KissMeGoodnight
eLearning Series:
Your Sexual Health
Genital
Itching: How To Avoid It and Treatments
Both males and females can experience the
discomfort of genital itching. This itching may be caused by
sexually transmitted diseases, irritation, or allergies. In
some circumstances, the itching may clear up all by it self.
In other situations, you may need to see your health care provider
for treatment that cannot be remedied via over-the-counter
measures.
Here are some ways that females can avoid genital itching.
- When wiping after urinating or having a bowel movement, you
should wipe from front to back. Doing this will lessen the
chance of bacteria entering the vagina from the anus.
- Using feminine wash products such as douches and sprays can
upset the acidic balance in the vagina.
Here are some ways that males can avoid genital itching.
- For men who are not circumcised it is important to wash under
the area of the foreskin.
- Keep the genital area dry
Here
are some preventive measures that apply to both male
and females to avoid genital itching.
- Do not wear tight fitting, synthetic underwear. Remember to
change underwear daily.
- When you are done bathing, showering, or swimming, it is important
to dry off completely.
- Do not have unprotected sex
Symptoms have their own language so look at what some of them
are telling you. If fungus is the cause, the itching and redness
may appear slowly. There will be spots of scaly skin appearing.
The reason to keep your peri-area dry and allowing air to circulate
is that fungus thrives in an environment that is moist and
warm. If you find that the itchiness is increasing this may
point to scabies or pubic lice. For a woman the itching could
be a sign that she is getting a yeast infection. If there is,
either pain involved with severe itching in a male or female
this could be a sign of a possible outbreak of herpes.
What
are some symptoms to aid in the relief of genital itching? There are many over-the-counter remedies available. The only
downside to this is that genital itching has symptoms that
closely resemble other diseases as well. If you try an over-the-counter
product and do not find relief in the time specified in the
instructions, do not go back to buy something different. Make
an appointment with your doctor who will then be able to discuss
with you the options available.
In addition, here are some of the treatments available without
a prescription.
To help ease the discomfort of chaffing use powder, there
are many different types of powder available such as cornstarch
and talcum powder. Chaffing occurs when the skin rubs against
itself, which is a natural occurrence.
Ointments are good for treating jock itch but if you do not
know the underlying reason, you may exacerbate the problem.
It is often better to see you doctor and talk to him about
the treatments available.
Daily washing and cleansing is important in preventing genital
itching.
Dry yourself completely after bathing, showering, or any “wet”
activity. Remember fungus multiply where the environment is
damp and warm.
Wear loose fitting clothes. Tight clothes can cause chaffing
along with preventing air to circulate.
Often with chaffing, a cool cloth or compress feels wonderful
and temporarily relieves the symptoms.
If you have jock itch, hanging around in the buff is an excellent
idea. The air is able to flow freely and you stay dry while
your genitals recover from the chaffing and soreness.
Once you have tried the non-prescription treatments and you
are still feeling an enormous urge to keep scratching, this
may signal a different problem – scabies or pubic lice. Scabies
are mites that tunnel into the skin and infest the genitals
as well as other areas of the body. They are microscopic in
size. If you have scabies, you will soon notice lesions around
the infected areas. They are very contagious and you do not
have to be sexually active to contract them. Any close contact
with someone who is infested will be on you. Only a prescription
can eliminate scabies.
Pubic lice are visible unlike scabies. If you look you will
see them crawling around. There is no mistaking whether or
not you have them. If you do, you will know. Rid is a product
that is over-the-counter and is usually very effective at killing
them. If within the period suggested they are not gone, contact
your doctor who will examine you and probably provide a prescription
to get rid of them. Often times it can be difficult to tell
what you have because genital itching is part of many diseases.
In many cases, genital itching that is caused by irritation
will clear up on its own if the irritation is removed. # # # # #
KissMeGoodnight.com
: 2006
>
Home > Sexual
Health:
Main Page
|
