When To See Your Obgyn
Ultimately, you cant know for sure if you have a yeast infection or an STD unless you get tested by a doctor. Youll want to set up an appointment as soon as possible if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Vaginal or vulvar itching, soreness, and irritation
- A burning feeling during sex or urination
- Think, white discharge
- Any discharge that has an unusual odor or color
- Redness and swelling around your vulva or genital area
- Unusual skin conditions on your vulva such as blisters, cracking, or scaly white patches
- Bleeding after sex or between menstrual periods
- Lower abdominal pain
- Bleeding during or after a bowel movement
- Anal leakage
All of these symptoms can be indicators of a yeast infection, STDs, or other medical conditions that need to be addressed by a medical professional.
Some Causes Of Vaginal Itching
First things first, there are a number of causes of vaginal itching. Among them are certain medications, menopause, and friction caused by feminine napkins or tight clothing. Chemical irritants such as douches, laundry detergents and scented soaps may also cause vaginal itching due to allergies or skin sensitivities. When it comes to womens health, it pays to learn your status.
Bacterial vaginosis, commonly known as BV, occurs when there is an imbalance of bacteria in the vagina. This can lead to abnormal discharge, a strong fishy odor, inflammation and a burning sensation when urinating.
Yeast infections, when too much yeast grows in the vagina,are incredibly common. In fact,three out of four women develop one at some point during their lives. Other signs include a thick white discharge, pain during sex and discomfort during urination.
How Is Chlamydia Treated
Chlamydia can be cleared up with antibiotics in about a week or two. But dont stop taking your medication just because your symptoms improve. Ask your provider about what follow-up is needed to be sure your infection is gone after youve finished taking your medicine.
Part of your treatment should also include avoiding sexual activities that could cause you to get re-infected and ensuring that any sexual partners who may be infected also get treatment. You should:
- Abstain from sex until your infection has cleared up. Starting treatment doesnt mean that youre in the clear. Take all your medication as your provider directs, and avoid all sexual contact in the meantime.
- Contact all sexual partners. Tell any sexual partners from the last 3 months that youre infected so that they can get tested, too.
- Get tested for other STIs . Its common to have multiple STIs, and its important to receive treatment thats tailored to each infection.
Antibiotics can get rid of your infection, but they cant reverse any harm the bacteria may have caused to your body before treatment. This is why its so important to get screened regularly for chlamydia, to see your provider at the first sign of symptoms, and get treatment immediately if youre infected.
Recommended Reading: Can You Get Chlamydia Medicine Over The Counter
Does Hiv Cause Itching
Human Immunodeficiency Virus commonly known as HIV is a virus that attacks the bodys immune system and spreads via sexual intercourse. If HIV is not addressed at an early stage, it can lead to AIDS , where the white cells are completely damaged and your body is prone to diseases like cancer, liver cirrhosis, and more. Generally, HIV infectiondoesnt cause itching, however, it can cause skin rashes which is diagnosable.
How Can Chlamydia Be Prevented
Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of getting or giving chlamydia.53 The surest way to avoid chlamydia is to abstain from vaginal, anal, and oral sex, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
Recommended Reading: How Can Chlamydia Be Detected
Read Also: How Long Can Chlamydia Last Untreated
Do Stds Cause Itching
STDs are diseases that are contracted from unprotected sex. STDs can cause itching and burning sensation in both men and women, especially in the genitals.
Besides the itching and burning symptoms, STDs show various other signs. The most commonly reported symptoms of STD in women are yellowish vaginal discharge, pain during sexual intercourse, lower abdominal pain, and heavy menstrual periods. Men with an active STD can be identified by symptoms like thick penile discharge, irritation inside the penis, burning sensation while urinating, anal itching, and swollen testes.
Common symptoms in both sexes may include fever, skin rash and redness/dry skin, headache, weight loss, sore throat, joint pain, and diarrhea. Luckily, most of the STDs are curable and treated if diagnosed at an early stage.
How Is It Spread
Chlamydia is passed from one person to another by contact with body fluids containing the bacteria during unprotected oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Sometimes a person with chlamydia will have no symptoms. Even without symptoms, the infection passes easily to another person.
If you have a chlamydia infection you will be able to pass the infection on to others until you complete antibiotic treatment.
If you are pregnant, you may pass the infection to you babyâs eyes during childbirth. This may lead to blindness if the baby is not treated. If you have chlamydia during pregnancy, the baby may develop pneumonia.
Chlamydia treatment does not protect you from getting it again. If you are treated and your sex partners are not, the bacteria could pass back to you again.
Recommended Reading: How Much Is Chlamydia Medicine
Don’t Miss: Does Chlamydia Make You Pee A Lot
Does Chlamydia Have A Smell
In some cases, chlamydia can cause unusual vaginal discharge, which could have a strong or pungent smell.
However, this could also be a sign of several other STIs, including bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis. It could also be caused by many other factors, including sweat, changes in pH, or shifts in hormone levels.
Consider talking with a healthcare professional to address any concerns regarding abnormal discharge or odor, especially if its accompanied by other symptoms like pain, bleeding, itching, or burning.
