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
Last january 2020 po nagpapsmear po ako at transvigal ultrasound po ako jun kc sumasakit po puson ko po nun ok nmn po ung result po ng tansviganal ko po at papsmear 1 month po ko inantay po ung result ng papsmear negative po cya…tapos po mga month po ng july august ganun po masakit na nmn po puson ko pa check up po ako ulit transvigal po ako ulit nun may nakita po cla na small likely nabothian cyst po at may uti dw po ako pero mild lang po .pero cmula po naglock down po nun hnd na po nakauwi c mr ko po nun..eto bagong taon na po cya nauwi…nagmens po ako dic ng dec 24 tas natapos po ako ng dec.27 tapos po nag talik po kmi ni mr ng dec.29 po..doc pagkatapos po nmin nun may lumabas po sa akin na dugo…tapos po nagtalik po ulit kmi ng january 1 2020 po wla nmn po dugo lumabas sa akin..tapos doc eto na po nagtalik po kmi ng january 4 un doc may spot po ako lumabas doc pagkatapos at medyo mahapdi po ang ari ko ngaun doc…anu po kaya eto doc..please help me po..thanks God bless
Hi Raquel! Paalala lang po na HINDI kami mga doktor. Maraming posibleng sanhi ng pagdurugo at pananakit sa pagtatalik, pero ang karaniwang dulot nito ay priksyon at kiskisan lalo na sa penetrasyon. Baka makatulong sa inyo ang paggamit ng water-based lubricant gaya ng EZ Lubricating Jelly para mabawasan ang priksyon at pagsusugat na nagdudulot ng pagdurugo, at gawing mas suwabe at kaaya-aya ang pagtatalik.
Mabibili ang EZ Lubricating Jelly sa pangunahing botika at convenience store. Maaari mo rin ito mabili online!
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Shopee: https://shopee.ph/trust.premiere.ez
Ano po ba ang magandang contraceptive? At mabubuntis po ba ako kahit na nag-withdrawal? Thank ü
Hi Mina! Maraming iba’t ibang contraceptive. Lahat sila ay mabisa, pero mainam na kumonsulta sa health center o OB/GYN para matulungan kayo matukoy kung alin ang nababagay sa inyo. Basahin rin po ito: https://doitright.ph/tl/makabagong-pamamaraan-ng-kontrasepsyon/
Hindi Naman po ganito yung ari ko,pero pag katapos ko makipagsex sa bf ko lagi nang basa yung ari ko tumatagos na sa short ko yung pagkabasa nya normal pa po ba yun? Tapos na ngangamoy na din po
Hi Karisma! Ang tawag po sa basa na nararanasan mo ay vaginal discharge. Ito ay natural na reaksyon ng katawan mo tuwing magtatalik o sexually aroused.
Hi. Ano po ba dapat gawin nangangati at para nagkakaroon ng pantal sa palibot ng vagina ko pag umihi ako ang hapdi mag tatatlong araw na po to .
Hi Zel! Maraming posibleng sanhi ng iyong nararanasan, gaya ng impeksyon o kondisyon. Doktor lang po ang makakasuri sa inyo at makapagtukoy kung ano ang tiyak na sanhi. Mabuting makipag-ugnay na kaagad sa OB/GYN ukol dito o magpunta sa malapit na health center para makita ang sanhi at mapayuhan ka kung ano ang angkop na lunas para sa iyong sitwasyon.
Hello po.. tanong kolang po bakit may nakuha akong maliit na uod sa Ari ng anak Kong babae 4years old. Palagi nya kasing sinasabi na Makati daw pero nung sinubukan ko binuka may Nakita akong maliit na uod.. posible kayang galing sa pwet nya Yun tapos pumunta sa Ari nya
Hi Merycris! Ano po itsura ng “uod” na ito? Kulay puti po ba na maikli? Gumagalaw po ba ito nung nakuha mo? Baka po kasi ito ay smegma (basahin rin po ito: https://doitright.ph/tl/ano-ang-smegma/). Ang pinaka mainam na gawin pa rin po ay ikonsulta ito sa malapit na health center o OB/GYN para matukoy kung uod ba talaga ito o may ibang sanhi ito, at para na rin mapayuhan kayo sa angkop na solusyon para dito.
Ano po ba ang ibig sabihin ng pag didischarge ng malapot at parang nana ang kulay pero hindi nmn po mabaho..at wala naman po akong nararamdamang sakit sa pag ihi o ano paman sakit sa aking ari..nagtataka lng po ako kasi madami po ang lumalabas kahit sa pagtulog sa gabi may lumalabas para akong dinadatnan ng aking period.sana matuling niyo po ako..
Hi Lelet! Maraming posibleng makaapekto sa vaginal discharge, kasama na ang kinakain at gamot na iniinom. Nakakaranas ka rin ba ng iba pang sintomas? Baka makatulong rin po sa inyo ito: https://doitright.ph/tl/gabay-sa-mga-kulay-ng-vaginal-discharge/
Hi? 18 yrs old po ako, itatanong ko lang po sana kung bakit may puti na malagkit ang ari ng boyfriend pagkatapos tanggalin sa private part ko pagtapos namin mag sex. thankyou po.
Hi Rina! Ang puting malagkit mula sa ari ng boyfriend mo ay ang kanyang semilya. Malaki po ang tsansa na ika’y mabuntis dahil dito. Basahin po ito: https://doitright.ph/tl/paano-nangyayari-ang-pagbubuntis/
Hi, hindi ko po alam kung namamaga yung sa may ari ko po mismo. Pero kapag nasasagi ng shorts/clothe o kaya’y maglalakad ay masakit hindi ko po alam kung ipapacheck up ko na po ba o may home remedy po ba para rito? Salamat po.
Hi Jamie! Ang angkop po na lunas ay depende sa sanhi nito, kaya mainam po na magpasuri na sa OB/GYN o malapit na health center para matukoy kung ano ang sanhi at mapayuhan ka sa tamang paggamot.
Hillo po.. Tanong ko Lang bakit may bilog bilog. Puti loob ari ko.. Pero hindi nmn mabaho vaginal ko dinadaan ari lalaki my konting kirot pero hind nmn masakit pag umihi..