Vaginal burning after antibiotics

Do you feel discomfort in the vagina, which is often accompanied by itching and burning? Such symptoms may signal the development of serious pathologies. However, there is no need to panic in advance. Only a doctor can accurately determine the cause of discomfort and prescribe effective treatment after preliminary diagnosis.

Unpleasant sensations in the vagina are a rather relative concept. Each woman has her own pain threshold, and therefore discomfort is perceived differently. Some patients feel vaginal discomfort after urination, intimacy, or active sports. All these associated factors must be taken into account when making an accurate diagnosis.

Causes

Prolapse of the vaginal walls is caused by stretching of the ligaments that hold the internal organs and their subsequent pressure on the perineum. All this is enhanced by dysfunction of the smooth muscles of the vagina and its strong stretching, as well as weak tone of the pelvic floor muscles.

As a result, the back or front wall, or both at once, shifts under the pressure of the uterus, bladder or intestines and can fall beyond the genital slit. In most cases, prolapse of the walls is accompanied by uterine prolapse (its displacement, partial or complete exit beyond the genital slit).

Often the disease is a consequence of the following phenomena:

• the birth of a large child;
• traumatic or difficult childbirth;
• multiple or prolonged labor;
• removal of the uterus without simultaneous fixation of the vaginal dome;
• obesity;
• connective tissue diseases, dysplasia;
• chronic cough.

Unfortunately, no woman can be one hundred percent safe and be sure that this illness will not affect her personally.

Diseases that occur while taking antibiotics

Dysbacteriosis

Dysbacteriosis

The digestive system is affected first. It is a mistake to believe that intramuscular administration of drugs does not endanger the digestive organs. Most antibiotics are excreted by the liver and finally absorbed in the intestines, so many patients are surprised to find stomach upset, pain in the liver and gallbladder after a series of injections.

For example, cephalosporin drugs cause dysbiosis after 3 injections, and if a person’s allergic threshold is too low, then even earlier. The natural beneficial microflora is suppressed, active excessive absorption of vitamins occurs, hormonal imbalance, diarrhea, irritation of the anus by multiplied Candida fungi occurs and, as a result, severe itching and burning. The human tongue reacts strongly to dysbacteriosis: it becomes covered with a white or yellow coating and water bubbles.

Types of pathology

Modern gynecology defines two main types of prolapse and prolapse of the vaginal walls in women, namely cystocele (prolapse or prolapse of the anterior wall) and rectocele (pathology of the posterior wall), as well as three main degrees of development of the disease.

Prolapse of the anterior vaginal wall

Cystocele is characterized by drooping or prolapse of the anterior wall and prolapse of the bladder, which puts pressure on the weakened muscular septum and vaginal wall and squeezes it out until it completely falls out of the genital slit.

All this occurs due to weakness of the intimate muscles, as well as rupture or severe sprain of the ligaments that hold the bladder in its anatomical position.

In the early stages, cystocele is usually discovered during intense physical activity or a routine examination by a gynecologist. In more advanced cases, women feel as if there is a foreign body inside the vagina, experience dryness or burning in this area, and by touch during washing they identify it as something sticking out of the vagina.

It is not uncommon for a tumor to appear on the walls of the vagina, one of which is called a vaginal cyst - this is a tumor-like formation on the vaginal wall, which increases due to the accumulation of fluid in its cavity. Attention! If you notice the appearance of milk in your breasts for no apparent reason, this is a clear hormonal imbalance in the body, read the link...

In most cases, prolapse of the anterior wall is accompanied by partial urinary incontinence, especially during physical activity, as well as prolapse of the bladder. In this case, the bladder does not empty completely; urine stagnates in it, which easily becomes a breeding ground for infectious pathogens. Therefore, cystocele is also fraught with cystitis.

Prolapse of the posterior vaginal wall

Rectocele occurs when the functions of the pelvic floor muscles of the posterior vault are impaired, and the endopelvic fascia is almost always disrupted or destroyed. The degree of development of the disease depends on the degree of failure of the latter.