Causes Of Skin Rashes
Wool, chemicals, soaps and other substances can irritate the skin and cause rashes and itching. Sometimes the substance, such as poison ivy or cosmetics, causes an allergic reaction. Also, reactions to certain drugs, such as narcotic pain medications can cause itchy skin. Sometimes the cause of the itching cant be determined .
Also Check: How To Know If Your Chlamydia Is Gone
Rules For Successful Treatment
The patient should make sure that the doctor is informed if the patient is pregnant or has any allergies. These conditions influence the choice of the medicine prescribed. No matter which antibiotic the patient takes treating chlamydia the following points should be remembered:
- The treatment of all partners on the infected person is obligatory
- Abstain from sex contacts during the treatment and until the negative result on chlamydia test is received
- It is unadvisable to interrupt the course of antibiotics treatment as it will result in the necessity to start again from the beginning. Although the symptoms may disappear, the infection may still remain in the body
- It is necessary to get tested after 34 months after the end of the treatment to make sure the infection is no longer in the body.
Symptoms And Transmission Of Stds
Symptoms of STDs are not like other types of diseases, when you get in contact with an allergen you get to sneeze immediately or skin rashes pop up after touching an unusual surface, indicative of somethings wrong. In the case of STDs, most of the types do not typically show their symptoms even after multiple days and some may even take several weeks for the signs to appear. This makes it difficult to detect and diagnose and during the meantime, you could have come in contact with many other strangers and spread the disease unknowingly to everyone.
Transmission can occur on any mode of intimate contact. Some people have a myth thought that oral sex is not as dangerous as otherwise. This is completely a misconception. STD causing agents can transmit to anyone through even genital touching and do not necessarily require intimacy. The bacteria are generally present on the genital fluids that can be transferred between partners, resulting in an infection.
Read Also: Cost Of Chlamydia Test At Planned Parenthood
When Should I See My Healthcare Provider
When it comes to chlamydia, its a good idea to be proactive. Speak with your healthcare provider about your risks of infection. Make a plan to get screened regularly for STIs based on your providers recommendations for how often you should be tested. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if your partner tests positive for chlamydia or if you notice any signs or symptoms that you may be infected.
Are There Home Remedies For Vaginal Itching Burning And Irritation
Here are a few tips for preventing and treating vaginal irritation at home:
- Avoid scented pads or toilet paper, creams, bubble bath, feminine sprays, and douches.
- Use water and a plain, unscented soap to regularly clean your external genital area. But don’t wash more than once a day. Doing so can increase dryness.
- Always wipe from front to back after having a bowel movement.
- Wear cotton panties , and change your underwear every day.
- Do not douche.
- Change the diapers of infant girls regularly.
- Use condoms during sexual intercourse to help prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
- If you are experiencing vaginal dryness, use a vaginal moisturizer. Apply a water-based lubricant before having sex.
- Avoid sexual intercourse until your symptoms improve.
- Don’t scratch — you can further irritate the area.
Recommended Reading: How To Relieve Itching From Chlamydia
Genital Herpes And Itching
Genital herpes is not like the previous two. Herpes is caused by a virus unlike a bacteria, named Herpes Simplex Virus, which can be deadly if not diagnosed and detected for a long time. Genital herpes is also one of the commonly reported STDs in the US. Herpes can also be seen around the mouth and is commonly known as oral herpes. The symptoms of itching and sores can appear anywhere on the body depending on the exposure in the initial stage. If you are an avid oral sex player, you can expect the virus to get manipulated in your oral cavity, causing sores and white spots in your mouth. In the case of genital herpes, sores and itching around, buttocks, inner thighs, headache, muscle aches, and fever are some of the commonly known symptoms of genital herpes.
Chlamydia Symptoms In Women
Chlamydia is often known as the silent infection. Thats because people with chlamydia may not experience symptoms at all.
If a woman contracts the STI, it may take several weeks before any symptoms appear.
Some of the most common symptoms of chlamydia in women include:
- painful sexual intercourse
In some women, the infection can spread to the fallopian tubes, which may cause a condition called pelvic inflammatory disease . PID is a medical emergency.
The symptoms of PID are:
- fever
- nausea
- abnormal vaginal bleeding between periods
Chlamydia can also infect the rectum. Women may not experience symptoms if they have a chlamydia infection in the rectum. If symptoms of a rectal infection do occur, however, they may include rectal pain, discharge, and bleeding.
Additionally, women can develop a throat infection if they have oral sex with someone with the infection. Though its possible to contract it without knowing it, symptoms of a chlamydia infection in your throat include cough, fever, and sore throat.
The symptoms of STIs in men and women can be different, so its important to talk with a healthcare professional if you experience any of the above symptoms.
Read Also: Tested Negative For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea But Still Have Discharge
Preventing The Spread Of Infection
It is absolutely necessary to inform the partner if you get a positive test for Chlamydia. The sooner the partner is told the more effective and simple the treatment can be. Make sure your partner gets tested and receives the treatment as well and abstain from the intercourse until the treatment of both you and the partner is finished.
