Your vagina cleans itself, so avoid using a douche, which may actually harm vaginal health. Douching can cause more harm than good. Learn more about vaccine availability. Advertising Policy. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. Related Articles. Embarrassing Vaginal Odor?
It Could Be Bacterial Vaginosis. How to Decode Your Vaginal Discharge. This keeps the vagina healthy and prevents infection. Douching can remove good bacteria from the vagina.
Using a douche can change its pH balance, allow bad bacteria to multiply, and infections, irritations, raw skin, and more severe complications to occur.
Douching can cause more harm than good. The potential for complications, some of which may be severe, is dependent on the reasons a woman decides to douche in the first place. Douching is not a valid form of contraception. However, using a douche can make it more difficult for a woman who is trying to conceive. There is a common misconception that douching can help prevent vaginal infections or get rid of them.
However, the opposite is true. In fact, women who douche are five times more likely to develop vaginosis than those who do not. Using a douche when an infection is already present is also more likely to make it worse and spread to other parts of the reproductive system.
Pelvic inflammatory disease or PID is usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection. Women who douche regularly increase their risk of PID by 73 percent. Cervicitis occurs when the cervix becomes irritated or inflamed, and it can cause itching, pain, and vaginal discharge. It is another condition that is usually contracted via a sexually transmitted infection. However, douching also increases the risk.
Learn what it means if your vaginal discharge has increased in volume, changed texture, or has an unexpected color or odor. Learn when to call your…. If you experience discomfort in your genital area or when you urinate, you may have an infection. Urinary tract infections and yeast infections…. Some research has shown that regular bidet use could increase your exposure to certain pathogens.
Learn more. Yeast infections are common. Here are seven of the best over-the-counter products to help manage a yeast infection. The Bartholin glands are a pair of glands, near the opening of the vagina. If a duct from one of the gland gets blocked, fluids can build up…. A cyst may form if…. If you have vaginal atrophy, you may wonder if it can be reversed. With treatment, some women find that their symptoms improve. Although antibiotics can help treat bacterial vaginosis BV , it often comes back.
There are several steps you can take to lower your risk of…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Michael Charles, M. How does it work? Douching is different from washing the outside of your vagina during a bath or shower. Rinsing the outside of your vagina with warm water will not harm your vagina. But, douching can lead to many different health problems. More African-American and Hispanic women douche than white women.
Studies have not found any health benefit to douching. But, studies have found that douching is linked to many health problems. Most doctors recommend that women do not douche. Douching can change the necessary balance of vaginal flora bacteria that live in the vagina and natural acidity in a healthy vagina. A healthy vagina has good and harmful bacteria.
The balance of bacteria helps maintain an acidic environment. The acidic environment protects the vagina from infections or irritation. Douching can cause an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. This can lead to a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. If you already have a vaginal infection, douching can push the bacteria causing the infection up into the uterus , fallopian tubes , and ovaries. This can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease , a serious health problem.
Douching is also linked to other health problems. Researchers are studying whether douching causes these problems or whether women at higher risk for these health problems are more likely to douche. You should not douche to try to get rid of vaginal odor or other vaginal problems like discharge, pain, itching, or burning. Douching will only cover up odor for a short time and will make other problems worse. Call your doctor or nurse if you have:. These may be signs of a vaginal infection, or an STI.
Do not douche before seeing your doctor or nurse. This can make it hard for the doctor or nurse to find out what may be wrong. Doctors recommend that women do not douche. You do not need to douche to clean your vagina. Your body naturally flushes out and cleans your vagina. Any strong odor or irritation usually means something is wrong.
Douching also can raise your chances of a vaginal infection or an STI. If you have questions or concerns, talk to your doctor.
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