Weakening of the muscles leads to prolapse of the vaginal walls

With a rectocele, a woman also feels a foreign body in the vagina, which interferes with walking and sitting. Unpleasant sensations are accompanied by problematic stools. A kind of pocket is formed in the rectum, in which a large amount of feces accumulates. Therefore, in order to empty the intestines, the patient has to push hard, and in advanced cases of rectocele, even help the intestines to empty with a finger.

Vaginal itching after taking antibiotics

Long-term therapy with antibacterial drugs can lead to a number of unpleasant complications. The most common are: disruption of the normal intestinal microflora and vaginal microbiota.

Livarol ®

A quick effect is achieved by using Livarol ® (an antimycotic with the active ingredient ketonazole), administered intravaginally, in the form of suppositories, once a day, for a course of 3-5 days.

Contraindicated in the first trimester of pregnancy!

Lactagel ®

To prevent disruption of the normal vaginal microflora during a course of antibiotics.

The active components of the drug are lactic acid and glycogen, which restore the vaginal pH, eliminate unpleasant odor and reduce the amount of discharge.

Approved for use during lactation and pregnancy.

To eliminate the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, use one tube of gel for seven days, before bed.

For preventive purposes, it is recommended to use it twice a week.

Not prescribed during the active period of thrush.

Clindamycin ®

For mild to moderate severity of the disease, it is used for topical application in the form of a 2% gel, once a day. in a week.

The administration of this drug in the form of a vaginal cream is permissible in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, due to the lack of data on its teratogenic effect. In the first trimester, the use of clindamycin ® is possible only for absolute indications.

The drug is oil-based and may reduce the strength of latex condoms and diaphragms.

The use of Dalatsin ® (clindamycin ovuli ® , in the form of vaginal suppositories) 100 mg for three days is also effective.

For oral administration, 300 mg is prescribed twice a day for up to seven days.

If the disease is not treated: consequences

In the initial stages, the disease causes virtually no discomfort. Developing further, it begins to disrupt a woman’s quality of life. However, most of them do not consider it necessary to consult a doctor for help and gradually get used to living with it. But this is fraught with a lot of complications:

Due to the bending of the ureters in the residual urine, infections can develop that lead to cystitis and pyelonephritis.

Prolapse of the vaginal walls is accompanied by displacement of the pelvic organs and disruption of their functions. As a result, patients suffer from constant constipation and urinary incontinence.

The vaginal walls and uterus falling outside the genital slit can easily be injured, for example, from friction with underwear. In addition, their significant displacement may be accompanied by circulatory disorders. Subsequently, the tissues may swell and even die.

If the disease is completely neglected, it will most likely lead to complete prolapse and inversion of the uterus with all that it entails: infections, ulcers, and others.

In addition, untreated pathology is a serious obstacle to normal pregnancy and successful childbirth. For example, the disease of the second and third stages is fraught with spontaneous abortion. An illness at any stage can cause rapid labor, which is dangerous for the mother due to severe ruptures and bleeding, while the child simply does not have time to adapt to the new environment.

Postpartum weakness and stretching of the birth canal, supported by genital prolapse, are the reason for the prolongation of the postpartum period, which not only causes some inconvenience, but is also fraught with infection of the genital organs.

Candidiasis after antibiotic therapy

With vaginal dysbiosis, active growth and reproduction of Candida fungi can occur, even if the body previously successfully suppressed them. This development of events provokes:

• Severe burning and unbearable itching in the intimate area. Sometimes even the skin around the genitals itches, and symptoms of dermatitis may appear on it.
• Swelling and redness of the mucous membranes.
• The appearance of specific cheesy discharge, most often white in color (or yellowish-white).
• Painful urination and sexual intercourse.
• The appearance of peeling and cracks in the mucous membranes of the labia.

