Dr. Alisha

Vulvodynia refers to a condition, in which you have chronic pain near your vaginal opening. This area is known as the vulva. Vulvodynia is an extremely painful condition, which also causes a lot of irritation and burning in the vulva. There is no known cause of vulvodynia and it has been said that vulvodynia can go on for months or even years. It is such a painful condition that having sex or even sitting down for extended periods will be troublesome for you. 

Here is everything you need to know about Vulvodynia.

Symptoms: 

There is only one symptom of vulvodynia and that is when there is pain in your genital area. However, the type of pain you experience may be characterized by burning, stinging or itching among other sensations.

Causes:
The cause of vulvodynia is not yet known. However, there are certain factors, which increase the risk of contracting vulvodynia. Here are the factors.

1. Injury or irritation to the nerves around the vulva.
2. Vaginal infections
3. Allergies
4. Sensitive skin
5. Changes in hormone levels

Treatment:

Vulvodynia itself cannot be cured, only the symptoms of vulvodynia can be relieved. Relieving symptoms is not a very quick process either as it takes weeks and sometimes even months for the symptoms to
improve. Some of the treatments which can be used to treat vulvodynia include.

1. Medicines: Certain medicines relieve the symptoms, which vulvodynia causes. These medicines include steroids and anticonvulsants so that your pain will be reduced. Antihistamines are known to reduce itching. 
2. Surgery: When vulvodynia is localized to a particular area, surgery can be used to remove the skin and tissue of the area which has been affected by vulvodynia.
3. Anesthetics: Local anesthetics can be given so that your pain is reduced for a short while. A good time to apply local anesthetics would be 30 minutes before having sexual intercourse. This is because most local anesthetics used to treat vulvodynia come in the form of ointments. If your partner comes in contact with this ointment, then he will also be feeling numb.
4. Pelvic floor therapy: Many times, vulvodynia is caused by the tension in the muscles of the pelvic floor. Exercises to relieve those muscles often ease the pain caused by vulvodynia.

Related Tip: "Causes and Symptoms of Vulvodynia"

Indian diet plan for mother after cesarean delivery is made after considering the following points. The menu for a mother after a c-section is planned after taking in to consideration the needs of the mother and the child. The meals should consist of the following nutrients

Proteins:

Eating a protein rich diet is a great way of healing the tissues and it is very important for the healthy growth of your baby. Proteins also help in maintaining the muscles after the surgery. Eggs supply zinc and proteins to your body. Fish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are very beneficial for your health.

Sources of protein – include foods such as eggs, chicken, fish and meats if you are a non-vegetarian. Vegetarians should eat dairy foods like milk and cheese, dried beans, peas, and nuts

Vitamins:

Vitamins should be taken in sufficient quantity since they contain lot of antioxidants which help in repairing tissues. It also helps in producing collagen in the body which helps to build new scar tissues, tendons and skin.

Sources of vitamins- eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin c, such as melons, oranges, papayas, strawberries, grapefruits, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and broccoli.

Iron:
The mother loses a lot of blood during and after childbirth and thus the iron reserve in the body needs to be replenished. Lack of iron can make you weak and lethargic. Eat foods that are rich in iron. Take care not to eat excess quantities of iron since it can lead to constipation.

Sources of iron – include walnuts, red meat, oysters, dry fruits, figs, beef liver and dried beans.

Calcium:
Calcium helps in relaxing the muscles, promoting bone and teeth health, in blood coagulation and in preventing osteoporosis. Milk should be had sparingly since it is a very good source of calcium and facilitates the production of milk for the baby. Yogurt is another way to supply calcium to your body. Yogurt also contains zinc and the most advantageous thing about it is that it can be consumed with a variety of dishes.

Sources of calcium – the mother should include milk, cheese, yoghurt, spinach, kale and tofu to supplement the intake of calcium.

Fiber:
Fiber is required so that you do not suffer from constipation. Constipation can put undue pressure on the wounds. Fibrous fruits are not only very nutritious, but they also help to avoid constipation.

Sources of fiber – eat lots of raw vegetables and fruits as salad in order to add roughage to your diet.

Water and fluids:
Breastfeeding can make you exhausted and thirsty. The mother should take plenty of fluids in order to ease bowel movements and to produce sufficient quantity of milk for the little one. You can drink low-fat milk since it is easier to digest. Take special care to avoid caffeine. Caffeinated drinks include cold drinks, coffee, energy drinks, tea, carbonated drinks.

