Things to know about vaginal itching before menstruation

Vaginal itching before menstruation is quite common in women. It can be caused by hormonal changes, a yeast infection, or bacterial vaginosis, or it can also be caused by the use of certain menstrual products that cause itching. However, are these symptoms harmful to women's health? This article will provide more information to help you better understand this issue.

Vaginal itching or vaginal itching can both be caused by a vaginal infection and are often accompanied by vulvovaginitis, which causes itching, redness, blistering, and sometimes gas that makes it difficult to urinate and have sex. . Vaginal itching is also considered a fairly common gynecological problem among women.

Common causes of vaginal itching before menstruation:
Yeast infection. Not a few women get yeast infections or get cyclical fungal vaginitis. With vulvovaginitis and cyclical vaginitis, often accompanied by symptoms such as burning, itching in the vulva can occur both internally and externally at the same period of the menstrual cycle. moon. However, some people may experience this before or during their period. These symptoms get worse after having sex. Vaginitis - cyclical vaginitis can be caused by a yeast infection and is usually caused by an overgrowth of the candida fungus in the body. Candida is a naturally occurring fungus in the vagina, and normally its activity is controlled by lactobacillus or beneficial bacteria in the vagina. But during the menstrual cycle, hormonal hormone levels can change and upset the pH balance of the vagina, leading to affecting the natural microbiome. When the bacteria are weakened, the Candida fungus grows out of control. In addition to the itchiness of a yeast infection with vaginal itching before menstruation, there are other symptoms such as redness around the vagina, burning when urinating or having sex, pain, and rash. rash or vaginal discharge that is grayish-white and lumpy. Yeast infections can be treated with over-the-counter and oral antifungal medications. But if you experience this condition, you should see a doctor to determine the characteristics of Bacterial Vaginosis or bacterial vaginosis that will have many of the same symptoms as a yeast infection. However, the most obvious difference can be seen with bacterial vaginosis, which often causes the vagina to have a fishy odor similar to that of fish. Moreover, with bacterial vaginosis can cause vaginal itching near the menstrual period. Along with that are manifestations such as white or gray discharge. And other symptoms of bacterial vaginosis often cause pain, burning when urinating... Vaginal infections can be spread from person to person if they share utensils that come in contact with the private area. such as underwear or sex toys... The cause of this condition can also be due to a woman douching too much. Similar to yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis can occur due to hormonal changes during pregnancy or during menstruation. So if it's almost a month when you have an itchy vagina, you need to see a doctor for timely treatment.

Trichomonas vaginitis is usually caused by sexual transmission. When the vulva or vagina is itchy, sexually transmitted infections can be considered a fairly common cause. Trichomonas vaginitis is caused by trichomonas vaginalis, and one of the symptoms of this inflammation is the itching sensation in the vagina of women. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3.7 million women in the US may be infected with trichomoniasis at some point in their lives. Symptoms of trichomoniasis usually appear between 5 and 28 days after infection. Even so, according to CDC statistics, only about 30% of women with trichomoniasis have symptoms. In addition to symptoms of vaginal itching, this infection also has other manifestations such as burning and pain, especially when urinating or having sex, or vaginal discharge with a greenish white color, fishy smell, even foamy body, or vaginal or vaginal bleeding, redness, and frequent urination... Trichomonas vaginitis can be treated with antibiotics. So if you suspect a vaginal infection in this case, you should see a doctor for prompt treatment. Irritation that often causes itching during the menstrual cycle is caused by the use of tampons or tampons. These products may be made of materials or ingredients that contain irritants that lead to vaginal redness. Tampons can cause vaginal dryness and cause itching for users. To avoid this, women need to change tampons often and avoid tampon products with high absorbency. You can use sanitary pads instead of tampons to limit this situation. In addition to the two products tampons and tampons, women can use menstrual cups to help limit the disadvantages of these two products. In addition, other products that can cause vaginal itching such as scented soaps, lubricating gels, and douches. Because these substances in the composition can affect the pH level of the vagina. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder can be viewed as a group of symptoms that involve both physical and mental health, usually beginning about a week before menstruation and lasting until the end of the period. Symptoms of PMS can be similar to PMS but are not as serious in women. One of the most typical physical symptoms of this condition: itching, dizziness, headache, fatigue, muscle pain...