Diagnosing candidiasis is not difficult at all. The disease can be detected with a simple examination, and a vaginal smear is sufficient for confirmation.

Treatment methods for thrush are selected individually by the attending physician. The choice of means of influence depends on the severity of clinical symptoms and the presence of cases of candidiasis in the anamnesis. In particular, the following can be used:

• Medicines for local use. If thrush appears for the first time or appears extremely rarely, then negative manifestations can be eliminated with the help of suppositories for intravaginal administration. They may be based on various active substances with antifungal properties, for example, clotrimazole, natamycin, fluconazole, miconazole, etc. The duration of treatment with such agents can range from 1 to 7 days.
• Systemic drugs. Such medications are used for candidiasis only if it occurs very often and becomes chronic. The drugs of choice are drugs with the same active ingredients as in suppositories, but in tablet form. The duration of treatment varies.
• Local products for baths and washes that help neutralize itching and other symptoms of the disease. Your doctor may recommend using a soda solution, chamomile infusion, and borax solution.
• After eliminating candida fungi, it is imperative to undergo a course of treatment to optimize the full microflora of the vagina.

Antifungal medications eliminate unbearable itching in intimate places literally after the first use. But if the balance of lactobacilli is not restored, the disease can easily recur.

Treatment of vaginal wall prolapse

There are three radically different treatment methods. Treatment almost always begins with physical therapy, which can give excellent results and completely cure the patient. If physical education and mass exercise do not help, the doctor recommends restoring the physiological location of the pelvic organs surgically. If surgery is not possible, the pathology is eliminated by installing pessaries.

Intimate gymnastics: Kegel exercises

The set of exercises was developed by an American gynecologist about half a century ago. Having reached this day, it has changed slightly, but the essence of the exercises remains the same.

The convenience of the complex lies in the fact that the training is absolutely invisible to others, so you can practice literally anywhere and almost always.

The convenience of the complex lies in the fact that the training is completely invisible to others

At home, exercises can be performed without a simulator, but training under the supervision of a specialist and using simulators gives much more significant results. Exercises should be done in stages.

Stage one: slow compressions

You need to tense the muscles that are used to stop urination slowly, first on a count of 3, then relax the muscles for three seconds. Over time, it is necessary to keep the muscles in a tense position, increasing this time to 20–30 seconds.

Stage two: dynamic contractions

The same muscles need to be tensed and relaxed as quickly as possible. Start with 20 repetitions, gradually increasing the number of repetitions to 100 or more.

Stage three: pushing out

To perform this exercise, you must push moderately, as during childbirth or bowel movements. At the moment of tension, linger for a few seconds. The number of repetitions is gradually increased to 50 times. This exercise uses not only the muscles of the perineum, but also individual abdominal muscles.

Regularly performing the Kegel complex helps a lot of women get rid of gynecological problems, as well as problems in their sexual life.

Video on the topic

How to treat itching in an intimate place after antibiotics

Long-term therapy with antibacterial drugs can lead to a number of unpleasant complications. The most common are: disruption of the normal intestinal microflora and vaginal microbiota.

Causes of problems

Due to the destruction of healthy microflora, opportunistic microorganisms are activated, the reproduction and activity of which, in an unweakened body, is suppressed by its own defense against pathogenic bacteria.

In women, burning and dryness in the vagina after antibiotics are associated with:

• candidiasis of the external genitalia and vaginal mucosa caused by yeast-like fungi;
• bacterial vaginosis (non-inflammatory lesion of the mucous membrane associated with a violation of healthy microflora).

Dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiota is accompanied by a pronounced decrease in the number of lactobacilli and an increase in the activity of opportunistic microorganisms.

Bacterial vaginosis is a polymicrobial disease, most often caused by Gardnerella and obligate anaerobic microorganisms.

This pathology does not pose an immediate danger to a woman’s life, however, it causes serious inconvenience in everyday and intimate life, and can also lead to pregnancy complications, spontaneous abortions, and intrauterine infection of the fetus.

