New Health Experts Q&A Women’s Health

What are the symptoms of vulvitis

Asked by:Cloudy

Asked on:Apr 03, 2026 04:44 PM

Answers:1 Views:511
  • Audrey Audrey

    Apr 03, 2026

    The main symptoms of vulvitis are itching, redness, swelling, and burning of the vulvar skin, which may be accompanied by abnormal secretions or discomfort during urination. Vulvitis is usually caused by factors such as bacterial infection, fungal infection, allergic reaction, poor hygiene habits, or endocrine disorders, and requires targeted treatment according to the specific cause.

    1. Itching

    Vulvar itching is the most common symptom of vulvitis and may be caused by Candida albicans infection or contact dermatitis. The itching can range from mildly uncomfortable to severe and unbearable, and may worsen at night. For fungal vulvitis, you can use clotrimazole vaginal tablets, miconazole nitrate cream or nystatin suppositories as directed by your doctor. ; Allergic vulvitis needs to avoid contact with allergens, and if necessary, take oral loratadine tablets to relieve symptoms.

    2. Redness and swelling

    Redness and swelling of vulvar skin are mostly related to local inflammatory reaction, which may be accompanied by an increase in skin temperature. Bacterial vulvitis is commonly infected by Streptococcus pyogenes or Escherichia coli, and manifests as vulvar congestion and edema. It can be treated with antibiotics such as erythromycin ointment and mupirocin ointment as directed by the doctor. It is necessary to keep the vulva clean and dry every day and avoid scratching.

    3. Burning pain

    Burning pain during urination or friction may be related to paraurethral gland infection or vulvar skin damage. When trichomonal vaginitis is combined with vulvitis, the pain is more obvious and needs to be treated with metronidazole vaginal effervescent tablets combined with oral tinidazole tablets. It is recommended to wear loose cotton underwear to reduce irritation from chemical lotions.

    4. Abnormal secretions

    Bacterial vaginosis may cause grayish-white, fishy-smelling discharge, and fungal infections often result in bean-like leucorrhea. In mixed infections, the color and texture of the secretions change more complexly, and the diagnosis needs to be confirmed through secretion examination. Chinese patent medicines such as Sophora flavescens gel and Baofukang suppository can be used as auxiliary treatments, but they must be used in combination with Western medicines under the guidance of a doctor.

    5. Discomfort in urination

    When inflammation spreads to the urethral opening, it can cause frequent urination and urgency, and in severe cases, pain during urination. It needs to be differentiated from urinary tract infection. Senile vulvitis may cause urethral mucosal atrophy due to decreased estrogen levels. Topical estrogen ointment can be used for a short period of time to improve symptoms, and lactic acid bacteria vaginal capsules can be supplemented to adjust the microecological balance.

    To keep the vulva clean, you need to choose a weakly acidic lotion with a pH of 4-5 to avoid excessive cleaning that damages the barrier function. Underwear should be changed frequently and washed with boiling water, and sexual partners should be treated simultaneously to prevent cross-infection. If symptoms persist for 3 days without relief or symptoms such as fever or ulcers occur, you must seek medical attention promptly to check for special conditions such as herpes virus infection. Diabetic patients need to strictly control blood sugar to reduce the risk of recurrence of fungal infections.

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