Over the years, we’ve busted a multitude of myths when it comes to vaginal health. We now know that Thrush can’t be caused by poor personal hygiene, drinking pints of cranberry juice won’t necessarily make you smell ‘sweeter’, and inserting a loofa directly into your vagina definitely does more harm that good.
You may be wondering, in that case, how your mental health could possibly affect the wellbeing of your vagina. They’re located in two separate parts of the body, right?
With many people believing that the cause of their vaginal discomfort must be down to something they’re doing wrong, the NCBI hopes their breakthrough study will lead to psychosexual treatment initiatives that are vitally needed.
Haphazard Hormones
Chronic anxiety and stress are both likely causes of Thrush and Bacterial Vaginosis. While you’re in the midst of an anxiety or panic attack, the ‘stress hormones’ cortisol and adrenaline are triggered, leading to an overproduction of the chemicals.
Common side effects of anxiety, stress and panic can include excessive sweating, feeling like you really need to pee – or like you couldn’t go to the bathroom even if you tried incredibly hard.
While the idea of having over 50 different bacterial species living inside your vagina may seem like something from a horror film, it turns out we actually need this bacteria in order to maintain a healthy and happy vagina. According to Professor Ronnie Lamont (spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists), the good bacteria are there to protect us from the more harmful stuff that might enter the vagina through means like unprotected sex, highly-fragranced body washes and vaginal douching. Not only do the stress hormones affect the harmonious balance of chemicals in your body; they can also affect the bacterial balance in your vagina.
Once the bacterial balance of your vagina has been thrown off, infections may start to develop. These are easily treated with a course of antibiotics and over-the-counter creams. Seeing your GP, nurse or OBGYN is always advisable before self-treating.
Patchy Periods
Have you ever gone through a busy couple of months and, just when you have a quiet moment to yourself, you start to wonder when your last period was? You frantically flick through your tracking apps, cat calendar and study your ancient Greek sundial trying to figure out why you haven’t menstruated in so long.
Relax!
There’s a biological reason behind it. Your menstrual cycle is uber-sensitive to hormonal changes in the body. Remember our old friends cortisol and adrenaline? These hormones are essentially responsible for de-regulating your menstrual cycle for a few months – or even stopping it for long periods of time.
A visit to the doctor in this case is always advised, whether you’re struggling with stress or at a loss over your lack of periods.
A total absence of menstruation is called amenorrhea, which has multiple causes and would be worth a trip to the GP for some professional advice.
Anxious Atrophy
Vaginal dryness is a common complaint in premenopausal people, but did you know the most likely cause is stress?
Dryness, or atrophy, carries a lot of misconceptions surrounding how it can be developed.
When your body is going through a lot of stress, the blood flow to the vagina can seriously affect the production of natural lube, having a knock-on effect on your sex life. The NCBI’s study found that their subjects’ vaginal discomfort detrimentally affected their sex lives.
In turn, coming full circle and affecting their emotional state. Vaginal dryness is just as treatable as Thrush and BV, with a range of over-the-counter topical treatments available.
Pelvic Pain
Anxiety can trigger a number of pelvic pain issues which may affect a person’s ability to have sex. Vaginismus being the most well-known example. The fear and stress induced by the idea of penetration can lead the pelvic floor muscles to spasm, creating a ‘wall’ at the entry of the vagina. Vaginismus sounds complicated, but is in fact highly treatable. From personal experience, I found Kegel exercises and dilation the most effective regimens during my recovery.
Always remember – this isn’t your fault, and vaginal discomfort is nothing to be ashamed of.
Seeking treatment can be an empowering experience, knowing that this is a practice of self-care; just like therapy, meditation or simply having a calming bath.