People with weakened immune systems are at risk of developing pelvic inflammatory diseases when using intrauterine contraceptives.

If a patient develops itching in an intimate area after taking antibiotics, it is important to differentiate gardnerellosis from candidiasis of the external genitalia, caused by dysbacteriosis and activation of fungi of the genus Candida.

To clarify the disease, it is recommended to carry out Gram smear microscopy and direct detection of fungal threads.

Correctly carried out differential diagnosis allows the doctor to make a timely diagnosis and prescribe adequate therapy.

Read further: Thrush after antibiotics: how to treat and what to treat

Treatment of candidiasis of the external genitalia and vaginal mucosa

Based on the use of antifungal drugs:

1. clotrimazole®;
2. fluconazole®;
3. miconazole®.

Medicines are prescribed in the form of creams, gels and vaginal tablets.

Livarol®

A quick effect is obtained by using Livarol® (an antimycotic with the active ingredient ketonazole), administered intravaginally, in the form of suppositories, once a day, for a course of 3-5 days.

Contraindicated in the first trimester of pregnancy!

Lactagel®

To prevent disruption of the normal vaginal microflora during a course of antibiotics.

The active components of the drug are lactic acid and glycogen, which restore the vaginal pH, eliminate unpleasant odor and reduce the amount of discharge.

Approved for use during lactation and pregnancy.

To eliminate the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, use one tube of gel for seven days, before bed.

For preventive purposes, it is recommended to use it twice a week.

Not prescribed during the active period of thrush.

Treatment of bacterial vaginosis

Includes two main areas:

• eradication of pathogenic microorganisms;
• restoration of healthy microbiota and the number of lactobacilli.

The paradox of therapy is the fact that when patients complain of itching after antibiotics, the treatment of gardenellosis is based on antibacterial drugs.

To destroy pathogens, suppositories and gels with metronidazole® and clindamycin® are used. For severe bacterial vaginosis, medications are prescribed in tablet form.

Clindamycin®

For mild to moderate severity of the disease, it is used for topical application in the form of a 2% gel, once a day. in a week.

The administration of this drug in the form of a vaginal cream is permissible in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, due to the lack of data on its teratogenic effect. In the first trimester, the use of clindamycin® is possible only for absolute indications.

The drug is oil-based and may reduce the strength of latex condoms and diaphragms.

The use of Dalatsin® (clindamycin ovuli®, in the form of vaginal suppositories) 100 mg for three days is also effective.

For oral administration, 300 mg is prescribed twice a day for up to seven days.

Main article: Instructions, analogues and reviews for clindamycin

Metronidazole®

Use for intravaginal use in the form of a 0.75% gel, at night, for five days.

The antibiotic is not recommended for use during lactation and the first trimester of pregnancy.

Take 500 mg orally twice a day for up to seven days. For children, a dosage of up to 10 mg/kg is used three times a day for five days.

In order to prevent a disulfiram-like effect, patients are prohibited from drinking alcohol during metranidozole® therapy and for 24 hours after its discontinuation. The risk of side effects also remains with intravaginal use.

It should also be noted that metronidazole® preparations are not recommended to be combined with indirect anticoagulants (warfarin®).

Comparative characteristics of antibacterial agents and methods of application

The risk of side effects is significantly reduced with isolated intravaginal use. This is due to the fact that the bioavailability of the drug is reduced by half compared to oral administration.

In case of individual intolerance and a history of allergic reactions to the use of the drug in tablet forms, the administration of gels is also contraindicated.

Therapy with metronidazole® and clindamycin® are equally effective, however, the risk of adverse effects from the use of clindamycin® is lower compared to metronidazole®.

Read further: Unique data on the compatibility of antibiotics with each other in tables

Laktozhinal®

The active ingredient is lyophilized Lactobacillus Doderlein.

The drug helps to quickly restore the vaginal microbiota after a course of antibacterial therapy. Effective as a prophylactic agent, used in routine preparation for gynecological operations, approved for use in pregnant women and during lactation.

