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2. Vaginal Odor

   (Causes and Prevention)

   
   
   Vaginal odor may limit sexual activity in a relationship; the woman feels uncomfortable, and the man becomes a little distant. However, the vagina has a distinct smell that is not a problem. Each girl has a particular vaginal smell; it is natural. Even when you notice a recent difference in its smell, it is not necessarily an infection. That change may be linked to a specific moment of your menstrual cycle because the smell of your vagina can vary depending on the time of the cycle.
   A healthy vagina always emerges a discrete odor at one time or another
   It is normal that it has a certain odor sometimes. Whether this natural smell is neutral or not, it is a matter of personal judgment. In fact, some women notice their odor when there is no notable odor detected by their partners.
   However, if the odor changes and becomes strongly unpleasant (repugnant fishy vaginal odor), this change deserves attention because it is perhaps a sign of a serious vaginal infection. Left untreated, this condition may cause not only physiologic problems but also emotional (stress) and social problems (the person feels uncomfortable thinking the odor is detected by others).
   What to do when you have vaginal odor
   Many women believe that vaginal odor are the result of a lack of personal hygiene and wash excessively their vagina unaware that they worsen the problem. While poor genital hygiene can be the cause, excessive washing is not the solution. Very often, women hampered by a strong vaginal odor should not begin to wash themselves intensively. That does not help at all. The first thing to do should be restoring the acidity and the balance of the vaginal flora naturally. That restoration cannot be done by excessive antibiotic intake; it decreases your immune system.
   How to restore the balance of the vaginal flora
   The vaginal flora consists of a large number of microaerophilic bacteria. Among them, lactobacilli are considered the principal ones for their role in protecting the vagina. These micro-organisms are primarily responsible for protective acidity of the vagina. Washing the vagina too often increases its pH, which disrupts the vaginal flora and can cause vaginal infections and particularly unpleasant odors. That is, do not wash your vaginal excessively when you suffer from vaginal health issues.
   If the vaginal flora is disrupted, pathogenic bacteria proliferate, resulting in bacterial vaginosis. This type of proliferation tends to increase the number of bacteria normally present in the vagina causing unpleasant fishy vaginal odor.
   Causes of vaginal odor
   Besides excessive washing, douching, tight clothes and certain chemicals (scented body washes, antibacterial soap, etc) can cause vaginal infection or yeast infections. Certain contraceptives and foreign body in vagina can provoke vaginal odor and other major health issues. Vaginal and anal intercourse alternation during the same session can cause vaginal infection resulting in vaginal odor. Though rare, diet can affect the smell of your vagina. In some cases of vaginal odor, eating a healthy diet (eating fruit and vegetables abundantly) can remediate the condition without any medical treatment
   Useful tips
   Wear clean underwear and change them regularly. Avoid Douching, it is not necessary; it can damage or destroy the normal acidity of the vagina resulting in vaginal problems. If you suffer from ant type of vaginal infection, it is recommended to avoid wearing tight underwear and pants so that the vagina can breathe easier. Tight clothes can irritate the vagina and cause or increase vaginal odor. Wearing cotton panties is also important. If a vaginal infection persists despite treatment, you need to see a doctor because it could be a sign of Cancer of the cervix or vagina, Bacterial Vaginosis, Chlamydia, Genital Herpes, Gonorrhea, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Vaginitis, Yeast Infection, etc.
   For women, after intercourse, it is important to go urinate. Urination after sex helps to remove any possible bacteria that may be outside or inside the vaginal canal that would go up in the urethra. Because once present, these microbes tend to go up into the bladder, and can cause recurrent urinary infections. Urination causes a cleansing effect, forcing the microbes outside.
   Natural treatment
   Yes, there are herbal remedies formulated to be total feminine products. Not only are they designed to attack the root causes of your current bacterial vaginosis but also their recurrence. Naturally, they balance the flora of your vagina. The ingredients in these remedies can assist in the re-establishment of the natural lactobacilli in your vagina and significantly boost your immune system to fight your existing condition and its recurrence.
   Note;
   This topic was extracted from one of our books ‘BODY ODOR’. For this and more on ladies’/women affairs, visit www.ladiescorner24.blogspot.com
   Or write us on ladiescorner24@gmail.com
   Or call 2348082976571.
   Your health is our affair.
   
