Vaginal Itching
Alternate Names : Itching - Vaginal Area, Pruritus Vulvae, Vulvar Itching
Definition
Itching of the vagina and the surrounding area (vulva).
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Common Causes
Common causes of vaginal itching include:
- Chemical irritants -- such as detergents, fabric softeners, feminine sprays, ointments, creams, douches, and contraceptive foams or jellies.
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Vaginal yeast infection -- often includes a discharge that is white and curd-like. Vaginal yeast infections can be caused by antibiotics, birth control pills, pregnancy, diabetes, and weakened immune system (for example, from HIV or long-term steroid use).
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Vaginitis -- inflammation, itching, discharge, and odor caused by other infections (including sexually transmitted diseases). Vaginitis in girls before puberty is common. If a young girl has a sexually transmitted vaginal infection, however, sexual abuse must be considered and addressed.
- Menopause -- declining levels of estrogen cause thinning of the vaginal wall and decreased lubrication, leading to atrophic vaginitis.
- Stress -- may increase vaginal itching and make you more susceptible to certain infections.
Other possible, but less common, causes of vaginal or vulvar itching include:
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Pinworms (a parasitic infection mainly affecting children)
- Certain skin conditions affecting the vulvar skin, some of which may be precancerous
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