Vaginal Abrasions: 8 Causes, 6 Symptoms & 7 Treatments
Vaginal abrasions are just like any other abrasions that occur in the other parts of the human body. An abrasion is an injury caused by superficial damage to the skin no deeper than the epidermis level.
People get abrasions all the time when their exposed skin comes into contact with a moving rough surface. Meaning you can acquire this when operating machinery while your skin is exposed, playing contact sports while your skin is exposed as well as when a sharp object grazes your skin during a fight or an accident.
Anybody can get abrasions on his or her skin, but only women get vaginal abrasions. Vaginal abrasions are sadly quite common amongst women as if women don’t go through enough. So what causes vaginal abrasions in women?
Causes of Vaginal Abrasions:
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Vaginal abrasions are a common problem that women have to deal with at some time in their lives. It’s a problem that causes a lot of discomfort, tenderness as well as swelling down there.
A vaginal abrasion can take place at any time without warning and from anything; bleeding may not be experienced, but the wound certainly takes time to heal.
This is because just like the name suggests, vaginal abrasions occur in the vagina which is a very sheltered part of the body. It is not the same as an abrasion on the arm or leg which can be easier to treat and quicker to heal. So what are some of the causes of vaginal abrasions?
Poorly Lubricated Sex:
Sex by definition should be a precious and pleasurable act. When you stop associating sex with tenderness and ecstasy and instead begin to associate it with pain and bruising, then you have a problem.
Women that are likely to suffer from vaginal abrasions are those that engage in intercourse without sufficient lubrication. Naturally, this shouldn’t be an issue because vaginal glands are supposed to secrete a fluid that moistens the vagina when a woman is sexually stimulated.
However, the secretion of this fluid may be affected by fatigue, hormonal imbalance and sometimes age, especially in older women. Luckily, there are remedies in the form of lubricating agents that can help women who can’t get moist down there naturally. Well, lubricated sexual intercourse is not only enjoyable; it also helps keep vaginal abrasions at bay.
Vaginal Itching:
Itching down there may be caused by some physical injury. The irresistible desire to scratch brought about by itching can cause vaginal abrasions. The scratching is done most of the time using fingernails; these fingernails bring about the abrasion since they puncture the mucus wall.
Thin Vaginal Wall:
When your vaginal wall or vaginal mucus is thin, then even a tiny scratch can cause a vaginal abrasion. The vaginal wall becomes thin due to menopause or during changes in a woman’s hormones.
Vaginal Disorders:
Vaginal abrasions may also be caused by vaginal disorders such as bacterial vaginitis and vaginal candidiasis. Bacterial vaginitis (BV) is caused by an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria in your vagina while vaginal candidiasis is an infection brought about by yeast or a type of fungus known as Candida.
Candida exists throughout your body, in your mouth, gut, vagina, and skin without causing any trouble, but when Candida multiplies it may cause an infection in the vaginal area.
Rough Insertions:
Vaginal abrasions may also be caused by the insertion of foreign objects into the vagina without proper lubrication. An example of this would be a gynaecologist inserting a birth control device into the vagina without adequate lubrication.
Women should also be careful while inserting tampons down there, since they may end up scratching the vagina with the fingernails causing an abrasion.
Sexual Abuse:
A vaginal abrasion may also occur during unfortunate instances of sexual abuse. During incidences of forced sexual intercourse, it is impossible for a woman to get sexually stimulated meaning that natural vaginal lubrication is also impossible. This means that abrasions will occur in the vaginal area.
Physical Activity:
Sometimes physical activity that is supposed to be positive and engaging can lead to injury and discomfort. Sometimes girls pick up vaginal abrasions after riding on horseback and also bicycle riding. Friction caused by movement undoubtedly causes this.
The friction between the saddle and the girl’s vaginal area increases as the horse keeps moving. Similarly, the friction between the bike seat and the girl’s vaginal area is increased with every pedal of the bike.
