Vaginitis or vaginal infection is a problem many women face and irritation also occurs close to vagina, which is known as vulva. Sometimes unhygienic conditions or unsafe sex can result in transfer of such infection. You can do several things to prevent infection as well as to relieve the discomfort and in the following sections, we will look at them in detail.
Preventing Vaginal Infections
You can take several steps to prevent vaginal infection, some of them are:
- To wash vulva make use of warm water and dry the area properly afterwards using a clean towel.
- Vaginal discharges are a natural method of the body to keep the vagina clean. So try not to use douches if the physician does not prescribe it.
- Avoid underwear made of nylon or similar fibers and do not wear thongs if not necessary. It has been seen that synthetic fabrics can result in irritation and disturbing the moisture levels in vulva.
- Properly rinse your underwear after they are washed and always wash new ones before you start wearing them.
- Always make use of mild soaps to wash your underwear and avoid fabric softeners and detergents that can result in allergies.
- During menstrual bleeding try to use tampons and avoid sanitary napkins. Additionally, do not use tampons overnight or for long durations because of the risk of toxic shock syndrome.
- If possible, to avoid then it is better not to wear panty girdles. The reason is that these lock in moisture and heat and become breeding environment for infections. In case it is necessary to wear leggings then wear the cotton ones.
- Dehydration can make you vulnerable to urinary infection, which can in turn result in yeast infection.
- Do not wipe from back to front after using toilet, as this can draw bacteria from anus region towards your vagina and result in infection.
- There are OTC medications available for yeast infection but in case you are suffering from bacterial infection then it is advisable to visit a doctor and get prescription drugs for treatment of the infection.