Seven private symptoms that should not be ignored

"Many women experience vaginal pain during sex, or experience rashes, bleeding, and other signs of underlying health problems," she said. "Although you may feel embarrassed to discuss these symptoms, it is extremely important to see your doctor right away and describe the location, condition, and frequency of the symptoms."

While most are curable, such as those caused by infection or ovulation, other sources of problems can be chronic and far more serious, which is why it is important to monitor your body and communicate with your doctor as often as possible.

1. Vaginal discharge

"When you ovulate in the middle of your cycle, your body is most nourished, and vaginal discharge may appear clear or slightly cloudy, more than at other times of the month," says Sandra Reed, MD, a spokeswoman for the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Thomasville, Georgia.

While this type of discharge is perfectly healthy, other types should be a cause for concern.

For example, if the discharge is curdled, lumpy, and white like cottage cheese, it could be a yeast infection, the result of an overgrowth of a fungus called Candida in the vagina. Stress, illness, medications such as antibiotics and steroids, and sometimes health problems such as diabetes can cause this fungus to overgrow.

Yeast infections affect three-quarters of women of a certain age and can be passed between partners if left untreated.

Leucorrhea can also indicate a sexually transmitted infection (STI) including gonorrhea (yellow-green discharge), Trichomonas (foamy discharge), or chlamydia (copious, clear or white discharge).

"Get these treated right away because they can be dangerous to you and your partner, especially if they spread and symptoms worsen," says Leandro Mena, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and a spokesman for the American Social Health Association.

2. Itchy rash

If your vulva is red, swollen, and itchy, you may have vulvar dermatitis, an allergic reaction to anything from shower gel to synthetic underwear.

“Sometimes the rash is also a sign of post-sex sexual intercourse, because women may have used latex condoms, lubricants, or spermicides to which they were allergic,” Dr. Curtis says. "They may even have allergies from their partner's urine, sweat or sperm."

A rash could also be a sign of herpes, a contagious disease that usually starts with a tingling sensation and then breaks out into small red bumps or white blisters.

"Herpes affects 16% of the population, but 80% of those infected don't realize they are infected because they have no obvious signs and symptoms vary from person to person," Dr. Mena said. "If you or your partner has symptoms of herpes, don't have sex and see a doctor immediately."

Pregnant women with severe herpes must be treated because they could infect their babies during delivery. Repeat screening is also important to prevent or minimize recurrences of herpes, which are highly contagious once they occur, even if they become less frequent over time.

Another trigger for an itchy rash is vulvar lichen sclerosus, a rare skin problem that appears white over large areas of the vulva and anus.

The condition causes the skin in these areas to become thinner and more easily torn, sometimes leading to scarring. Prompt diagnosis and treatment (usually with cortisone creams and ointments) are therefore essential. Left unchecked, vulvar lichen sclerosus can cause genital deformities, painful intercourse, and difficulty urinating.

3. Burning sensation

If you're urinating alarmingly often and it's painful, a bacterial urinary tract infection could be the culprit.

"Frequent sexual intercourse increases your risk of UTIs and can make them more painful," Dr. Curtis says. "Sex can also predispose you to a bladder infection, leading to a more serious infection called cystitis."

In rare cases, there are signs of vulvodynia with a burning sensation, a chronic pain that may be caused by infection of the vulva (such as recurring yeast or candida infections), trauma (such as pelvic surgery that damages the nerves, causing them to feel lasting pain), or other problems.

This condition occurs in 1% of women, and it can cause pain not only during sex, but also when women are walking, using the bathroom, or even just resting.

Most often, vulvodynia is treated with medication, biofeedback, or local anesthetics. As a last resort, some cases of localized vulvar pain may require surgery to remove the inflamed nerve.

4. Muscle spasms

Do you feel tension in your vagina when your lover touches you or before sex?

If so, Dr. Reed notes that the most likely cause is vaginismus.

Six percent of women have a problem called vaginismus, which causes involuntary spasms of the vaginal wall muscles, making penetration painful.

The cause of this cramping and pain isn't entirely clear -- and sometimes there's no clear cause, Dr. Reed says. However, most of the time, the root cause is emotional, such as past sexual trauma or sexual anxiety.

Treatment can be through counseling, use of vaginal dilators, and physical therapy to train the muscles to prevent them during intercourse.

5. Unpleasant odor

If you typically experience a fishy or sour odor, this is a sign of bacterial vaginosis (BV), an inflammation caused by an overgrowth of common bacteria in the vagina, usually Gardnerella.

Dr. Curtis said: "Smoking, frequent douching and sexual activity can all trigger BV. Often women will find that the odor is particularly strong after their period or after sex."

Treatment is usually with antibiotics.

In rare cases, tampons may cause odor, and their recommended usage time of eight hours should be strictly followed to avoid bacterial infection and toxic shock syndrome (a serious illness caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria).

"If a tampon is worn for more than a day, you may need to see a doctor to have it removed and to get medication to treat the infection," Dr. Reed said. She added that "it is unlikely that a tampon will cause toxic shock syndrome if worn for more than a few hours, but if you develop a high fever, contact your doctor immediately."

6. Bleeding

The cause of spotting or light bleeding depends on your age and health.

Menopause or hormonal imbalances can cause unexpected uterine bleeding and tissue loss, as well as spotting.

Light bleeding may also occur if you're using a birth control pill that doesn't match your body; if you're using a placebo, it may cause the uterine lining to shed before your period.

If bleeding only occurs during sex and not at any other time, you may have a problem with your cervix, Dr. Curtis says. “

These cells may become irritated or inflamed for some reason, such as HPV infection or even the early stages of cervical cancer.

Other possible causes of vaginal bleeding include endometrial cancer, uterine fibroids (which are benign growths), pelvic inflammatory disease (a bacterial infection that spreads to the upper reproductive tract), or an ectopic pregnancy (a fallopian tube attachment instead of the uterus).

If you are pregnant, bleeding may be a sign of miscarriage. If so, Dr. Reed recommends calling your doctor and going to the emergency room right away.

7. Pain during sexual intercourse

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 22% of women experience varying degrees of pain during sexual intercourse.

The reasons are usually physical - avoid going too deep or find a position that you are comfortable with.

If the pain persists, it could be due to a number of reasons: ovarian cysts, infection of the uterus or fallopian tubes, scar tissue from a previous infection or surgery, endometriosis (growth of endometrial tissue in the abdominal cavity), or fibroids (benign).