   
   

Causes of body odor in women and treatment
Foul body odor is an embarrassing condition that plagues some women. Although the odor tends to be harmless, it can be an indication of an underlying health condition. That's why it is important to know why the foul body odor occurs. Having this information will help you to determine whether the cause is normal or potentially harmful, as well as knowing how to eliminate it. Your body odor not only mirror the things that you put into your body, but it may also be an indication of what is happening inside your body.

Physical Activity

When you are spending time in an environment that is hot or you are performing physical activities, it is completely natural and healthy to sweat, according to the CNN Health website. When your internal body temperature rises, the apocrine glands in the groin and armpit areas are notified by your autonomic nervous system. The glands are instructed to emit a fatty sweat into the gland's tubule. Once the tubule wall begins to tighten, the sweat makes it way to your skin's surface where it is broken down by bacteria. As the bacteria are working, the decomposition often leads to foul body odor. This odor can be eliminated by showering with soap. Use a washcloth in areas where friction may be contributing to the problem. Use a deodorant soap if you sweat heavily.

Genetic conditions

Trimethylaminuria is a genetic condition that affects the body's ability to break down trimethylamine, a compound that is made by your body while digesting food, according to Genetics Home Reference. Having excess amounts of trimethylamine in your body causes your breath, urine and sweat to emit a fishy odor. Genetic testing can be performed by your physician. If you are found to have the condition, your doctor may prescribe low dose antibiotics, which help control the production of the bacteria. To lessen the effects of the condition, avoid eating foods that contain choline, such as soybeans and egg yolks.
How you can treat body odor naturally

1.      When the bacteria that grow naturally on your skin mix with sweat, the result is body odor. To smell fresh, you need to keep your skin dry and decrease bacteria on the parts of your body that trap moisture, such as the underarms.
Treatment: Shower with a body wash that includes a natural astringent, such as tea tree oil, which shrinks pores and limits your sweating rate. Follow with a powder pad down to absorb moisture; look for products made with baking soda rather than talc( which can irritate your lungs). Finish with a natural deodorant that contains potassium or ammonium alum to reduce bacteria, and essential oils made from anti-microbial herbs, such as rosemary, goldenseal or oregano, to mask odor.

2.      Foods such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower contain the mineral sulfur, which causes an odorous gas that percolates  through your skin. Other types of body odor are usually a sign that it’s time for a nutritional detox. Undigested food in your gastrointestinal tract can produce smelly toxins that, as they build up, begin seeping out of your pores.
Treatment: Limit the aforementioned sulfuric foods, and cut hard-to-digest gluten, dairy and red meat from your diet. Also avoid tuna, shark and swordfish, which have high levels of the toxin mercury. In addition, eat at least 25 grams of flaxseeds, chia, hempseed or whole grains each day to boost your fiber intake, and drink eight or more glasses of water to help expel toxins.

3.      If you’ve ruled out hygiene and diet as causes of your body odor, look for underlying health conditions. Yeast infections can give you a fishy scent, as can a genetic disorder called fish odor syndrome, which occurs when your body can’t properly metabolize an organic compound known as trimethylamine.
Treatment: Zap a yeast infection with 500-milligram capsules of oregano oil, taken twice daily for two weeks. If you’re diagnosed with fish odor syndrome, stay away from foods high in trimethylamine, including milk, eggs, liver and peanuts. Large doses of the B vitamin choline (above 3.5 grams a day) from diet, supplements, or a combination of both, can also make you smell fishy.

Note;

This piece was culled from one of our books ’Body odor’. Next, we shall be discussing vaginal odor. To subscribe for the book, visit www.ladiescorner24.blogspot.com to see our library.

