Vaginal foreign body sensation

The vagina is an extremely private part of women, and its importance is self-evident, but it is also the only place where women are infected with gynecological diseases. Sometimes, don't be ashamed to talk about the foreign body sensation in the vagina, because it is a very serious matter. In many cases, the foreign body sensation in the vagina is accompanied by pain and bleeding, and the secretions in the private parts will increase, mostly accompanied by a strong odor. At the same time, women will also feel great pain during intercourse, so they must be checked immediately.

(1) Pain and bleeding: Large foreign bodies or irritating foreign bodies such as folk medicine suppositories can cause severe vaginal pain and bleeding. Glass cups, perfume bottles, etc. may break when trying to remove them, damaging the vaginal wall. Some patients may also experience long-term chronic pelvic pain or lumbar pain. A 75-year-old patient was hospitalized for hemiplegia. She complained of foul-smelling leucorrhea and pelvic pain for 25 years. Bimanual and triple examinations revealed a spherical object in the vagina, surrounded by granular granulation tissue proliferation, about 3 to 4 cm away from the vaginal opening. Pelvic X-ray examination showed that the spherical object was about 4 cm in diameter, so the foreign body was removed vaginally under general anesthesia. The vaginal balloon was probably inserted 25 years ago to treat pelvic tissue laxity.

(2) Increased vaginal discharge with odor: Depending on the nature of the foreign body, it can cause acute or chronic vaginitis, manifested as vaginal itching, increased vaginal discharge with odor; or large amounts of pus or bloody discharge; or recurrent discharge of light yellow, thin, fishy-smelling liquid. Due to long-term irritation from secretions or complications leading to urinary incontinence, it can be combined with vulvitis, manifested as a rash on the vulva or even the inner thighs. After secondary infection, the patient may feel burning pain in the vulva and have difficulty moving.

Young girls usually do not feel any pain at the time of foreign body insertion or within a short period of time. They may complain of vaginal itching to their mothers but no one takes it seriously. Or they may be afraid to tell their parents. The parents may only discover the problem and draw their attention to it when the vaginal discharge increases or bleeding occurs. Therefore, when a young girl with vaginal discharge and an unclear medical history is encountered in the outpatient clinic, the possibility of foreign body should be considered, especially if the condition has not improved after inflammatory treatment. More attention should be paid and one should not completely believe the patient's denial of the history of vaginal foreign body and make hasty diagnosis and treatment.

(3) Sensation of a foreign body in the vagina accompanied by pain during sexual intercourse: Women with a history of sexual activity may experience a foreign body sensation during sexual intercourse depending on the size of the foreign body. In severe cases, sexual intercourse may be painful. Long-term retention of foreign bodies may cause scar formation, vaginal closure, and even inability to have sexual intercourse. Lesy reported a 21-year-old woman who had complained of painful intercourse and foul-smelling leucorrhea for five years. Scar adhesions formed in the vaginal vault, and deep in the scar was a 3.2cm×2.2cm plastic bottle cap.

(4) Pain and urgency when urinating: Patients with vaginal foreign bodies pressing on the bladder or bladder stones may experience pain and urgency when urinating.

(5) When vaginal foreign bodies cause complications such as urinary fistula or fecal fistula, clinical manifestations may include urinary incontinence, feces discharge through the vagina, or intermittent flatulence in the vagina.