The vaginal wall is prone to inflammation and infection, as well as wear-and-tear during a woman’s lifetime. Some ailments affecting the vagina are Vaginitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Vaginal atrophy, and Vaginal Prolapse. An overview of these diseases is as follows:

Vaginitis: This refers to the inflammation or infection of the vagina and vulva. Also known as vulvovaginitis, this is a common ailment that affects women of all ages. The most common culprit of this infection is bacteria, Viruses, parasites, sexually transmitted diseases and exposure to allergens or chemical irritants can also trigger this. The visible symptoms differ according to the cause but some common ones are itching or irritation in the genitals, inflammation around the vulva, vaginal discharge with a strong odour and pain during urination.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: STDs are infections that get transmitted through sexual contact between two individuals, one who is infected and the other who is not. Some of these diseases show clear symptoms while some can be detected only through screening tests like the Pap smear test. The most common STI among women is Gonorrhoea. If symptoms occur, then it’s within a period of 2 to 14 days. There’s also a probability that an infected person may not show any visible symptoms and thus can carry it to someone who’s unaware. Symptoms include pain during intercourse, burning sensation while urinating, fever, heavier periods and vaginal discharges.