Allergies:
A lot of women also get vaginal abrasions due to allergic reactions. These allergies can be allergies to condoms or spermicidal creams. An allergy to condoms is otherwise known as latex allergy. Vaginal itching and burning characterise this allergy.
Since we know the causes let us get acquainted with the symptoms that will tell you that you may be suffering from a vaginal abrasion.
Symptoms of Vaginal Abrasions:
Pain down There:
The most obvious indication of vaginal abrasions is a pain in the vaginal area. This pain may be accompanied by tenderness making it difficult to clean the vaginal area.
Bleeding:
Vaginal bleeding may be experienced at times depending on the severity of the abrasion. The good news is that the bleeding is usually short-lived.
Pain When Urinating:
A high pitched shriek may be heard in the ladies room if the occupant of the room has a vaginal abrasion. This is because the urethra opening is located just above the vaginal opening. This means that urine will come into contact with the abrasion leading to pain. The pain experienced will depend on the severity of the abrasion.
Pain During Sex:
Vaginal abrasions will rain on your parade. This is because the friction caused when the penis constantly comes into contact with the vagina will aggravate the vaginal abrasion. This will lead to pain and discomfort and will affect a woman’s sex life.
Swollen Labia:
The labia are also known as the vaginal lips. Abrasions may cause the vaginal lips to become deformed due to swelling.
Vaginal Discharge:
Vaginal abrasions bring about bacterial infections that cause vaginal discharge. This vaginal discharge comes with a foul smell. This not only affects woman’s self-esteem but also affects her sex life. The good news is that this condition can easily be avoided with timely treatment.
These symptoms are bad enough to affect or change a woman’s lifestyle. This means that a solution has to be applied quickly to counter this condition. So what are the remedies available for vaginal discharge?
Treatments for Vaginal Abrasions:
Wait It Out:
In most cases, vaginal abrasions are not as serious as the patient may think. Waiting it out is a real solution since vaginal abrasions are known to heal automatically with time. In cases where the abrasion occurs due to allergies to latex, hydrocortisone cream can help ease the painful itching and burning as you wait for the abrasions to heal.
Calendula Ointment:
Calendula ointment is useful in treating vaginal abrasions. Calendula contains antibacterial and immunostimulant properties that facilitate the treatment of cuts and abrasions. This ointment will, therefore, go a long way I solving the problem when applied.
Antibiotics and Neosporin:
If either parasite, viruses or bacteria cause the vaginal abrasions, then antibiotics will clear them away and slowly heal the vaginal abrasions.
It is important to note that a doctor should only prescribe antibiotics. Purchasing antibiotics from the counter without a consult can be very dangerous.
Coconut Oil:
Coconut oil is great for treating abrasions. Coconut oil contains moisturising, anti-inflammatory and healing properties that can bring relief to an affected patient.
When coconut oil is applied to the affected area, it forms a thin layer that protects the damaged skin against dust, bacteria, and viruses. Coconut oil also fastens the healing process since it facilitates the repair of damaged skin tissue on the vagina.
Abstaining from Sex:
It would be great to refrain from all sexual activity during the recovery period to give your lady parts time to heal. Sex causes friction due to constant and fast-paced contact between the penis and the vagina.
If this friction is experienced during the healing process, then it might take much longer to heal since the friction will exacerbate the vaginal abrasion.
Wear Cotton Panties:
Next time you go to the mall, you may want to stop by the underwear corner and get yourself some cotton panties. Cotton panties are great especially for women since they allow the free circulation of air in the private parts of the body. A cotton panty would go a long way in helping a girl with a vaginal abrasion healing faster.
Use of a Lubricant:
You need to be very careful regarding your vaginal health. Just in case your vagina is not moist enough during sex, application of a lubricating agent will help prevent abrasions by moistening up the lady parts.
References:
- https://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/askquestion/19541/how-do-i-treat-internal-vaginal-abrasions.html
- https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/what-is-bacterial-vaginosis#1
- https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/candidiasis/genital/index.html
- https://www.self.com/story/heres-exactly-how-to-know-if-youre-allergic-to-latex-condoms
