Patient's question:
Used suppositories and topical washes, but they didn't work.Doctor's answer:
Vaginal itching (pruritus vulvae) is a symptom caused by various different lesions of the vulva, but it can also occur in individuals with completely normal vulvas. It is generally more common in middle-aged women. When the itching is severe, patients often feel restless and unable to sit or lie down, which can affect their daily life and work.【Etiology】
1. Local Causes
(1) Special infections
Candidal vulvovaginitis and trichomonal vulvovaginitis are the most common causes of vulvar itching. Lice and scabies can also lead to itching. Pruritus around the anus and vulva caused by pinworms typically occurs only at night in young girls.
(2) Chronic vulvar dystrophy
The main symptom is severe itching, accompanied by white patches on the vulvar skin.
(3) Drug allergies or chemical irritants
Soaps, condoms, povidone-iodine, and mercuric chloride can cause contact dermatitis with itching due to direct irritation or allergies.
(4) Poor hygiene habits
Lack of vulvar cleanliness, prolonged exposure to sebum, sweat, menstrual fluid, vaginal secretions, or even urine and fecal matter can lead to itching. Using rubber or plastic menstrual pads during menstruation, or wearing non-breathable synthetic fiber underwear, can trigger itching due to accumulated moisture and heat.
(5) Other skin conditions
Abrasions, warts, herpes, eczema, and tumors can all cause vulvar itching.
2. Systemic Causes
(1) Diabetes
Due to the irritation of glucose in urine on the vulvar skin, especially when accompanied by candidal vulvitis, vulvar itching becomes particularly severe. Many patients first seek medical attention for vulvar itching and redness before further examination confirms the diagnosis.