Vaginal burning is uncomfortable but common and is typically relieved once the underlying cause has been treated. Often triggered by irritation or allergic reactions, a burning sensation in or around the female genitals is also a symptom of several vaginal infections and sexually transmitted infections.
In this article, we’ll outline the possible causes of vaginal burning and discuss the best home remedies to treat it.
Causes of Vaginal Burning
Effectively, the source of vaginal burning can be broken down into two categories – those that require medical treatment and those that don’t. Be sure to discuss your symptoms with your doctor first to help determine what is causing your symptoms.
Fast-acting and effective home remedies can also be administered in conjunction with the required medication for a speedier recovery and to prevent vaginal burning in the future.
Skin Reactions vs Vaginal Infections
For instance, irritation and skin reactions, known medically as contact dermatitis, are frequent but harmless sources of vaginal burning. Usually caused by new detergents, scented soaps, fragranced hygiene products, or synthetic materials, symptoms often include vaginal burning, as well as genital itching, and stinging. This type of vaginal burning typically does not require medication but responds well to home remedies.
Related to Menopause
Another cause of vaginal burning that can be treated naturally is menopause. Due to the hormonal changes that occur during perimenopause, particularly decreased estrogen levels, many women suffer from vaginal dryness which can cause vaginal burning and pain during sex.
Bacterial Infection
Vaginal burning is also a symptom of vaginal infections due to an overgrowth of bacteria, fungi, or parasites. These include bacterial vaginosis (BV), yeast infections, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Although BV and some STIs can be present in the body without any outward symptoms, if you are experiencing vaginal burning along with any of the below-mentioned symptoms, it would be important to make an appointment with your doctor for testing and treatment.
In addition to vaginal burning, the following list includes the most common symptoms that indicate an underlying vaginal infection or sexually transmitted infection:
- Unusually colored vaginal discharge
- An unpleasant vaginal odor, especially after sex
- Pelvic pain or pain in the lower abdomen
- Genital itching
- Pain during sex
- The urge to urinate more frequently
- Pain while urinating
- Cloudy or pink urine
- Unpleasant smelling urine
7 Home Remedies for Vaginal Burning: Get Relief Naturally
When vaginal burning occurs in conjunction with genital itching and stinging, but no vaginal discharge, frequent urge to pee, or pain, the source is more than likely an allergic reaction that can be treated naturally.
It is important to remember that when vaginal burning occurs along with any of the above-mentioned symptoms, the appropriate home remedy from our list below will certainly hasten your recovery, however, medication will also be required to treat the underlying infection.
1. Change Soaps & Hygiene Products
The vaginal skin is one of the body’s most sensitive parts and can easily become irritated by certain products. To avoid further vaginal burning caused by irritation or allergic reactions, change scented soaps and detergents to unscented versions. And use a vulvar or vaginal moisturizer to treat and rehydrate the irritated skin.
You might also want to refrain from using fragranced tampons or personal hygiene products like douches or vaginal sprays. All of these can alter the natural pH balance of the vagina and make women more prone to vaginal infections, many of which cause vaginal burning. To keep the vagina clean, simply wash the genitals daily with warm water and a clean washcloth.
2. Cotton Underwear
Underwear made from synthetic materials is another irritant that can cause vaginal burning and itching. Changing to a more breathable fabric like cotton underwear usually helps to relieve the irritation. A vulvar moisturizer will also help to soothe the irritation and relieve vaginal burning.
3. Freeze Dried Aloe Vera with D-Mannose & Calcium
Although antibiotics are typically prescribed to treat UTIs, a natural supplement that further encourages healing within the urinary tract is aloe vera with D-Mannose and calcium like our Aloe Vera Capsules for IC.
Freeze-dried aloe vera is highly effective in soothing the vaginal burning associated with UTIs. And D-Mannose is a type of sugar found in cranberries that stops harmful bacteria from latching onto the urinary tract, thereby preventing UTIs from recurring.
To avoid recurring UTIs, preventative measures also include wiping from front to back after using the bathroom and washing the genitals with warm water and unscented soap after sex.
4. Probiotics
In addition to the antibiotics required for BV and UTIs, you can help to restore the natural balance of vaginal bacteria after infection by taking a daily probiotic. Essentially, the faster a natural balance of bacteria is restored, the sooner symptoms like itching, pain, and a burning vagina will disappear.
As microorganisms that help to promote a healthy balance of bacteria, probiotics will also replenish your gut bacteria after taking the antibiotics required to treat these types of infections.
For added support, here at Intimate Rose, we’ve added cranberry and D-Mannose to our Flora Bloom Probiotics for Women, both of which further support a healthy urinary tract.
5. Boric Acid
When vaginal burning is a symptom of BV, using a natural remedy like Boric Acid Suppositories along with the required antibiotics, is helpful to stop the overgrowth of bacteria, reduce symptoms like vaginal burning, and restore a healthy vaginal pH balance.
Boric Acid Suppositories also help kill the harmful bacteria that cause the STI called trichomoniasis and successfully restore a healthy vaginal environment.
6. Flush Harmful Microorganisms with Water
If your vaginal burning is due to an underlying infection, drinking lots of water to flush the harmful microorganisms can help to relieve it.
7. Vitex (Chasteberry) Supplements For Menopause
When low levels of estrogen during menopause are causing vaginal burning or pain during sex due to vaginal dryness, women often turn to hormone therapy for relief. However, the risks involved in HT often outweigh the benefits.
To treat low estrogen levels during menopause naturally, consider taking a daily supplement of Vitex, also known as Chasteberry, instead of HT.
With high levels of phytoestrogens, Vitex mimics the presence of estrogen in the body and successfully reduces menopause symptoms like vaginal dryness, vaginal burning during sex, mood swings, and low libido.
Conclusion
While some cases of vaginal burning are easily solved with home remedies, many cases of vaginal burning are linked to underlying infections that typically require medical treatment like antibiotics. Always be sure to speak with your doctor about these symptoms.
When effective home remedies are incorporated along with medical treatment, however, recovery from these types of infections is much faster, and recurring infections are largely prevented.
References
Medical News Today - What causes burning in the vagina? - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321104#causes
Center For Disease Control & Prevention – Bacterial Vaginosis - https://www.cdc.gov/std/bv/stdfact-bacterial-vaginosis.htm
European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences - A promising support for acute urinary tract infections in women. https://europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2920-2925-D-mannose-a-promising-support-for-acute-urinary-tract-infections-in-women.-A-pilot-study.pdf
BJU International - Use of D-mannose in prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women - https://bjui-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bju.12492
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention – Trichomonasias CDC Fact Sheet
https://www.cdc.gov/std/trichomonas/stdfact-trichomoniasis.htm
National Library of Medicine - The Antimicrobial Effect of Boric Acid on Trichomonas Vaginalis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25581807/
National Library of Medicine - Comparison of Vitex agnus-castus Extracts with Placebo in Reducing Menopausal Symptoms - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6887765/