Sources of fluids – Non-citrus fruit juices, soups, coconut water, herbal teas and buttermilk. Green teas are allowed too if you consume the decaffeinated ones.

Foods that increase milk production in lactating mother:

Garlic (lehsun), fenugreek leaves and seeds (methi), fennel seeds (saunf), cumin seeds (jeera), sesame seeds (til), almonds (badaam), bottlegourd (lauki), ridge gourd (torui), spinach (palak), orange lentils (masoor dal), oats and daliya.

Foods to avoid after c-section:

• The activity level is low after delivery since you are advised to rest. Avoid all fatty foods and junk foods. These will only add on to the weight. Avoid eating spicy foods since they can cause gastric trouble. Your baby might also get the flavor in his milk.
• Citrus juices and carbonated drinks should be kept at bay since they can cause flatulence and gas.
• Caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee should be taken in moderation only since these are diuretics. These drinks are high in caffeine and can cause problems in your baby’s growth.
• It is better to stay away from alcohol as it can impair the mother’s ability to breast feed and can cause developmental problems in the baby.
• Avoid gas forming foods like urad dals, chola, rajma, chawali, channa, besan, pickles, green peas, dry peas. Vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, bhindi, broccholi, onions are better avoided for the first 40 days. Later on, they can be introduced in the mother’s diet slowly.
• Avoid any sort of fried food. They are very difficult to digest in the first 40 days and can lead to gas and stomach ache and burns.
• Avoid ghee and rice for the first 3-4 day after c- section. After 4 days you can start eating rice once a day. Unlike the myth that says you should not eat rice as the scar will not heal. This is true in case if the mother is diabetic, as high blood sugar levels will interfere in healing of scar, but for a non – diabetic average indian women this does not hold true.
• Very cold food and drinks. This restriction is imposed on mother just for precaution. If the mother catches cold, treatment becomes hard if she is breastfeeding. The medications are excreted in breast milk and the baby’s health gets affected too.

Like many systems within the human body, the reproductive system is also a self maintaining one and performs many complex functions on its own. The female reproductive system is one such system and within it, the vagina is an especially good example. It is a self contained system wherein, the balance of the vaginal bacteria is maintained for proper health.

Douching
Douching is a process that involves the cleaning out or washing of an internal cavity of a body, such as the anus or the vagina with the help of water and special nozzles. Vaginal douching has become prevalent among women, mostly due to aggressive marketing campaigns which claim that it helps to keep the vagina clean. It is estimated that in developed nations, one in four women perform douching regularly.

Is it any good?
Vaginal douching has been reviled by most medical professionals around the world. The consensus is that not only does vaginal douching have no benefits; it may also be harmful for your vagina in general. The vagina is an ecosystem wherein multiple types of organisms thrive, including bacteria and fungi. These organisms keep each other in check and maintain the health of the organ. These organisms help maintain the pH Levels (the alkaline to acidic radio) within the vagina. Douching may actually disrupt the balance and cause harm by destroying one type of micro-organisms and letting the other proliferate, thus causing infections and other problems.

Problems caused by vaginal douching
Douches, especially the ones found in the market, contain elements such as iodine, baking soda, vinegar and other chemicals that can make the delicate vaginal balance go haywire. Some of the disorders that can be caused by it are mentioned as follows:

1. Yeast infections: This is due to the proliferation of the fungi known as ‘candida’ within the vagina. This fungus is present within the vagina, but douching can reduce the bacteria that counteract it, resulting in rapid growth. This is one of the most common infections of the vagina.
2. Bacterial vaginosis: Similar to how yeast infections occur, in this case, harmful bacteria proliferate within the vagina. This is also a common vaginal infection and douching has been deemed as one of the leading causes for it.
3. Pelvic inflammatory diseases: Douching pushes the bacteria of the vaginal canal into the cervix and the uterus, resulting in infections such as PID or pelvic inflammatory diseases (an infection in the reproductive organ in females).
4. Pregnancy related problems: A myth has been floating around that if a woman performs douching after sexual intercourse, it will wash away the sperm and hence prevent her from getting pregnant. In fact, the reverse is true. Douching can often push the sperm up into the uterus causing pregnancy. Not only that, pregnancies caused in such a manner have higher chances of bearing complications such as ectopic pregnancies (a condition wherein the fertilized egg gets implanted outside one’s uterus), birth defects, etc.
5. Irritation and vaginal dryness: Douching at the very least will result in the vagina turning dry as the natural mechanisms are disrupted. This results in irritation and itching. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.