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
hi? bakit ganon po mag Parang nana pero Parang hindi naman nana kasi nung hinawakan ko di Naman nana nong una makati lang tas nag tagal may puting parang nana na na sa ari ko tas padami ng padami! pag sinubukan mong tanggalin na aalis naman pero makati at mahapdi na din ang ari ko! bakit ganon? nag shave lang po ako at i had sex 2 days before maging ganto ang ari ko! pls Paki reply I’m just worried.
Hi, Magarha! Baka smegma ang puti puti na inyong nakikita sa ari. Basahin po ito: https://doitright.ph/tl/ano-ang-smegma/
Ang pag-aahit ng ari ay madalas na nakakasanhi ng pangangati at hapdi. Kung nais iwasan ito, mainam na iwasan rin mag-ahit.
Hello po good day, may itatanong lang po sana ako may umbok o bukol po na malambot sa gilid po ng private kopo di ko po mawari kung pimple po sya maliit lang din po siya at iisa lang akala kopo noon ay allergy lang po nangati po after kopo magkamens ngayon kolang po ito nakita at napansin. Mahapdi po siya pag hinuhugasan. Nag woworry po talaga ako. Sana po ay masagot nyo po ang aking tanong. Salamat po.
Hi, Yana! Maraming posibleng sanhi ng iyong nararanasan, gaya ng impeksyon o kondisyon. Doktor lang po ang makakasuri sa inyo at makakapagtukoy 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.
hi! ma’am / sir , last friday po naligo ako ten habng hinuhugasan ko po yung vagina ko may nakapa po akong bukol po sa may gilid ng vigina ko hindi po sa singit then pagnahihipo po kumikirot pero di man po ganon kasakit nakakalakad papo ako ng maayos then now po sumakit napo sya and medyo hiirap na din po maglakad ano po pede gawin para mawala yung bukol ? salamat po and keep safe!
Hi, Kayla! Para sa iyong sitwasyon mainam po na ipasuri muna sa doktor ang bukol para malaman kung ito ba’y may malubhang epekto sa iyong kalusugan at kailangan gamutin agad.
Hi po ask ko lng po sana may sumagot
nanganak po ako nung nov15 tapo dec27 nag karoon po ako ng dalaw. jan2 natapos nag talik po kmi ng asawa ko tapos nung jan4 dn po d nmn po pinutok sa loob tas ngayong jan9 may lumalabas po sakin na white medyo madami po. ibig sbhn po b nun preggy po ako
Hi, Kristella! Nagpregnancy test ka na po ba?
Bakit po ganun? Sa tuwing magtatalik po kami nang asawa ko kapag tumagal nang 3-5 mins humahapdi napo ang ari ko then mahapdi po pagkatapos na namin? Lalo sa pagihi? Para pong lagi ako navivirginan?Tanong ko lang po if affected po ba or pwedeng cause nga malaki ari nang asawa ko? Respect. Salamat po..
Hi May! Posibleng kakulangan sa pampadulas ang sanhi ng pananakit habang nagtatalik. Baka makatulong ang paggamit ng water-based lubricant gaya ng EZ Lubricating Jelly para gawing mas swabe at kaaya-aya ang pagtatalik, patagalin ang foreplay, o sumubok ng ibang posisyon. Kung hindi ito nakatulong at nakakaranas ng iba pang sintomas, mabuting makipag-ugnay sa obgyn para masuri kung mayroon bang impeksyon o ibang kondisyon na nagdudulot ng pananakit.
Mabibili ang EZ Lubricating Jelly sa pangunahing botika at convenience store. Maaari mo rin ito mabili online!
Lazada: https://www.lazada.com.ph/shop/trust-philippines-1524467118/
Shopee: https://shopee.ph/trust.premiere.ez
Hello po pwede po magtanong makati po kasi yung ari ko tsaka may maliit na butlig sa gilid sobrang hapdi po ano po ba dapat kong gawin? January 1 po kasi ginamit ako ng asawa ko then after nun masakit na po umihi tsaka ngaun may pula na po sa ari ko na maliit hirap po gumalaw eh. 2 days then pong sumasakit ulo ko.. salamat po
Hi Gely! May ilang impeksyon na posibleng magsanhi sa mga butlig butlig sa gilid ng ari at pwerta. May ibang sintomas pa bang nararanasan? Makati po ba ang mga ito? Mainam na makipag-ugnay kaagad sa OB/GYN o malapit na health center para masuri at mapayuhan kung ano ang puwedeng lunas para sa iyo. Ang angkop gamot po para dito ay depende rin kasi sa sanhi. Sa ngayon, laging maghugas ng ari, iwasan kamutin ang mga butlig, iwasan magsuot ng masisikip na damit, huwag muna makipagtalik habang hindi pa nakakapunta sa doktor, at palaging siguraduhin na malinis ang ari at ang panty na sinusuot.
Ano po ibigsabihin ng mapulang ari tska po nag babalat 4yrs old po sya?ano pwd po ilagay o gamot? salamat po.
Hi, Jesmine! Hindi po kami doktor kaya po hindi po kami maaaring magreseta ng gamot. Ang angkop na lunas para dito ay depende sa sanhi, kaya mainam po na magpasuri na sa doktor para matukoy kung ano ang sanhi nito at mapayuhan kayo sa paggamot.
Bakit po ganun 2weeks before ako nagkaroon nagamit po ako ng boyfriend ko after nun masakit po puson ko then ilang araw po na ginamit nya ulit ako malansa po yung amoy nagkaroon po ako after non malansa na p lagi. Lagi naman po akong naghuhugas everytime na iihi ako me sakit po ba ako?
Hi! May ilang mga pagkain, gamot, at impeksyon na posibleng sanhi ng mabahong vaginal discharge. May ibang sintomas ka pa po bang nararanasan? Basahin niyo rin po ito: https://doitright.ph/tl/ibat-ibang-amoy-ng-ari-at-ang-kanilang-mga-sanhi/