It was found that a few years after menopause, most women have symptoms such as dryness, burning and itching in the genital area, frequent urination, sometimes incontinence. This is a physiological process, but requires medical correction.

What is atrophic vaginitis and why it develops

Atrophic vaginitis is developed with a lack of female sex hormones estrogen after menopause, and after the suppression of ovarian function in the treatment of cancer of female genitalia. The lack of estrogen causes atrophy (decrease in volume) of the vaginal mucosa and all the associated symptoms.

The process of formation of atrophic vaginitis due to the fact that reducing the amount of estrogen in the blood decreases the support that they have a normal (beneficial) microflora of the vagina. The reproductive (childbearing) age under the influence of estrogen cells of the mucous membrane of the vagina multiply and replenish glycogen. Glycogen is an essential nutrient, which reproduces the normal vaginal flora, represented mostly lactobacilli.

Lactobacilli isolated environment lactic acid Lactic acid - shows our health Creating an acidic environment in the vagina, useful for the life of a normal microflora and harmful for the life of opportunistic and pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, the vagina of women of childbearing age is able to cleanse itself. Therefore, even some sexual infections are not always "take root" in the body of a healthy woman.

When ovarian function and decreasing the amount of estrogen decreases, vaginal mucosa becomes thinner, the acidity of the vaginal environment is reduced (Ph increases in the alkaline side). This ensures that the volume of the normal microflora is reduced and it is no longer "in control." In these circumstances, it becomes comfortable conditionally pathogenic and pathogenic microflora, which leads to its reproduction and symptoms of vaginitis Vaginitis - symptoms that every woman should know . It is found that this process is accompanied by proliferation of small blood vessels in the walls of the vagina which leads to an increased vulnerability and frequent bleeding. The inflammatory process is first aseptic (without infection) character, but perhaps the accession of secondary infection - the formation of long flowing nonspecific vaginitis Non-specific vaginitis - can occur at any age Caused by pathogenic microflora.

As shown

Atrophic vaginitis is usually begins within 5-6 years after menopause. In some women, it comes later - after ten or more years. Initially, there is a significant vaginal dryness, thinning of the mucosa causes that it becomes very vulnerable and bleeds at any exposure.

After a while, the vagina itching, burning, and sometimes severe pain. Often these things become unbearable, leading to insomnia and neuroses. In some cases, join urination disorders - they are frequent, sometimes involuntarily. Another characteristic symptom - dyspareunia - the emergence of pain associated with sexual intercourse. The pain may occur just before intercourse, during or after it. Select with atrophic vaginitis usually liquid.

Against the backdrop of a lack of estrogen, many women develop nonspecific vaginitis caused by one or more infectious agents - representatives of conditionally pathogenic microflora of the vagina The microflora of the vagina: purity . The woman may appear different kinds of discharge from the genital tract (depending on the pathogen). Such vaginitis are prone to long-term course, when the state gives way to remission of disease recurrence.

What woman, if she started atrophic vaginitis?

It should see a gynecologist. The gynecologist will check the hormones a woman (blood on hormones), take swabs from the vagina, cervix and urethra for examination under a microscope and identify the signs of inflammation, smears on atypical cells (identified cancer process - after menopause is important), crop selections on Culture media for the detection of pathogen and its sensitivity to various drugs. Defined as the acidity of the vaginal contents - reduction of acidity will be talking about a violation of the relationship between the normal and the pathogenic microflora - dysbacteriosis.

Many diagnostic value has a colposcopy - Diagnosis using special optical equipment (colposcope). Colposcopy allows a good view of the vaginal mucosa and on this basis the correct diagnosis. Be sure to also performed ultrasound.

Only after complete examination female doctor prescribes treatment. Of great importance is timely appeal for medical help - the earlier treatment is started, the more effective it is.

Vaginitis, or inflammation of the mucosa of the vagina can have different causes, and therefore different symptoms. In any case of suspected vaginitis woman should consult a gynecologist, to identify the cause of the disease and treat it under medical supervision and laboratory.

The main types of vaginitis

Adrift disease vaginitis are divided into acute and chronic - the symptoms of these processes are different. Various symptoms may be related to the cause of the disease - bacterial, protozoal (caused by protozoa such as trichomonas), and yeast vaginitis occur in different ways.

Depending on the type of pathogen all vaginitis are also divided into specific (they have their specific for the pathogen symptoms) or nonspecific (proceed equally). The specific vaginitis are caused by gonococci, trichomonas, chlamydia Chlamydia: insidious and widespread disease , Mycoplasma, ureaplasma, the yeast genus Candida. Non-specific vaginitis caused by various types of staphylococcus, streptococcus, E. coli, and so on.

Symptoms of acute vaginitis

Developing the disease is usually acute, with the appearance, redness and swelling in the genital area, which are accompanied by itching and burning. Fever, impaired general condition of the woman. Then there are spin-off, which, depending on the infectious agent may be of different nature.

For example, if a bacterial infection is more often highlight mucopurulent, yellow, with an unpleasant odor. When bacterial infection may be very heavy, mixed with blood. For trichomoniasis characterized by abundant frothy yellow, and for candidiasis (thrush) - cheesy, with the simultaneous appearance of cheesy plaque on the walls of the vagina.

In children and older women are rare highlight, often accompanied by inflammation and dryness of mucous membranes of increased vulnerability.

In the lower part of the abdomen appear aching, worse during sexual intercourse. Often combined with inflammation of the vagina inflammation of the urinary tract, which is manifested in the form of frequent painful urination. Particularly characterized by such symptoms for gonorrhea.

If acute vaginitis is left untreated, it can go on their own displays, it means that the infection is hidden, and the inflammatory process moved into a chronic form. This is dangerous because the infection can spread to the overlying internal sex organs - the uterus and its appendages.

Symptoms of chronic vaginitis

Chronic vaginitis is often undertreated or incorrectly consequence of treated acute vaginitis Acute vaginitis - the most common disease in women . But sometimes chronic inflammation of the vagina develops initially. Chronic disease is especially true for vaginitis caused by chlamydia, mycoplasma and ureaplasma.

In chronic vaginitis Chronic vaginitis - a long course of the disease, and inconspicuous   All the symptoms are less pronounced, the disease is sometimes unnoticed by the woman who considers herself healthy. Most often the only symptom may be intermittent itching in the genital area. Discharge not abundant, they usually do not attract the attention of women, as there are pronounced purulent, foamy or cheesy nature.

Sometimes, for example, decreasing immunity against cold or other disease begins exacerbation of vaginitis, but it also usually proceeds sufficiently quickly, without fever and abdominal pain. May simply worsen the isolation and itching.

A survey of women with vaginitis

Without prior examination impossible to treat vaginitis, which is why were treated with their own home-vaginitis often become chronic and complicated infertility.

In order to establish the cause of the disease, the woman about the following studies:

• Smear on the flora of the vagina, cervical canal and the urethra; smear under the microscope reveals the infectious agents such as gonorrhea, Trichomonas Trichomonas - leads to infertility   and fungi genus Candida; pathogens, which live inside the cells of the epithelium (chlamydia, mycoplasma and ureaplasma) reveal so it's impossible;
• Study scrapings from the vagina, the cervical canal and the urethra by PCR (DNA detected infectious agent);
• immunological blood tests (eg, ELISA - detected antibodies to infectious agents);
• microbiological research (crop nutrient discharge to the environment) - the most accurate results with the identification of the infectious agent and its sensitivity to various drugs.

Vaginitis - a disease that should be identified as early as possible, until the infection has spread to the internal genital organs.

Galina Romanenko