| |  | | Herbs for an Itchy Vagina?
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Name not given
Posted on: April 22, 2003
I have an itchy vagina, and it won’t go away. It is not a yeast infection. My vagisil is not working. Can you suggest something to simple to stop the itch, won’t cost alot, and will make this go away. I get it all the time, but this episode is horrible.
An itchy vagina can result from bacterial infection as well as from yeast infection. In menopause, an itchy vagina may result from thinning of the mucous membranes along with a loss of elasticity in the walls of the vagina, resulting from a decrease in the production of estrogen. You want to restore the health of the vaginal membranes by treating and preventing any infection, treating any inflammation and soothing the area. An inflammation, often the cause of itching, makes you more vulnerable to infection. Your doctor or health care provider can determine the cause of itching by questioning the type of your vaginal mucus, any smell and any other symptoms.
Herbs that can be used to treat and avoid infection and soothe the vagina include plantain leaf (Plantago major or Plantago lanceolata), calendula flower (Calendula officinalis) and licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra). These can be taken as teas or as tinctures. Replace the licorice with echinacea in pregnancy, in heart disease or liver disease.
You can mix the dry herbs in the proportion of 2 parts plantain, 1 part calendula and 1/2 part powdered licorice root (or 2 parts echinacea). To make a tea, pour one cup of boiling water over one teaspoon of the herbal mixture. Steep, covered, for 10 minutes. Take three times a day. Alternatively, you can take alcoholic tinctures, following the dosage directions on the bottle. Ask qualified staff at your health food store for a reputable brand of tincture. You should expect results within two weeks. If the irritation disappears, continue on half the dosage for another 2 weeks. If this does not help, consult with an experienced natural health care provider for assessment.
Externally, you can use an ointment of calendula, comfrey and vitamin E oil. Ask at your health food store for a good brand of ointment for this purpose.
For a dry vagina in menopause, please see previous questions and answers on our website at http://www.richters.com. Choose "Q&A", and enter "vagina" for the search. Then from the list of questions and answers, please see "Herbs for Vaginal Dryness".
| | |
|
