Vaginal itching, burning and inflammation are typical symptoms of vaginitis. Women with yeast infection cannot escape from these symptoms. Sometimes these symptoms can occur in bacterial vaginosis, but not in all cases though.
Every woman will experience vaginal irritation several times at any given points of their live. These vaginal itching or irritation usually resolves on its own without any treatment. However, if the itching or irritation continue, or becomes severe, then a visit to the doctor is necessary to find out what is the cause behind the problem, before it can be treated accordingly.
If you experience vaginal itching/burning accompanied with a white to grayish vaginal discharge that smells like fish, it could be bacterial vaginosis (BV).
The standard bacterial vaginosis treatment is with antibiotics, either in the form of oral table or vaginal cream/gel. The treatment will help eliminate the BV-causing bacteria, and thereby stop the symptoms of vaginal itching, discharge and foul odor. But BV may take quite a number of days to clear up, and if you experience unbearable symptoms during this period, you may try some over-the-counter (OTC) solutions and natural remedies to relief vaginal itching and burning.
OTC solutions
Keep a vaginal anti-itch cream handy. It prevents undesirable itching to occur at a wrong time, like when you are waiting at the bus stop with a crowd or sharing an elevator with your male colleagues. Vagisil, for instance, contains an anesthetic to suppress itch and is safe to use at the vaginal area. This will save you from the intense need to scratch. Other available vaginal anti-itch creams include Equate, Vagi-gard, and Summers Eve.
Most vaginal anti-itch creams also contain external analgesics and anti-pruritics. If possible, opt for a cream that has added vitamins A, D and E to calm the irritated vaginal skin.
Do not that these anti-itch creams only stop minor itching. They don’t have the power to kill germs. They only provide short-term symptoms relief. Bacterial vaginosis will continue to attack you with subsequent episodes of itching and burning because the root problem is not treated. You still need to seek appropriate medical treatment or use natural remedies to treat bacterial vaginosis at its root causes.
Lifestyle tips
* Do not scratch, otherwise you will further irritate the affected area.
* Refrain from sexual intercourse until the symptoms improve.
* Keep the vaginal area cool and dry by wearing cotton underwear, which absorbs moisture and sweat better than other types of fabric.
* Introduce something cold to the vaginal area to lessen the irritation. Place a piece of damp washcloth in the freezer for several minutes, then place the cold washcloth on the vaginal area to act as a cold compress.
* Do not use scented or colored toilet paper. The chemicals may cause further skin irritation.
There are also ways to stop vaginal itching with home remedies, by making use of commonly found ingredients such as garlic, tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar.
Review - 3 Days to Permanent Bacterial Vaginosis Relief by Kristina Tomlin