Vaginal Itching Due To Chemical Irritants
Like itching in other areas, vaginal itching is often the result of exposure to an irritant. In this case, any soap or chemical product you use on your vagina or vulva or on clothing that touches the area can cause irritation.
Sometimes the culprit is something obvious, like a new lubricant or spermicide. Other times the itching is actually the result of the detergent or fabric softener used on clothing. Even a douche, which is actually used to cleanse the vagina, can cause irritation for some women. This is one of the many reasons why you should avoid douching.
If your vaginal itching is a fairly new development, look at any products you’ve started using recently. Have you switched to a new brand of contraceptive foam or spermicidal condom? Are you using a different brand of detergent or fabric softener in your laundry? If so, the newly introduced chemical may be the culprit.
When your vaginal itching is persistent over a long period of time, irritants may still be to blame. If itching is your only symptom, try changing the products you use for contraception, cleansing and laundry.
For lubricant, consider trying a fragrance-free, water-based lubricant or coconut oil . Use polyisoprene condoms to see if you have a latex allergy.
Also avoid vaginal wipes or deodorants.
Be sure to only change one product at a time so that you can correctly identify the cause of the issue.
You May Like: Dr Sebi Cure For Chlamydia
What Is Genital Itching
You are likely experiencing genital itching if you feel the need to scratch the skin around your private parts. If the itch doesnt go away, you may need to consult a doctor for treatment. Itchy genitals may be a symptom of chlamydia- an STI caused by chlamydia trachomatis. Does chlamydia itch?
Itchy genitals can be a symptom of various health conditions, including sexually transmitted infections. For example, some women may experience itching as a symptom of vaginal disease. In contrast, some men may experience jock itch. In addition, itching may be caused by sexually transmitted infections, allergies, or skin irritation in both genders.
In most cases, if the factor causing the irritation is removed, the itching can clear up on its own. However, some patients may need more definitive treatment before the itching eases.
Even though chlamydia is a common infection, most people with the disease show no symptoms and are unaware they are infected. In cases where symptoms show, they may include an unusual discharge associated with itchiness in the vagina.
How Is It Contracted
Chlamydia is transmitted primarily through sexual activity. The following are the most common ways:
- unprotected intercourse with an infected partner
- oral sex, although a less common cause of infection as bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis targets the genital area rather than the throat. Although it is possible theoretically, the cases of infestation from mouth-to-penis and penis-to-mouth contact are rare
- vagina, cervix, anus, penis or mouth contacting infected secretions or fluids which means that contraction can occur even if the penis or tongue does not enter the vagina or anus
- bacteria can travel from the vaginal area to the anus or rectum of women while wiping with toilet paper
- sharing sex toys
- from mother to the newborn during vaginal childbirth through the infected birth channel
- infection can be transferred on fingers from the genitals to other parts of the body
Chlamydia is not contracted through simple kissing, handshaking, any casual contacts, sharing baths, towels and cups as well as from toilet seats.
Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular human pathogen, is one of four bacterial species in the genus Chlamydia. 3D illustration
You May Like: How Do You Get Chlamydia Without Cheating
Why Is My Vagina Itchy
17 November 2020
Vaginal itching can be an extremely uncomfortable symptom that can severely impact your day-to-day life. It can be caused by a wide range of factors, from external irritants to sexually transmitted infections. In this blog we discuss the potential causes of vaginal itchiness and explain what you should do if you notice the symptoms.
How Common Is Chlamydia
In the United States, chlamydia infection rates are on the rise, making chlamydia the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection in the country. In 2016, almost 1.6 million cases of chlamydia were reported to the Centers for Disease Control .
In the U.S., women are about twice as likely to be reported to have chlamydia as men. However, this is likely due to screening practices, since women are often screened during their annual pelvic exams. Men do not generally have similar annual screenings of their reproductive organs.
Since women are more likely to be asymptomatic, the number of people who actually have chlamydia could be even higher. Also, as testing becomes more sensitive and screening becomes more common and available, this trend is expected to continue to rise.
People aged 15 to 25 years old make up almost two thirds of all chlamydia cases reported in 2016 to the CDC . More specifically, up to 1 in 20 sexually active young women aged 14-24 could have chlamydia in the US .
Outside of the US, chlamydia is also very common. In 2012, the worldwide estimate of chlamydia infections was around 131 million new cases of chlamydia per year . This number is close to that of the entire population of Japan.
Recommended Reading: How Do You Test For Chlamydia In Males
Stds That Cause Itching: Trichomoniasis
According to the latest study in the US, an estimated number of 3.7 million people are infected with trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis STD is caused by a microscopic, one-celled parasite called Trichomonas Vaginalis. This parasite spreads during sexual intercourse when you have sexual contact with someone who already has the infection. Trichomoniasis causes itching in both men and women. It also affects the urinary tract in men and the vagina in women.
Following are some of the other symptoms of trichomoniasis infection
- White, greenish, or yellowish vaginal discharge
- Discharge from the penis
- Vaginal itching or irritation