Pain in the vagina or the female external genital organs (the vulva, which includes the labia, clitoris, and entrance to the vagina) most commonly is a result of infection. Vaginal pain during sexual intercourse is referred to as dyspareunia. Infection of the vagina is referred to as vaginitis. Vaginal pain can be a result of injury or trauma to the vagina or vulva. The medical term for vaginal pain is vulvodynia.
Yeast infection (Candida) is a particularly common form of vaginitis. Women are at increased risk for yeast vaginitis if they take antibiotics or cortisone medications during pregnancy and if their immune systems are suppressed by medications or disease.
Depending on the cause of vaginal pain, it may be associated with
- vaginal bleeding,
- itching,
- burning,
- rawness,
- soreness,
- stinging, and/or
- throbbing.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.
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Other Causes of Vaginal Pain
- Bartholin's Abscesses
- Trauma Injury
Examples of Medications for Vaginal Pain
- conjugated equine estrogens and medroxyprogesterone acetate, Prempro, Premphase
- esterified estrogens (Menest)
- esterified estrogens and methyltestosterone, Estratest, Estratest HS
- estradiol, Alora, Climara, Delestrogen, Depo-Estradiol, Divigel, Elestrin, Estrace, and Others
- estrogens conjugated (Premarin)
- estrogens conjugated synthetic (Cenestin)
- estropipate, Ogen
- flibanserin (Addyi)
- OTC Pain Relievers and Fever Reducers
- terconazole, Terazol, Zazole
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