Aa
Vaginal and anal tearing/fissures
For the last 6 months I have been getting tearing (look like paper cuts) in my vaginal area (1/4 to 1/2 inch long). I get the tears at least once or twice a week and they last from 2-4 days, go away for a few days and then come back. They continue to occur in the same locations;
1. Inside the vaginal lips on the sides almost always in the crease (between the labia minora and majora?)
2. Between the anus and vaginal opening (perineum)
3. Above the clitoris in the "hood" area.
This tearing is not related to intercourse since my husband and I are unable to do that due to the pain it causes me. There is no real pain otherwise. I am getting some minor bleeding when I poop due to the tears in the anal area. The entire vaginal area is very itchy and if I scratch or rub the skin at all I often give myself one of these tears. It seems as if the skin is very thin. There are no other symptoms that I am aware of.
I have had blood work and a biopsy done. Some of the things that I was tested for were; genital herpes, lichen sclerosus, lichen simplex chronicus, lichen planus, vulvar vestibulitis. All results came back negative. The biopsy tested positive for "healing ulcers". My doctor does not seem to know what the problem is and is contacting a specialist in Lebanon, NH.
My Dr. prescribed an estrogen cream which did not seem to work. I have not been on any other medication for this. I am looking for some guidance as to what this condition may be and how to treat it. My husband & I want to get pregnant soon but I would like to resolve this issue first. Please help.
1. Inside the vaginal lips on the sides almost always in the crease (between the labia minora and majora?)
2. Between the anus and vaginal opening (perineum)
3. Above the clitoris in the "hood" area.
This tearing is not related to intercourse since my husband and I are unable to do that due to the pain it causes me. There is no real pain otherwise. I am getting some minor bleeding when I poop due to the tears in the anal area. The entire vaginal area is very itchy and if I scratch or rub the skin at all I often give myself one of these tears. It seems as if the skin is very thin. There are no other symptoms that I am aware of.
I have had blood work and a biopsy done. Some of the things that I was tested for were; genital herpes, lichen sclerosus, lichen simplex chronicus, lichen planus, vulvar vestibulitis. All results came back negative. The biopsy tested positive for "healing ulcers". My doctor does not seem to know what the problem is and is contacting a specialist in Lebanon, NH.
My Dr. prescribed an estrogen cream which did not seem to work. I have not been on any other medication for this. I am looking for some guidance as to what this condition may be and how to treat it. My husband & I want to get pregnant soon but I would like to resolve this issue first. Please help.
OK. Attention all women reading this forum for answers. I originally came here searching for clues as to what was wrong with me and remedies for treating the pain and burning feeling I was experiencing. I was not comforted by any answers except from one who insisted it is important to see the doctor whether you have insurance or not. Trust me, darlings, this is true.
I did see a gyno and had a culture taken, along with a Pap and blood tests. I found out last week the culture came up with a yeast infection which I started treatment for, but since it wasn't getting any better, in fact, the was feeling worse in some ways, I decided to go in this morning first thing even though I didn't have an appointment. A real genuine doctor would not turn you away.
I started my period this morning, and apologized, explaining that I understand Gyno's don't generally look at women when on their period, his answer "I can see the pain you're in. I deliver babies, I have blood on my hands and shoes all the time, let's see what's wrong and treat it." He instantly told me it was Herpes. See, it started out as a few cuts around my vagina and near my anus. But as the week went on, it developed into sores. I thought it may be the cuts healing. Well, apparently I contracted Herpes from my last partner, with whom I had used condoms with. I am very curious, of all these women, who have seen a doctor, and what sort of tests they've done.
I am now being treated, and after much crying (not even near done) and thinking, I obviously have to change my lifestyle.
I feel your pain ladies, maybe more, maybe less...but please please please take care of yourself. It is an awful thing to go through, and now I must search for a support group. Although this is treatable, and not HIV or Cancer which are deadly, I am now a carrier of an STD because a man didn't inform me he had it, even though we used a condom.
I will now have a hard time finding a true mate and might have to for sure have a C-section if I ever become pregnant and deliver.
There is no reason why anyone should have to suffer this. Take care of yourself AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! I went through a week of torture thinking it was a yeast infection when it was something worse.
