Vaginal burning is a burning, painful, or irritated feeling in your vagina. It may be accompanied by itching, pain, tingling, and overall discomfort.
Vaginal burning is one of the most common symptoms of vaginitis, inflammation of the vagina or genitals. Vaginitis can have many causes, including bacterial infections, allergies to products, or hormonal changes.
Vaginal burning is common. About 8-18% of people with vaginas report symptoms of burning and other vaginal discomfort to their doctor every year.
Several conditions can cause vaginal burning, including infections and hormonal changes. Your environment, including your clothes and personal care products, can also contribute to vaginal burning.
It’s normal to have bacteria in your vagina, but when too much bacteria grows in your vagina, you may experience a condition called bacterial vaginosis.
Symptoms include vaginal burning, inflammation (reddening of the genital area), irritation, and foul-smelling discharge. Bacterial vaginosis is the most common cause of vaginal burning.
Yeast infections, known as vaginal candidiasis, are the second most common cause of vaginal burning after bacterial vaginosis.
Yeast infections happen when there’s an overgrowth of yeast in your vagina. Symptoms include burning, soreness, pain, itching, redness, swelling of the labia, and unusual discharge that might look like cottage cheese.
Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), meaning it is spread during sexual intercourse or sexual activity. It’s caused by a parasite named T vaginalis.
Symptoms can include a green-yellow, bubbly discharge that has a bad odor. Other symptoms may include vaginal burning or itching, pain when peeing, more frequent urination, pain in your lower abdomen, or pain with sex.
A product you use that makes contact with your genitals can sometimes cause vaginal burning. This may occur due to an allergy or sensitivity. Products could include soaps, laundry detergent, and fabric softeners.
Products used inside your vagina, like vaginal sprays, spermicides, and douches, may also cause vaginal burning. In addition to burning, you might experience itching, redness, and pain.
People with female reproductive systems experience substantial hormone changes during certain periods of life.
A hormone called estrogen is responsible for vaginal lubrication (wetness). When levels of estrogen drop, you may experience vaginal dryness, which can lead to irritation and a burning feeling.
Estrogen drops after pregnancy and during breastfeeding. The hormone also drops significantly during menopause (when your period has permanently stopped). People can experience drops in estrogen in the years leading up to menopause, a stage called perimenopause.
Urinary tract infections, also known as UTIs, occur when harmful bacteria build up in the bladder, kidneys, or urethra (the tube where urine leaves the body).
If you have a UTI, you may experience pain while peeing—usually described as a burning feeling. You may also feel the need to pee very frequently, feel unable to hold in your urine, see blood in your urine, or feel pressure in your belly area.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a sexually transmitted infection. Symptoms may include painful ulcers in the vagina or on the labia, burning when peeing, fever, a general feeling of tiredness, or headache. Some people may not have any symptoms.
HSV is a lifelong virus. It can stay inactivated in cells. Symptoms can occur at any time.
If you are experiencing vaginal burning, you likely want relief as soon as possible. Here are some strategies that may help decrease vaginal burning:
- Stop using any cleaning products (laundry detergent, soaps, fabric softeners) that may be causing irritation
- Stop douching or using any type of vaginal spray
- If you use spermicide for birth control, ask your provider about alternative options
- Start wearing clean, breathable cotton underwear
- Place cold compresses or ice packs on your genital area
- Take a sitz bath or an oatmeal bath
- Use a water bottle to squeeze lukewarm water on your genital area
- Take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever, like Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen)
- Ask your provider if taking an antihistamine (medicine for allergies) might help
Depending on the cause, you may need medical treatment to relieve vaginal burning and address any underlying conditions. Treatments may include:
- Prescription antibiotics: These drugs can treat infections like bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and UTIs.
- Antifungal medication: This is used to treat fungal infections like yeast infections.
- Antiviral medication: This is used to decrease symptoms of viral infections like HSV.
- Antihistamines: These allergy medications can help treat vaginal burning related to an allergic reaction to products. It’s important to stop using the irritating product alongside antihistamines.
- Vaginal estrogen creams, lubricants, or moisturizers: These products, designed to hydrate the vagina, can help treat vaginal burning related to hormonal fluctuations and vaginal dryness.
Prevention is key when it comes to vaginal burning. Here are some tips to prevent vaginal burning from occurring in the first place:
- Avoid wearing tight clothing around your genitals, like pantyhose, tight underwear, or tight pants, especially if you are prone to yeast infections
- Wear cotton underwear that is breathable and not too tight
- Never douche or use vaginal sprays, as these kill the healthy bacteria inside your vagina and can cause vaginal irritation
- Practice safe sex, using condoms with new partners
- Wipe from the front of your genitals to the back after peeing or having a bowel movement
- Keep your genital area clean by washing with warm water or unscented soap
- Always thoroughly dry your genital area after bathing
Vaginal burning isn’t normal, and it warrants a visit to your healthcare provider.
You should contact a healthcare provider if your vaginal burning is accompanied by other symptoms, like itching, redness in your genital area, unusual discharge, discharge that smells bad, or sores on your genitals.
Your healthcare provider will likely need to examine your vagina and the surrounding area, including your vulva (external genital area). They will ask about your symptoms and how long you’ve had them. Your provider may look at your vaginal discharge and take a sample to send to a laboratory for diagnosis.
Vaginal burning occurs when you feel a burning, painful, irritated feeling in your vagina. It may be accompanied by symptoms like itching, redness, and unusual discharge.
Causes of vaginal burning include bacterial infections, STIs, yeast infections, adverse reactions to products, and hormonal fluctuations.
While vaginal burning is common, you shouldn’t ignore it. If you are experiencing vaginal burning, reach out to a healthcare provider right away for diagnosis and treatment.
