Natural Remedy for Vaginal Itch
A recent comment came in regarding an issue experienced by many women. She wrote:
“Do you have any recommendations for vaginal itch? I’m not sure if it’s a yeast infection. There is an ongoing itch that hasn’t seemed to improve with homeopathic remedies”.
For treating vaginal itch, many people use lavender, or tea tree essential oil. It is best used neat (undiluted), but I have found that some people are too sensitive to use it without dilution.
How do I use the oil?
Using a tampon (pure cotton if available), apply 7 to 10 drops of oil onto the tampon. Insert the tampon and leave it over night. It will likely have a mild burning sensation for a few minutes–but for most people it subsides pretty quickly, and will make the itch go away. Ordinarily it does not come back.
If you are extra sensitive, you may want to either try diluting the oil to 4%, OR try putting a drop on a Q-tip and swabbing just a little way inside the opening of the vagina. If the sensation is too strong, you can dust it with corn starch which will help remove the oil. This exercise can help you decide if you can handle the internal treatment for vaginal itch or not. With the extreme anti-bacterial properties of these oils, there is no danger in leaving the tampon in over night. Do not leave it longer than 8 to 12 hours. This is a well known protocol among aromatherapists and herbalists.
Causal factors?
And wouldn’t we all love to know what causes vaginal itch in the first place? Candida albicans is a fungus that can easily get out of balance in our bodies. When it does, we may experience repeated yeast infections and irritation. Although it seems to originate in the vagina, as that is where we have symptoms, it is actually much deeper than that. Candida is the most prevalent of bacterial and fungal infections that cause vaginal itch.
Candida albicans begins as a yeast, a normal part of our digestive flora in stomach and intestines. When we eat a “normal” diet, we run a high risk of developing an overgrowth of Candida, called Candidiasis. This overgrowth overwhelms other necessary and beneficial probiotic bacteria in our digestive system. Soon, the Candida takes over, and turns into a full fledged fungus. At this point, it not only exists in our digestive system, but now will show up in our blood and many other areas of our bodies–including vagina, anus, ear canals, sinuses, even on the skin. This has been linked to many diseases including cancer and diabetes.
What foods contribute to this imbalance?
Sugar is the number one contributor to Candidiasis. Even if you think you don’t eat much sugar, when you start reading the labels of all the foods that you purchase (and eat), you will find that there is added sugar in everything. Sugar may be listed as:
- Barley malt.
- Brown rice syrup.
- Corn syrup.
- Corn syrup solids.
- Dextrin.
- Dextrose.
- Diastatic malt.
- Ethyl maltol.
- Check this link to find 60 different names for sugar, used in the food manufacturing industry! Manufacturers want us to eat sugar–it is inexpensive and the taste makes us want MORE. Addictive? Yes I believe it is.
Other foods that contribute to this condition include Alcohol, Carbonated drinks, many low quality Meats & Dairy foods, Gluten, Refined Grain Products (bread, pasta, cereal, baked goods, pastries, etc.).
What can you do about? The best program I have found (and I have used many with clients and family!) is available here. The Ultimate Candida Diet has helped thousands of people get well, change their gut flora, and let go of the excess sugar addiction. And the bonus–it eliminates vaginal itch!
The Ultimate Candida Diet involves a eating a very precise diet for up to 3 months; eliminating all added sugar; using certain supplements at specific times in the healing process; and taking anti-fungals (I prefer internal use of specific essential oils and herbs). It provides the way to bring your body back into vibrant health, and eliminate vaginal irritation for good!