary throughout the menstrual cycle—this is normal, but there are some changes in discharge that may be signs of a problem.
Knowing the differences between normal and abnormal vaginal discharge will help you watch out over yours for any indication of a problem. Normal vaginal fluids are usually thin, sticky, and elastic, or they can be thick and gooey, and their color should be clear, white, or off-white.
Vaginal Infection
Candidiasis (yeast infection), bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis are some of the common vaginal infections that cause abnormal vaginal discharge with or without having sex, while gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can also cause changes in vaginal discharge. Consult a doctor as soon as possible if you notice any changes in your vaginal discharge or if you think you have a problem.
Yeast Infection
Candidiasis, or commonly known as yeast infection, may make your discharge very white and thick, like cottage cheese. It usually does not make your discharge have a strong odor, but it may cause severe itching and a burning sensation.
Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) may make your discharge thin and grayish, and have an unpleasant, fishy smell.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a common STI that often makes the vagina itchy, and urinating painful. Discharge becomes yellow-green and frothy, and have a strong odor.
Tips For A Healthy Vagina
- Always wipe gently from front to back after using the toilet. Doing so will prevent your vagina from getting any bacteria from the rectal area.
- Underwear during the day should ideally be cotton because the material lets your genital area “breathe.” Wearing underwear at night is not recommended.
- Avoid wearing tight pants, leggings, swimsuits, and sports pants for long periods.
- Change your laundry detergent or fabric softener to a gentler one if you think it irritates your genital area.
- Find out what condom and lube works best for you because some latex and gels may cause irritation for you.
- Take a bath daily, and pat your genital area dry before wearing clothes.
- Don’t use feminine-hygiene products inside your vagina. This may cause imbalances in the natural vaginal environment.
- Avoid using feminine hygiene sprays/washes, colored or perfumed toilet paper, or perfumed pads or tampons.
Sources:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/vaginal-infection-types/
https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/sexual-health-vaginal-infections#1
Tanong ko lng po Kung bakit sobra hapdi sa loob ng a king pwerta hindi ko nmn po eto kinakamot! Narramdaman ko lamang eto pagktpos ko mkpagtalik ng 2 araw! Para po ako binabalisawsaw tapos kapag umihi po ako ay mahapdi pagktpos! Anu po ang dapat ko gawin? Hapdi lamang po s loob ng pwerta ko ang narramdaman ko. Salamat po
Hi Jonna! Posibleng kakulangan sa pampadulas at ang priksyon ang sanhi ng hapdi pagkatapos makipagtalik. Baka makatulong ang paggamit ng water-based lubricant gaya ng EZ Lubricating Jelly sa susunod na makipagtalik.
goodday po. ano po kayang pwede kong gawin.. may parang hiwa o punit po sa gilid ng aking ari. sobrang hapdi at masakit po..
Hi Rhian! Ang mga maliliit na sugat sa pwerta ay karaniwang kusang naghihilom sa loob ng ilang araw. Mainam na umiwas muna magtalik at huwag hawakan ang sugat. Siguraduhin rin na palaging malinis ang ari – hugasan ito araw-araw gamit ang maligamgam na tubig, at dahan-dahan dampiin para matuyo bago magsuot ng malinis na panty. Kung umabot ito higit sa isang linggo, lumala pa, nagdugo, nakakaranas pa ng ibang sintomas, at nakakasagabal na sa araw-araw na gawain, mainam na magkonsulta na sa obgyne kaagad ukol dito
Hi,itatanung ko lang po sana during sex po kase posible ba magkaroon nga pasa ang gilid ng ari nga babae. kase yun akin na untog sa buto ng partner ko nag karoon ng bilog tapos masakit hanggan sa lumaki nag karoon nga discoloration . parang pasa. Nag shave kase ako. nag try ako ng warm compress nawala yung bukol pero yung discoloration jan parin. Need ko na ba mag pa check up sa OB?
Hi Rica! Kung pasa ito, kusa po itong maghihilom sa loob ng ilang araw. Sa ngayon, obserbahan kung ito ba ay lumala o nakakaranas ka ng iba pang sintomas. Kung oo, mainam na magpasuri na sa OBGYN.
