Why is douching bad

Alternatives Preventing odor A douche is a device used to introduce a jet of water to the inside of a part of the body so that it can be washed.

Why are douches used? Is douching safe? Risks of douching. Share on Pinterest There are some risks with douching including infections and cervicitis. Is douching necessary? Alternatives to douching. Preventing vaginal odor.

Share on Pinterest Safely reducing vaginal odor may involve drying the vagina and surrounding area carefully. Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Costs associated with obesity may account for 3. Related Coverage. The 10 things you should know about your vagina Think you know all there is to know about your lady parts?

What is bacterial vaginosis? Medically reviewed by University of Illinois. What's to know about vaginal gas? This, in turn, may actually cause an overgrowth in some bacteria species, causing problems such as a yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis or inflammation of the vagina. Per the U. PID is known to cause trouble getting pregnant and chronic pelvic pain. In fact, douching may make the vagina more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections STIs because it alters the vaginal flora by removing the normal, good bacteria that protect the vagina from infection.

Besides contributing to bacterial vaginosis and PID , and making the vagina more vulnerable to STIs, douching can cause general vaginal dryness and irritation. A habit of douching may also cause problems related to fertility and pregnancy. Douching, at any point in life, has been linked to a higher risk of ectopic pregnancies. And douching during pregnancy has been linked by a small-scale study to a higher likelihood of preterm birth.

The explanation behind each of these is douching increases the chances of contracting a reproductive tract infection , and the RTI developing into PID — which is a known risk factor for reduced fertility and pregnancy complications. Other research has linked douching to increased risk of sexually transmitted infection, as douching leaves the vaginal tract more susceptible to harmful bacteria and viruses.

This could explain why douching has been linked to increased risk of cervical cancer — most cases of which are caused by the sexually transmitted infection HPV. Again, no. Vaginas are not supposed to be discharge-free, or odorless. Bacterial vaginosis , an imbalance of the various kinds of bacteria found in the vagina, can cause discomfort and odor as well.

If you have this problem, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic, which selectively affects only the anaerobic bacteria bacteria that live without oxygen and leaves the healthy bacteria intact. Yeast vaginitis is what most people refer to as a yeast infection, but really occurs because of a bacterial imbalance that allows the yeast to flourish.

Your doctor will prescribe one of several medications to treat the abundance of yeast and put the natural balance back in place. Foreign objects like a tampon , condom or toilet paper can sometimes get stuck in your vagina and cause odor or discharge. To remove it on your own, relax your pelvic muscles and try to gently grasp the object. A healthcare provider will be able to remove it for you.

Your doctor will be able to give you an accurate diagnosis and discuss treatment options. Your vagina cleans itself, so avoid using a douche, which may actually harm vaginal health. Cleveland Clinic.

Vaginal odor: possible causes. Updated December 9, Cottrell BH. An updated review of of evidence to discourage douching.

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What should I do instead of douching? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.

Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Aral, S. Vaginal douching among women of reproductive age in the United States: Am J Public Health. Kendrick, J. Vaginal Douching as a potential risk factor for tubal ectopic pregnancy.