To diagnose the cause of vaginal itching before menstruation, for each specific case, the doctor will perform methods such as: in the case of a yeast infection, the doctor can easily diagnose through evaluate clinical symptoms. Or your doctor may take a tissue sample from your vagina and send it for testing to determine if a yeast infection is present and what strain the fungus is causing. As for the case of bacterial vaginosis, the method of sampling and analyzing under a microscope can be used to determine the type of bacteria. In case of trichomoniasis, it is necessary to take a sample of vaginal discharge to accurately diagnose the disease.
Tests commonly used to diagnose the cause of vaginal itching before menstruation: pH test, adhesion and Potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation. Initially, the doctor will use vaginal fluid to test the pH if the pH is between 4 and 6, then use a cotton swab to sweep vaginal discharge on the tip of the test lens. Next, one end will be fixed with 0.9% saline and the other end will be fixed with 10% KOH. When KOH is instilled in secretions that develop a rotten fish odor, this is due to the diffusion of amines produced by bacteria in the vagina and is often caused by trichomoniasis. It is the KOH solution that will dissolve the cells except for the mycelium, making it easier to recognize the disease. However, performing a saline fixation test should be done as soon as possible because prolonged exposure makes it more difficult to observe trichomonas. In postmenopausal women, the drop in estrogen can increase the chance of infection and vulvovaginitis. Therefore, these cases need to be evaluated early to help reduce the risk of cancer or even possible malignancies affecting a woman's health.

There is no specific treatment for premenstrual itching. However, you can use some vaginal moisturizers to soothe vaginal dryness during this period. For irritation, you should switch to benign menstrual products, you can choose products without fragrance, have more natural ingredients...
In case of infection Yeast can be treated with over-the-counter antifungal medications. However, some patients require oral antifungal therapy for chronic or recurrent yeast infections.
In the case of drug treatment, you should examine and consult a doctor. Your doctor will probably prescribe both a topical cream and an oral antifungal medication to treat cyclic vaginitis. And in some cases, it needs to be treated continuously for a few months for the itching symptoms to subside.
With bacterial vaginosis and sexually transmitted diseases, your doctor will also prescribe antibiotics. Because different infections should respond to different antibiotics, it is necessary to accurately diagnose the cause of the disease to have an effective treatment plan.

For cases with signs of vaginal itching before the menstrual cycle, you can apply some home remedies to minimize this situation.
Use loose, breathable, moisture-wicking underwear, avoid wearing jeans or tight pants or underwear made of synthetic materials. Do not douche the vulva regularly and only clean the outside of the intimate area with water or natural products that do not cause irritation Use sanitary pads or tampons and need to be changed often to avoid leaving for too long to create favorable conditions. conducive to bacterial growth. In addition, you can choose a menstrual cup to help limit the disadvantages of tampons and tampons. In case of vaginal itching can use hydrocortisone cream to apply. But only apply the cream on the skin, not into the vagina. If you have a yeast infection, your symptoms will likely improve significantly with the use of over-the-counter antifungal creams and medications. However, you can use a number of products to help limit this situation, including: taking probiotics to boost beneficial bacteria while helping to balance the natural microflora in the vagina. Either use aloe vera tablets containing cajeput essential oil, or dilute a cup of apple cider vinegar in a bath and soak for about 20 minutes. While the above measures can help reduce vaginal itching before your period, it's best to see your doctor to determine the cause of the itching. . Because, it is possible that you will have a vaginal yeast infection or a bacterial vaginosis. And this condition needs to be treated with a prescription to be effective and to avoid repeated recurrences.
Currently, Vinmec has deployed the Basic Gynecological Examination and Screening Package. This examination package can detect inflammatory diseases early, making treatment easy and inexpensive. When registering for the Basic Gynecological Examination and Screening Package, customers will receive:
Gynecological examination. Transvaginal ultrasound of the uterus and ovaries. Bilateral breast ultrasound. Tests such as: Treponema pallidum rapid test, Chlamydia rapid test, bacterial staining (female vaginal fluid), HPV genotype PCR automated system, total urinalysis by automatic machine.