Anu po kayang mabisang lunas para sa pangangati ng loob ng pwerta ng aking anak na 9 year old. Matagal na yun 7 year old palang po ng magsimula. May lumalabas din po sa kanya na parang sipon.
Hi Auring! Normal lang pong lumikha ng vaginal discharge ang katawan. Basahin rin po ito. https://doitright.ph/tl/gabay-sa-mga-kulay-ng-vaginal-discharge/
Araw-araw po ba siya naghuhugas ng ari at nagpapalit ng panty? Siguraduhin na palaging malinis ang ari – hugasan ito araw-araw gamit ang maligamgam na tubig, at dahan-dahan dampiin para matuyo bago magsuot ng malinis na panty. Iwasan ang pagkakamot sa ari at ang pagsuot ng masisikip na damit. Subukan niyo rin po palitan ang sabon panlaba ng mga panty dahil baka hindi siya hiyang dito.
hi po tanong kulang po ano itong nangyari sa aking ari kasi po namamaga po siya at masakit yung right side lng po ng aking ari ang namamaga ang kabila po ay hindi. maskakit po siya hindi ako makaayos maglakad at higda kasi maskit siya. yung pamamaga po ay kulay pula na parang ito ay hinog na. malaki po ang right side ng aking ari. hindi ko po alam kung napano ito, sa pagkakaalam ko po ay nuong last saturday nabangga po ang aking ari sa pintuan ng malakas kaya masakit siya. at nong linggo ng umaga masakit parin siya at hanggang palaki ng palaki na yung right side ng aking ari
Hi Mirasol! Doktor lang po ang makakasuri sa inyo. Mabuting makipag-ugnay na kaagad sa obgyn ukol dito o magpunta sa malapit na health center para makita ang sanhi at mapayuhan ka kung ano ang angkop na solusyon para sa iyong sitwasyon.
hello po ang aking ari nangangati po madlas tapos kalaunan nagiging mahapdi na sya kasi knkamot ko sia sobrang makita po sia ngpipills po ako ng excluton kasi ngpapadede ako dati namn ay hindi ako nangangati ngayon ngayon lng po ano po ang dpt kong gawin hndi dn po ako mkpnta ng hospital para mkpgpacheck dhl sa covid
Hi Grace! May ilang posibleng sanhi ng pangangati ng ari, kasama na rito ay ang pagbabago sa mga antas ng hormon, ilang mga impeksyon o kaya’y paggamit ng sabon o femine wash na hindi ka hiyang. Araw-araw siguraduhin na malinis ang ari. Hugasan ito gamit ang malinis at maligamgam na tubig, at dahan-dahan dampiin para matuyo bago magsuot ng malinis na panty. Iwasan rin ang madalas at matagal na pagsuot ng masisikip na damit, at huwag pong kakamutin ang ari dahil mapapalala mo ito.
hi, itatanung ko lang po if bkt makatj at mahapdi sa loob ng aking ari? at ang aking kaibigan babae nmn po ay nagpasok ng (pipino) sa kanyang ari anu po kayang sakit ang pwedeng makuha dto, salamat po .
Hi Rizza! Ang mga gulay tulad ng pipino ay maaaring magpasok ng mga mikrobyo sa ari, na puwedeng magsanhi sa impeksyon. Mainam na gumamit na lang ng sex toy dahil ito’y mas ligtas at nilikha talaga para gamitin sa ari. Ang pangangati at hapdi rin po ay maaaring sanhi ng pagstretch ng ari nung may ipinasok dito. Maaaring nagresulta rin ito sa maliliit na sugat kaya makati at mahapdi. Ang mga maliliit na sugat sa pwerta ay karaniwang kusang naghihilom sa loob ng ilang araw. Mainam na umiwas muna magtalik at huwag hawakan ang sugat. Siguraduhin rin na palaging malinis ang ari – hugasan ito araw-araw gamit ang maligamgam na tubig, at dahan-dahan dampiin para matuyo bago magsuot ng malinis na panty. Kung umabot ito higit sa isang linggo, lumala pa, nagdugo, nakakaranas pa ng ibang sintomas, at nakakasagabal na sa araw-araw na gawain, mainam na magkonsulta na sa obgyne kaagad ukol dito.