Sujata Martin, MS OTR/L
Pelvic Health Therapist & Sex Counselor
Examining your Vulva can have more benefits than you realize!
The importance of regular breast self exams is well understood, but there is much less awareness of the importance of performing an self exam for the external genitals. Knowing your intimate anatomy is important, and can help you better understand your gynecological health needs.
– Research shows that regular vulva self exams can help with the early detection of vulva cancers .
– Women can help in the early diagnosis and prevention of genital skin infections, frequent UTIs & yeast infections, and pelvic pain conditions, by examining their genitals regularly and bringing up any concerns to their medical care provider.
– By learning about the baseline of the external genitals, women can notice changes caused due to medications, birth control, menopause, hormonal therapies, pregnancy & postpartum, and other life changes.
– Knowledge of one’s genital health can increase confidence and satisfaction with sexual function.
In addition to gynecological medical care, many vulvar and vaginal health conditions can benefit from pelvic floor therapy treatment. Personalized pelvic floor care plans developed by a pelvic floor physical therapist or pelvic floor occupational therapist can improve reproductive health by decreasing frequency of UTIs, yeast & bacterial infections, decreasing pain & discomfort, and improving sexual health & satisfaction.
To complete a self-examination of your vulva or the outer portion of your female genitals, you will need:
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- A private space where you feel comfortable looking at and touching your external genitals.
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- A small handheld mirror or small stand mirror to have an adequate view.
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- A flashlight or a well lit space.
Be Proactive about your Gynecological Health Today!
How to perform a vulva self-exam
A vulva self exam can be performed once a month, or every few months. Once you achieve confidence in performing a self exam, you can easily perform them when in the shower, or on the toilet.
Changes in appearance, sensitivity, discharge, or odor should be brought to the attention of medical care providers for further assessment & treatment.
Follow the steps below to perform your first vulva self exam:
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- Wash your hands, and remove your clothing from the waist down. Find a place on the bed or a couch where you can support your back with the wall or pillows. Once seated, bend your knees and pull them toward your chest.
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- Hold or prop the mirror in front of your genital area. Look at the:
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- Outer and inner fleshy lips of the vulva (called the labia).
- Bump of tissue covered by a hood of skin at the front of the labia (called the clitoris). The clitoris is the main area that is stimulated during sexual activity.
- Opening of the urethra where urine drains from your body.
- Opening of the vagina.
- Opening of the anus.
- Have the light reflect off the mirror so you can clearly see your vaginal area. Then use your fingers to spread apart the vaginal lips. Adjust the light and mirror until you can see into the vagina. You should be able to see the reddish pink walls of the vagina, which have small folds or ridges known as rugae.
- Look at your vaginal discharge. A normal discharge usually is clear to cloudy white, smells neutral or slightly acidic (like vinegar), may be thick or thin, and changes a little throughout the menstrual cycle. To learn more, research the topic Fertility Awareness.
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If you have any concerns or recent changes to your genital health, consider taking a picture on a secure device to show your medical provider.
In addition to gynecological medical care, many vulvar and vaginal health conditions can benefit from pelvic floor therapy treatment. There is no need to suffer from ongoing gynecological complaints, and limited progress with medication based treatments.
Reach out to us learn how you can achieve lasting relief from vaginal and vulvar health concerns with pelvic floor therapy!
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