Or write ladiescorner24@gmail.com

Or call 2348082976571.

Causes Of Painful Sexual Intercourse

Causes Of Painful Sexual Intercourse

A number of conditions may cause pain and / or discomfort during sexual intercourse. These conditions include:

Vaginal Infection

Certain vaginal infections, such as vaginal yeast infections and trichomoniasis, are often present without noticeable symptoms. However, during sexual intercourse, the rubbing motion of the penis against the vagina and genitalia sometimes causes the symptoms of these vaginal infections (stinging, burning) to intensify.

Genital herpes sores are another frequent cause of pain during sex.

Vaginal Irritation

Many products contain irritants that can cause vaginal irritation, leading to discomfort or pain during vaginal sexual intercourse. These include:

• any contraceptive foams, creams, or jellies
• allergic reactions to condoms, diaphragms, or latex gloves
• vaginal deodorant sprays
• scented tampons
• deodorant soaps
• laundry detergents (in sensitive individuals)
• excessive vaginal douching

Vaginal Dryness

This often causes pain and discomfort during sex. Normal vaginal lubrication is a gift to most women; however, the vagina may be dry at certain times, making vaginal penetration painful. Lack of vaginal lubrication can be caused by several factors including:

• Trying to achieve vaginal penetration too fast before enough stimulation has occurred to allow normal vaginal lubrication to take place.
• Feeling nervous or tense about the sexual experience; this can slow the release of vaginal lubrication.
• Using a condom without the addition of a vaginal lubricant, such as K-Y Jelly (Saliva is  acceptable for vaginal lubrication, but never use petroleum-based products(petroleum jelly), as they can deteriorate condoms and contribute to vaginal infections.)
• Hormonal imbalance during menopause, the years preceding menopause, or following childbirth.
  (Vaginal lubrication methods listed above may help; menopausal women may benefit from a prescribed estrogen cream that's used vaginally.)

Vaginal Tightness

This occasionally happens when you feel tense, or are not fully relaxed when penetration occurs. Difficulty penetrating a tight vagina can happen even when vaginal lubrication is not a problem. The first few times you engage in sexual intercourse, the vagina may be tight due to a contracted hymen, which can cause pain at the time of penetration.

Sometimes a more severe condition called vaginismus is responsible for vaginal tightness; women with vaginismus experience strong, involuntary muscle spasms of the vaginal muscles during sexual intercourse or vaginal penetration by any object, including fingers, tampons, vibrators, etc.

Pain of the Clitoris

The clitoris is the most sensitive part of the female genitalia. Gentle touching or rubbing of the clitoris is extremely pleasurable for some women, while it is unbearably painful for others. Clitoral pain may also occur due to poor hygiene; vaginal secretions may collect under the clitoral hood and may lead to pain if not properly washed away.

Pelvic Pain

Occasionally, a woman will experience pelvic pain upon deep, thrusting penetration. Many conditions may cause this pain, including:

• Tears in the ligaments that support the uterus (causes include problems during childbirth, inappropriately performed abortion, previous violent sexual intercourse or rape)
• Cervical, uterine, or tubal infections, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Pelvic adhesion (often the result of previous pelvic surgery or PID)
• Endometriosis
• Ovarian cysts
• Uterine fibroid tumors

Vulvodynia

This is a painful, and often hard to diagnose chronic condition that causes a burning and/or stinging sensation of the vulva and vagina.

Pain and / or discomfort are never part of normal sexual intercourse. If you experience pain during sex, don't be afraid to tell your partner who has no way of knowing that you're uncomfortable unless you talk about what you're feeling. Also make sure to see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause. Share Your Experience.

NOTE

This was extracted from one of our books ‘THE WOMAN AND HER HEALTH’. For this and more, visit us on www.ladiescorner24.blogspot.com

Or write us on ladiescorner24@gmail.com

Or you can call us on +2348082976571.

In ladies’ corner, we treat ladies/women’s cases with utmost care, be proud to consult us for your sexually related problems and other health related feminine issues.