I did see a gyno and had a culture taken, along with a Pap and blood tests. I found out last week the culture came up with a yeast infection which I started treatment for, but since it wasn't getting any better, in fact, the was feeling worse in some ways, I decided to go in this morning first thing even though I didn't have an appointment. A real genuine doctor would not turn you away.
I started my period this morning, and apologized, explaining that I understand Gyno's don't generally look at women when on their period, his answer "I can see the pain you're in. I deliver babies, I have blood on my hands and shoes all the time, let's see what's wrong and treat it." He instantly told me it was Herpes. See, it started out as a few cuts around my vagina and near my anus. But as the week went on, it developed into sores. I thought it may be the cuts healing. Well, apparently I contracted Herpes from my last partner, with whom I had used condoms with. I am very curious, of all these women, who have seen a doctor, and what sort of tests they've done.
I am now being treated, and after much crying (not even near done) and thinking, I obviously have to change my lifestyle.
I feel your pain ladies, maybe more, maybe less...but please please please take care of yourself. It is an awful thing to go through, and now I must search for a support group. Although this is treatable, and not HIV or Cancer which are deadly, I am now a carrier of an STD because a man didn't inform me he had it, even though we used a condom.
I will now have a hard time finding a true mate and might have to for sure have a C-section if I ever become pregnant and deliver.
There is no reason why anyone should have to suffer this. Take care of yourself AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! I went through a week of torture thinking it was a yeast infection when it was something worse.
Hi... ***** all these post are so old... But I am having this issue too. Were also trying to get pregnant and we recently lost a baby to anensephaly... Ive had this issue for close to a year now and I keep going to the doctor n have had everything from tests for worms to pelvic exams etc and my doctors think im crazy.... I havent been prescribed anything but I was wondering if anyone has found oit what cures it yet?
Hi again,
So after reading some writer's post about how you're worth the doctor's visit no matter how much it is, I made an appoint. Rather, a friend gave me hers when she heard of how much pain i was in. I was taking what I call good care of myself, gently cleaning the discharge, powdering, ect. When i saw the doc, I apologized for that being the first visit, basically sitting on his table with little cuts from the hood of the clit down to the anus and some discharge that occurred after the urine sample I gave. Not that he cared, he said he's a doctor and he'll try to fix me up in no time. I insisted on having all tests done. I am a sexually active person, although careful, you never know what may develop. I had the normal Pap and also requested blood work. I won't find out about those until next week.
He prescribed in the mean time a cream that i had to insert into my vagina with a tube for a 5 day treatment which I took for 3 nights and a Hydrocortozone for the the cuts and skin issues. He also suggested picking up A+D odorless ointment to put on the cuts to prevent my urine from burning them, as a protective barrier. He called with the culture results and it is a yeast infection. Now, I have a had a yeast infection before and NEVER this bad or painful. He prescribed a 2 pill treatment that I had to pick up from the pharmacy, to take one every 3 days. He suggested to still use the hydrocortzone cream but it kinda burns so I like using the A+D ointment which I doubt is healing it but is making it more bareable.
Oh, and during this whole stressful episode I popped a hemroid, FML. So now I really avoid using the bathroom, since it feels quite frankly as if I'm being raped both ends. I know, disgusting. I'm still in pain, sleeping is hard to do, and I'm patiently waiting for this to subside. I am drinking lots of water, since water is the elixer of life, maybe it'll flush it out a bit, help my body fight this. My lymph nodes in my pelvis are swollen, but doctor said it means that it's fighting the infection.
I am happy I went to the doctor instead of continuing to self-diagnose. reading everything on the internet was giving me feelings of despair, thinking I had something I did not have.
GO TO A DOCTOR. I will keep posting results. Good luck everyone.
So after reading some writer's post about how you're worth the doctor's visit no matter how much it is, I made an appoint. Rather, a friend gave me hers when she heard of how much pain i was in. I was taking what I call good care of myself, gently cleaning the discharge, powdering, ect. When i saw the doc, I apologized for that being the first visit, basically sitting on his table with little cuts from the hood of the clit down to the anus and some discharge that occurred after the urine sample I gave. Not that he cared, he said he's a doctor and he'll try to fix me up in no time. I insisted on having all tests done. I am a sexually active person, although careful, you never know what may develop. I had the normal Pap and also requested blood work. I won't find out about those until next week.
