When intercourse becomes painful, relationships may become strained, and you may feel anxious or ashamed. If you experience pain during or after intercourse, you may have vaginal tearing. This condition happens when small tears develop in the lining of the vagina due to injury or friction. If this kind of pain has become a regular occurrence for you, a specialist can analyze and treat the causes of your vaginal tissue weakness.
What Causes Vaginal Tearing?
The walls of the vagina usually have tremendous elasticity. They can accommodate intercourse and even childbirth. However, the vaginal lining may become less healthy and flexible. This often happens with age due to hormonal changes, but it can happen to women in their 20s. Many of these women receive a diagnosis of bacterial vaginitis and a course of antibiotics.
Unfortunately, repeated courses of antibiotics can make the situation worse. Pain and vaginal tearing during intercourse can stem from problems with the health of the vaginal tissue. Rather than a cause of the symptoms, problematic bacteria signify that vaginal health has been compromised and the system is out of balance. These bacteria cause the vaginal secretions to become irritating to the sensitive tissues.
How Can You Treat Vaginal Tearing?
Vaginal tearing often serves as a sign that the strength and resilience of the vaginal walls have been lost. Altered vaginal microflora (AVMF) can indicate that the conditions inside the vagina have changed. If your vaginal tissues have become unhealthy, lack nutrients, or do not have a regular cell turnover rate, the balance can tip from beneficial lactobacilli to other potentially problematic bacteria and yeasts.
Vulvovaginal specialists like those at Fowler GYN International treat vaginal tearing and related symptoms using tested, evidence-based protocols that restore a properly functioning vagina and a thriving population of lactobacilli. Restoring these beneficial bacteria is vital to improving vaginal health. Antibiotics indiscriminately decimate your vagina’s multiflora, good and bad. Treating underlying causes such as hormonal issues can make the vagina healthier so it can nourish and support a healthy lactobacilli population.
Why Choose a Specialist to Treat Vaginal Tearing?
A typical gynecologist may only see a few patients a year affected by vaginal tearing and associated pain during intercourse. They do not have the experience or advanced testing equipment to determine the complex underlying causes of the condition. They often continue to prescribe round after round of antibiotics to treat bacterial overgrowth when these bacteria are a symptom, not a cause. A vulvovaginal specialist focuses on conditions of the vulva and vagina, so they have treated many more cases like yours and have the experience to diagnose and treat your problem.
Take the Next Step
The experts in vaginal health at Fowler GYN International (FGI) Phoenix, AZ, specialize in the treatment of vulvovaginal conditions. The team at FGI is led by Dr. R. Stuart Fowler. Dr. Fowler is an Emeritus Mayo Clinic board-certified gynecologist.
You can reach FGI at https://www.fowlergyninternational.com/, or by calling (480) 420-4001.