What Are the Signs of a Vaginal Allergic Reaction?

Vaginal mucosa can show symptoms similar to nasal, eye, lung, and skin allergic reactions. The vagina and vulva are important ways to cause local or even severe systemic allergens to enter the body. Patients may have itching, burning vulva-like sensations, and adult women may have difficulty having sexual intercourse.

Basic Information

Visiting department: Gynecology
Common causes: Inhalants, food drugs, semen, Candida albicans, parasites, spermicides, tight-fitting nylon or synthetic elastic fibers, anticancer treatment, psychological factors

Common symptoms: Increased vaginal discharge, pruritus, burning sensation in the vulva, adult women may have intercourse difficulties
way for spreading: no

Causes of Allergic Vaginitis

Can be caused by systemic or local allergies, so allergies are the main cause of allergic vaginitis. The disease is rare clinically. Vaginal sensitization includes direct or indirect contact with hands or fingers or clothing, sexual intercourse, oral intake (including medications and food from sexual partners), or inhalation.

Inhalation

Pollen, house dust mites, and / or latex can also be absorbed outside of direct contact by inhalation. After exposure to latex, type or allergic reactions mainly occur. The routes of exposure include condoms, contraceptive films, gloves, diagnosis and surgical procedures.

2. Food and drugs

The accumulation of food and drugs in the vagina causes allergic reactions in sensitive patients. This can happen after ingestion or after contact with a sexual partner. The semen of a sexual partner may contain food or pharmaceutical ingredients that can cause them to be allergic. Allergic reactions include diclodicillin, vinblastine sulfate, meloxicillin, and amoxicillin.

3.Semen

The diagnosis of semen allergy is rare, and the incidence of allergic reactions to semen is unclear. Most of the patients with allergic to seminal plasma are 20 to 30 years old. Two-thirds of the patients are hereditary allergies, and most of them are allergic to food.

4. Candida albicans

The incidence of recurrent vaginal candidiasis in healthy women is 15%. Increasing evidence shows that Candida albicans is an effective allergen, and the fungal protein and carbohydrate fragments contain the allergen.

5. Parasites

Parasites can produce several allergic reactions such as asthma and rubella. Infection is a common parasitic disease, especially in children.

6.Spermicide

Nonyl alcohol ether type IgE, which is the main component of spermicides, can be found in vaginal lavage fluid of women with chronic vaginitis. Nonyl alcohol ether is toxic to lymphocytes and macrophages, which can significantly inhibit their activity.

7. Wear tight nylon or synthetic stretch fiber

This tight-fitting underwear produces a warm and humid environment in the reproductive tract, which is suitable for the growth of Candida albicans and causes an allergic reaction.

8. Anticancer treatment

The use of methotrexate (MTX) can cause ulcers in the mucous membranes of the whole body, including the vaginal mucosa. It can also cause vaginal ulcers caused by burns, ulceration, and secondary infection of the vaginal mucosa caused by excessive local drug concentrations or chemicals.

9. Psychological factors

Women with recurrent vaginitis are likely to suffer from depression, dissatisfaction with life, lack of self-esteem, and feel stressful.

Clinical manifestations of allergic vaginitis

Increased vaginal secretions, purulent leucorrhea, and rotten tissue discharge, smelly. In patients with Candida albicans infection, the secretion is like cheese made from skim milk powder.

May have itching, burning sensation in the vulva, and adult women may have difficulty in sexual intercourse.

Allergic vaginitis check

Clinical allergen experiment

(1) Puncture point and / or intradermal skin experiments, using common possible allergic inhalants (house dust mites, pollen, animal epithelium, etc.), food, possible drugs, Candida albicans, pollen, latex, semen , Spermicides and enzymes.

(2) Determination of serum total and allergen-specific IgE.

(3) Determination of allergen-specific IgE in vaginal secretions.

(4) Determination of total eosinophil count of vaginal secretions.

(5) Skin contact test of sensitive substances in patients with contact dermatitis. Common vulvar sensitizers are propylene glycol, antibiotics, fungicides, dyes, etc.

(6) Vaginal induction experiments on possible allergens will be an ideal means to re-create vaginal allergic reactions, and simultaneously detect IgE and eosinophils.

2. Other inspections

(1) Vaginal examination The vaginal mucosa is erosive, and ulcers may form on the surface. Vaginal edema of the vagina. Wide and hard adhesions can be seen in the vagina with a long course of disease, which makes the vagina narrow and locked.

(2) Anus examination can touch the enlarged vagina and enlarged uterus.

Allergic vaginitis diagnosis

Inquire in detail about the medical history, the course of the onset, and previous treatments, and understand the possible triggers, such as personal cleaning habits, dressing habits, and mental state. Whether there is a family history of allergies, a history of familial allergies and symptoms of other organ diseases, such as rhinitis, asthma, conjunctivitis, etc. A laboratory allergen-specific antibody test can confirm the diagnosis.

Differential diagnosis of allergic vaginitis

Vaginal cancer or tuberculosis can be identified by pathological examination with similar lesions. Trichomonas, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia trachomatis, herpes simplex virus, HPV and other common sexually transmitted diseases are common pathogenic microorganisms of vaginal inflammation. Other skin scaly, lichen, pemphigus, lupus, genital triad syndrome, and Paget disease can also cause itching and burning.

Allergic Vaginitis Treatment

Drug treatment

(1) Antihistamines The results of preventive application of antihistamines have been mixed, and there is a lack of open and double-blind studies on antihistamines.

(2) Cromolyn In some women with allergic vaginitis, local treatment of mast cell stabilizers can also slow down the onset of symptoms.

(3) Cortisols have been reported for those who have failed treatment with antihistamines, but few cases have been reported.

2. Other treatments

(1) Immunotherapy Inhalation therapy A series of reports suggest that inhalation therapy is one of the immunotherapy to alleviate symptoms of allergic vaginal inflammation. It is mainly used for allergic reactions caused by pollen and house dust mites. Candida albicans Candida albicans allergen therapy for patients with recurrent vaginal candidiasis. Patients have direct skin tests for Candida positive, and symptoms can be relieved. human seminal plasma Subcutaneous immunotherapy with whole seminal plasma or semen fragments.

(2) Treatment of patients with allergies to seminal plasma and seminal plasma and latex. Treatment of seminal plasma allergies includes condom contraception, systemic antihistamine administration, and transvaginal sodium cromoglycate pretreatment. Consider using sperm seminal plasma. Allergen protein for immunotherapy. Patients with only local reactions do not advocate immunotherapy. Some women are allergic to both semen and latex and can use condoms made of sheep intestines, but this type of condom cannot prevent HIV infection. Men use double-layer condoms, non-latex condoms on the outer layer and latex on the inner layer. condom.