Vaginal burning: What could it be?

@mmoss- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Things can really change in a minute, can't they? All of my burnings inside have been the result of yeast infections. Have you changed anything that you use to wash your "parts" with?

When you say your vaginal area can you describe this as inside, outside, or both? Have you had a recent UTI?

Hi Thank you for your reply. No yeast or UTI infections. Pain inside and out.

@mmoss- I can sympathize and I'm sure that you are very frustrated. Vulvodynia and vestibulodynia refer to a chronic discomfort of the vulva, the part of a woman’s body that protects the genitals. It includes the external female genitalia, including the mons pubis, the labia majora and minora, the clitoris, and the perineum. This all happens due to nerves in this area and is very difficult to treat. If this is what you have, which it sounds like it at this time there is no known cause.

@lizziemnz;@ronnie3716;@ronnie3716 may be able to chime in here and give some advice and support.

Here is the blog from Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vulvodynia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353423

On this site, you will see treatments. And, of course, everyone is different.

Medications. Steroids, tricyclic antidepressants or anticonvulsants can help lessen chronic pain. Antihistamines might reduce itching.
Biofeedback therapy. This therapy can help reduce pain by teaching you how to relax your pelvic muscles and control how your body responds to the symptoms.
Local anesthetics. Medications, such as lidocaine ointment, can provide temporary symptom relief. Your doctor might recommend applying lidocaine 30 minutes before sexual intercourse to reduce your discomfort. Using lidocaine ointment can cause your partner to have temporary numbness after sexual contact.
Nerve blocks. Women who have long-standing pain that doesn't respond to other treatments might benefit from local nerve block injections.
Pelvic floor therapy. Many women with vulvodynia have tension in the muscles of the pelvic floor, which supports the uterus, bladder, and bowel. Exercises to relax those muscles can help relieve vulvodynia pain.
Surgery. In cases of localized vulvodynia or vestibulodynia, surgery to remove the affected skin and tissue (vestibulectomy) relieves pain in some women.

What kind of medication have your doctors put you on? Is it working?

I appreciate the reply. This started out as lower abdominal burning for 1.5 months. The paIn then moved Out of abdomen into the vagina. I am 67 years old and have had no medical problems. Medication included Cymbalta for 6 weeks but am now off as I did not feel well while on that medication. I am on Gabapentin but not as much as I was as again I did not feel like myself. Since being in pain management I have been on Vicodin until a week ago when I started to itch. I am taking tramadol now and Zyrtec and try to take as little as possible and only when pain is really bad. I want desperately to get off the pain medication. Last Thursday I had a epidural steroid injection by pain management at the T-12 and L-1 area. It did not stop the burning. I need to find out what is causing this pain and how to get relief without pain medication. My ob/gyn prescribed estrogen cream to try for the burning. I am living in Sarasota and feel as though no one here has been able to diagnose my pain. I am losing weight, frustrated and depressed. This pain has consumed my husband’s and my life. We feel we have no where to turn for help.

@mmoss- I know that this is very stressful. Did you have a chance to read the sites that I sent you? If you are unhappy with your doctors can you seek a second opinion, preferably at a teaching hospital?

Is the tramadol now and Zyrtec working?

Pudendal neuralgia ? pudendal block done by a very skilled anesthetist is your next option. Have a Urolgist do a cystoscopy at the same time to rule out potential pathology in the bladder. It's a nightmare to live with. Hope it works
for you - I sympathise with you for having this distressing condition.

Atrophic Vaginitis causing vaginal burning

Vaginal atrophy (atrophic vaginitis) is a condition where the lining of the vagina gets drier and thinner from a lack of estrogen. Has anyone had this condition? If so did estrogen cream help? My Dr said this is why I am having burning. Thank you

Recently by regular dr said I had Vaginal atrophy, but gave me no other information or instructions. I followed up by making an appt with a gynecologist. She provided additional information and discovered I also had Lichen Sclerosus which was causing my itching. My regular dr missed that.

Because I have history of breast cancer she did not recommend estrogen cream. She checked with my oncologist who told her no estrogen unless other options do not work.

She also gave me a brochure that recommended these product, though I am sure there are others:
From Mayo brochure
Restore
Bio-Nourish
Satin by Sliquid

Good luck
Laurie

@mmoss It's important you gather information and receive support from members. This is why I moved your question to a previous discussion that you started on this topic.

Members @gracythesharl @rwinney @donnacarp @2011panc @guss @healthytoday @linsie @dablues @court135 have discussed a similar topic and may be able to offer support.

Below I have linked two other previous discussions that may be of interest to you.
-Recurrent vaginal irritation/painful intercourse https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/recurrent-vaginal-irritationpainful-intercourse/
-Dry vagina and foamy urine: Internal bleeding? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/deviated-septum-lots-of-mucous/

May I ask if your doctor has prescribed estrogen cream?

I encourage you ladies to so as I did and give up processed sugar. I suffered from burning vaginal tissue, my vulva was on fire for years. I did not have a vaginal yeast infection with discharge, but my tissues were inflamed. Finally I found a woman doctor you suggested dietary changes. At first I thought that was nonsense. I simply wanted a topical or prescription to fix my problem. Finally I had to accept the fact I was out of options and started researching.
Read William Crook, MD, The Yeast Connection Handbook. His diet worked for me. I will never eat processed sugar again. I followed his diet plan, which starves out the yeast residing in our intestines and whose waste passes throughout membranes and into our blood stream. It's a simple book, handwritten diagrams of what is going on inside our bodies. I have never been overweight and never thought I had an excessive sweet tooth yet giving up processed sugar was extremely difficult. You won't notice results for 6 weeks into your detox which makes the self disciple to resist even harder. Yeast lives on sugar and during the detox not even natural sugar or most carbs, which turn into sugar are allowed. Now I can have several servings of fruit a day without issue. I also eat most carbs, but try to limit gluten.
I no long crave sugar because the yeast is not screaming at my brain to be feed, it lives on sugar. It has to die and it fights death by sending messages to your brain demanding the foods that nourish it. My mouth would explode with saliva simply looking or even thinking of something sweet. I did eat a lot of carrots which were about the sweetest food I was allowed.
I made up a jingle which I would repeat during the miserable detox period when cravings are maddening and I so wanted to eat something sweet or have gluten.

"When will you learn,
It's going to make you burn."

If you are miserable enough you will be motived, pain is a serious motivator for me. Still no burning going on 2 years now.