• Reduces the risk of recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.
• It is used intravaginally, one capsule at night for a week.

Vaginal candidiasis and age under 18 years are an absolute contraindication for treatment with Lactozhinal®!

Read: Nutritional considerations when taking antibiotics

Femilex®

The active substance is lactic acid. Effective in complex therapy of bacterial vaginosis to normalize healthy microbiota.

It is used intravaginally once a day for ten days.

Contraindications are: age under 18 years, thrush, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Lactobacterin®

Contains lactobacilli acidophilus and is available in the form of suppositories and tablet forms for oral administration.

Effective for dysbacteriosis of the oral cavity and intestines in children, disturbances of the vaginal microflora. It is also used for preoperative and postpartum prevention of inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.

Reduces the manifestation of dysbiosis of the urogenital tract with gonorrhea, chlamydia, etc.

Methods of application

For oral candidiasis, one dose is dissolved 5-6 times a day. Irrigation with a solution of the drug 3 times a day is possible. The course of treatment is two weeks.

• Orally - up to five doses per day, for a course of up to three weeks.
• Intravaginally - 1-2 doses per week.

→ Contraindicated for vaginal candidiasis.

Similar in composition and application are:

Lactonorm®

The active ingredient is also acidophilus lactobacilli.

It is used only intravaginally, twice a day for a week.

For preventive purposes, with long-term use of antibacterial agents, one suppository is prescribed for up to two weeks.

Remains active during postmenopausal atrophic changes in the vaginal mucosa.

Vaginorm-S®

Ascorbic acid preparation in the form of vaginal suppositories.

Used to stimulate the immune system and strengthen the body after infectious diseases, restores the pH of the vagina, eliminates the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis.

Allergic reactions, increased itching and swelling of the mucous membrane are possible.

Monitoring the treatment

Indicators of correctly selected therapy will be: elimination of clinical symptoms and normalization of laboratory parameters.

Patients with bacterial vaginosis, as a rule, do not require hospitalization in a gynecological hospital. The exception is pregnant women, due to the risk of spontaneous abortion!

To increase the effectiveness of treatment of vaginal dysbiosis, it is recommended:

• limit the intake of spicy and salty foods, alcohol, hard cheeses, yeast baked goods, sweets;
• increase the consumption of yoghurts, biokefirs, sauerkraut;
• observe the rules of personal hygiene;
• during therapy, avoid wearing tight underwear made of synthetic materials;
• abstain from intimate life during treatment;
• The use of multivitamins and immunostimulating drugs is recommended.

How to treat itching in an intimate place after antibiotics at home?

• To reduce swelling and itching of the external genitalia, antihistamines are recommended.
• To accelerate regeneration and reduce inflammation in the mucous membrane, a solution of Citral®, Aekol®, and fish oil is used topically.
• To normalize the intestinal microflora, probiotics are prescribed (Linex Forte® - one capsule per day, for up to a month).
• Accelerated restoration of the vaginal microbiota is achieved by local administration of lactobacilli.
• Douching with infusions of chamomile, sage, bergenia, and eucalyptus leaf is effective.
• For thrush, use a 3% solution of baking soda.
• Severe dysbiosis, accompanied by severe inflammatory processes and thinning of the mucosa, is treated with local administration of hormonal drugs (estrogen suppositories).

Read: Is it really possible to have a cycle failure after taking antibiotics?

Source: https://lifetab.ru/kak-lechit-zud-v-intimnom-meste-posle-antibiotikov/

Possible complications

All surgical methods may involve some risks and complications. The following symptoms are distinguished:

• damage to neighboring organs such as the bladder;
• infection; to reduce the risk of its occurrence, antibiotics are prescribed before and after surgery;
• pain during sex;
• vaginal discharge;
• vaginal bleeding;
• thrombosis in the veins;
• relapse of organ prolapse and prolapse.