Gynecological health issues

The vast majority of gynecological problems are neither "incurable diseases" nor "indiscretions in private life". More than 70% of common problems can be prevented or improved by adjusting daily habits and improving immunity. There is no need to be overly anxious and shameful, nor can we just ignore it.

Let’s talk about a case I just encountered last week. A 24-year-old girl just graduated and joined an Internet company. She worked on a project for three weeks in a row. She sat for 12 hours a day and couldn’t move. In order to save time and wear panty liners all year round, she also bought an “antibacterial private part wash” recommended by an Internet celebrity blogger. She washed her vagina with it every day. As a result, she was so itchy that she couldn’t sit still. When she came to the hospital, she cried and kept saying how could she get such a “dirty disease” if she didn’t fall in love. It was found out that she had vulvovaginal candidiasis, which is also commonly known as fungal vaginitis. She was prescribed tens of dollars of tamponade and mild external cleansing medicine. She was asked to go back and stop the panty liners, wear loose cotton underwear, and stop flushing the inside of the vagina. Within a week, she came back for a follow-up visit and said everything was fine.

Many people always have misunderstandings about private parts care. Whether or not to use care solution has been a controversial point in recent years. The current mainstream obstetrics and gynecology diagnosis and treatment guidelines clearly recommend that rinsing the vulva with warm water is sufficient for daily cleaning. The vagina has its own microecological balance. When lactobacilli are dominant, the pH value is maintained between 3.8-4.4. It can resist foreign bacteria on its own and does not require additional internal washing. However, some clinicians have suggested that if there is a slight odor after menstruation or after long-term exercise and sweating, and there is no itching, pain or other discomfort, it is not completely impossible to occasionally use a regular Xiaozihao care solution with mild ingredients and matching pH value. The core is "occasionally" and "compliant", and it must not be used as a daily cleaning product every day, let alone washed inside the vagina. For example, the flora in the vagina is like the community where you live. Lactobacillus is the patrolling security guard. Under normal circumstances, it can keep out all foreign germs. If you pour disinfectant into the community every day, you will disinfect the security guards first, so won't foreign germs just get in?

There is also the HPV infection that everyone hears about. There is really no need to feel like the sky is falling as soon as a positive result is found. It is now clear that 80% of sexually active women will be infected with HPV at least once in their lives, and more than 90% of infections will be naturally cleared by their own immunity within 1-2 years. Only persistent high-risk HPV infection for more than 2 years is likely to develop cervical lesions. There are no completely unified standards for screening frequency. The WHO recommends that women aged 30-65 years undergo combined HPV and TCT screening every 5 years. There are also domestic clinical guidelines that recommend that sexually active women over 25 years old can be screened every 2-3 years. You can choose flexibly according to your age, frequency of sexual life, and family history. You don’t have to stick to a certain standard to scare yourself. I met a 26-year-old girl before who was found to be HPV16 positive. She quit her job and lay down at home to "keep her body". In fact, it is completely unnecessary. A normal schedule, exercising for half an hour three or four days a week, and staying up late and drinking less are much more useful than lying at home and thinking about it.

Oh, by the way, don’t think that gynecological problems are only a matter for young girls. Postmenopausal aunts are more likely to ignore them. Last month, a 62-year-old aunt suffered from recurrent urinary tract infections for more than half a year. After taking countless antibiotics, the results were not good. Later she thought of a gynecological examination. In fact, it was atrophic vaginitis caused by postmenopausal estrogen levels that dropped, the vaginal mucosa became thinner, and poor immunity, which also caused repeated urinary tract infections. She prescribed an estrogen ointment and applied it for two weeks. When she came back, she said she was all cured. Many aunts think that there will be no gynecological problems after menopause, and they even feel embarrassed to go to the gynecological department at an old age. It is really completely unnecessary. If there is a physical problem, it can be seen. There is no age limit.

By the way, the "detox gel" and "private part whitening pills" sold in WeChat Moments, as well as the "uterine detoxification" and "ovary maintenance" projects promoted by beauty salons, are all IQ taxes. In the past six months, I have treated three patients who came to see a doctor with vulvar ulcers after using the gel sold by Wechat. It is really not worth the expense and the consequences.

In fact, gynecological problems are really no different from colds and fevers. They are small signals sent by your body. You don’t need to put yourself on the shackles of being “indiscreet” or “dirty”, and don’t just ignore them. Wear less tight jeans that make your crotch as stuffy as a steamer. Don't wear panty liners unless necessary. Don't miss your annual gynecological examination. If you really feel uncomfortable, go to a regular hospital to get a gynecological appointment. It costs more than ten yuan and is much more reliable than searching online for half a day and scaring yourself with the symptoms. Oh, by the way, doctors see dozens or hundreds of patients a day, and they really don’t have time to comment on your life, so don’t be embarrassed.