Have you started having periods this month? If so, you might have noticed a change in your body, like increased discharge and odor. Heavy periods can be a nuisance, adding to your fatigue, discomfort, and other inconveniences. But some periods are more intense than others and cause itching and odor. What is responsible for the symptoms of itching and odor during periods?
Let’s have a look at it!
Vaginal Itching – Causes and Treatments
Vaginal itching is a common symptom caused by many different things. The most common causes of vaginal itching in periods are hormonal changes, sensitivities and allergies, and vaginal yeast infections.
Causes of Vaginal Itching
Here are some common causes of vaginal itching in and before periods:
- Hormonal changes: Many women experience vaginal itching, especially during the first few days of their period or just before it begins. This is due to fluctuations in hormone levels that occur during menstruation.
- Sensitivities and allergies: Some women may have allergies or sensitivities to certain substances like soaps, detergents, and perfumes that can cause itching in the vagina area.
- Vaginal yeast infections: A vaginal yeast infection is another common cause of vaginal itching. It occurs when there is an overgrowth of candida Albicans (a fungus) in the vagina, leading to symptoms such as redness, burning sensation, and swelling around the vagina area.
Treatment for Vaginal Itching in Periods
Treatment for vaginal itching during your period will vary depending on what is causing the itching. The most common treatments include:
- Drink plenty of water – The vagina is made up of mostly water, so it’s important to keep it moisturized so that it doesn’t get too dry.
- Wear cotton underwear and organic pads – Cotton allows air to get through your underwear and keeps you nice and cool when you’re hot and bothered. Organic cotton pads are ideal for use during your periods as they absorb moisture better than synthetic ones and prevent the growth of bacteria. They also reduce itching and irritation.
- Organic pads like the one from BlackDime are also great because they contain no chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin during your period.
Common Menstrual Odours
You may have heard that there is a range of ‘normal’ menstrual odors, but what exactly are they?
Some odors are caused by hormones that are present in your body. These include:
- Fishy – High estrogen levels in your blood usually cause this. You might notice this when you start your period, and it’s normal for it to disappear after the first few days of menstruation. This can also be a sign of pregnancy so if you get it before your period is due, see your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
- Metallic – This can be caused by low estrogen and high progesterone levels in your body. The combination of these two hormones can result in a metallic taste in your mouth or your skin and cause some women to feel slightly nauseous.
- Rotten – If you notice a terrible or sour odor coming from your vagina while you’re on your period, it could be because of something called bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina, which changes its natural pH levels and produces an unpleasant odor (and sometimes discharge).
How to treat Menstrual Odors?
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to treat menstruation odors naturally — and they’re much less expensive than buying perfumes or deodorants.
Here are some tips for treating vaginal odors:
- Wash with water and soap daily.
- Apply a natural astringent like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar after bathing.
- Use a feminine hygiene product with natural ingredients like aloe vera, witch hazel, and tea tree oil.
- Consider using probiotics to improve the health of the vaginal flora.
Final Words
That’s the end of our list! But before we wrap it up, there’s one more thing that you should know: some people get a lot of itching during their periods. Your apocrine glands cause this near your vagina and sweat in your pubic and vaginal areas. This causes an odor to develop as well as mild itching in many women.
So, protect your skin only with organic pads. Natural cotton is a better choice than those containing chemicals, which helps alleviate itchiness and odor.
When you choose Hiddendays, you avoid irritation and infection of your reproductive organs. Furthermore, you create less trash with these pads.