He prescribed in the mean time a cream that i had to insert into my vagina with a tube for a 5 day treatment which I took for 3 nights and a Hydrocortozone for the the cuts and skin issues. He also suggested picking up A+D odorless ointment to put on the cuts to prevent my urine from burning them, as a protective barrier. He called with the culture results and it is a yeast infection. Now, I have a had a yeast infection before and NEVER this bad or painful. He prescribed a 2 pill treatment that I had to pick up from the pharmacy, to take one every 3 days. He suggested to still use the hydrocortzone cream but it kinda burns so I like using the A+D ointment which I doubt is healing it but is making it more bareable.
Oh, and during this whole stressful episode I popped a hemroid, FML. So now I really avoid using the bathroom, since it feels quite frankly as if I'm being raped both ends. I know, disgusting. I'm still in pain, sleeping is hard to do, and I'm patiently waiting for this to subside. I am drinking lots of water, since water is the elixer of life, maybe it'll flush it out a bit, help my body fight this. My lymph nodes in my pelvis are swollen, but doctor said it means that it's fighting the infection.
I am happy I went to the doctor instead of continuing to self-diagnose. reading everything on the internet was giving me feelings of despair, thinking I had something I did not have.
GO TO A DOCTOR. I will keep posting results. Good luck everyone.
I don't post very often but every now and then I will as my informative posts are now WAY back on the list. I dealt with the same issues for 3 years before I found my way to a gynecologist who specialized in pelvic floor dysfunction. He is actually called a Urogynecologist. He explained to me that many women suffer from something called Levator spasms. The Levator muscle forms a figure 8 from the anus to the clitoris and back. You cannot feel when this muscle spasms like you would if you had a muscle spasm in your back. However, the spasms, which are brought on by various stress factors (emotional stress, lack of sleep, physical stress, illness, etc.) cause restriction to the blood flow in the vaginal and anal area. This in turn causes intense itching and the skin become less pliable from the restricted bloodflow -- thus causing tears. Applying steroid creams for the itching worsens the problem, as long term use thins the skin further. The solution for me was seeing a Pelvic Floor Therapist -- a type physical therapist. I received weekly treatments where probes were attached to my pelvis, anus and vagina. Electrical pulses (not painful but scratchy feeling) were sent into the Levator muscle for about 20 minutes to exhaust, and thus relax the muscle. The therapist then assigned vaginal (kegle-type) exercises to be done 3 times per day. The symptoms lessened after the first treatment, but it took 4 or 5 weeks before I had complete relief. I went an entire year with no itching or tearing, but did have a "relapse" and returned for treatment with the same excellent results. I would encourage you to seek help from a Gynecologist specializing in problems with pelvic floor dysfunction as topical ointments and creams are only a bandaid over the underlying problem. Lastly, treatments were covered by insurance.
I have had this for the past month went to drs and had a staph infection, took penicillin but still had slight itching and no change to tearing. Over the past week i have started getting pains in my lower abdomen.
I would not freak out just yet! Not many doctors know what this is and if you read a ways up, there is one doctor that finally wrote an article about what we might have. There is currently no medical solution to the problem. I do not think it is an STD because many of the ladies on this blog have NEVER had sex. I would heavily recommend you NOT USE POWDER. I think the tears might come from being over dry. I have found (like most women on this page) triple antibiotic ointment helps tremendously!!!!! If you put it on it should be much better in no more than 3 days. I have also found baths will make it worse so avoid them. I am not a doctor but these are just a few things that have helped me until we can find a solution to our problem. Good luck and again DONT FREAK OUT! Honestly from the sounds of it, the condoms very well could have dried you out leaving the tears.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Women's Health Community
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
Normal vaginal discharge varies in color, smell, texture and amount.
Bumps in the genital area might be STDs, but are usually not serious.
Chlamydia, an STI, often has no symptoms, but must be treated.
From skin changes to weight loss to unusual bleeding, here are 15 cancer warning signs that women tend to ignore.
