Vaginal and anal tearing/fissures

[arrowsmom]

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.

[gettnbetter]

I am sure there may be several reasons why some have this problem, but my story is quite clear about how it happened to me. Long story, but I found out I had Lyme Disease for a very long time and my adrenals were shot and thyroid low among many other symtoms.  Anyway, my Infectious Disease Doc and other Lyme sources cite that the only treatment for this is long term antibiotic treatment, at least 6 to 8 months...possibly even a year or more, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
      I am only into the 3rd month on ABX use and these fissures have begun to appear in the vaginal area and the perineum.  I am on Azithromycin, Minocycline, and Omnicef, and occasionally Flagyl.  So , for me, this problem may not clear up till I'm off the ABX, but I am also on A LOT of Probiotics which I'm sure reduce some of my symptoms from the ABX.  It may help some of you, if you have ever taken ABX in your life, to try lots of probiotics for several months.  I also drink 4 oz. or more of Kefir (cultured), yogurt (quality like Seven Stars Farms), and Jarrow-Dophilus probiotics, and Prescript-Assist probiotics available online.  It's worth a try.  Any cultured or fermented foods would be a bonus.  Also to reduce or totally cut out the carbs to try to establish a better gut flora.  
    Hope this helps someone out there!

[sefiori89]

After reading these posts backwards and forwards and a bunch of research I have found a solution. I have had vaginal tears for awhile now and have just had to live through them healing on their own. I found this forum and have used info from a bunch of different posts. Just recently I was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and a yeast infection. I was prescribed an antibiotic and a medication to help with the burning while urinating (makes your urine orange!). Just 1 day after that I developed several cuts (above the clitoris, at the bottom of the vaginal opening, etc). I tried Tree Tea & E Antiseptic Cream (which I bought at The Vitamin Shoppe). It INSTANTLY took away the pain and burning from the cuts! Also the Vitamin E in it helped to heal the cuts MUCH faster. I think the combination of the antibiotics and tree tea cream helped the healing process.

My main wish is that doctors will soon figure something out for us women because there seems to be nothing for us! If a man goes to the doctor with a problem for his penis they instantly have the cure for them but when it comes to the vagina doctors become clueless. Go figure?!

Good luck to all!

Sarah

[ConfusedinMA]

Thank you for all of your comments.  They really helped. I'm so glad that I'm not alone with this problem. I too have had this problem for a couple of years.  I have a few theories... I was on birth control for about 7 years and got off.  When I was on the pill I never had this problem, so I think it could be a hormonal imbalance caused by being on the pill for so long.  

I swim a lot so I thought maybe it was the chlorine drying out my vaginal area.  Or maybe the wet bating suit?

Or it could be that I have hemorrhoids and I notice the problem gets worse after having a difficult BM.

Or it could be the lichen sclerosus like a few of you mentioned.  

I was tested for every STD about a year ago, and I didn't have any STDs.  I am not sexually active.  I'm a cootie freak so I've always used condoms when I was sexually active and this problem started after I hadn't had sex for over a year...so I don't think disease is the problem.  I explained my problem to my Gyno friend and she did suggest herpes but when I told her the size of the fissures she said that the fissures seemed too big to be the kind that herpes causes.

I thought is was caused by a yeast infection but when I had a pap-smear they told me that I didn't have a yeast infection.  I didn't really believe them so I bought some Monistat.  It cleared up for about 2 weeks but now it's back...I'm so confused and annoyed.  

I even thought it could be because I wasn't sexually active and the area needs some exercise :)  I have thought of so many reasons, but can't fix the problem.  I currently don't have health insurance, so I don't have the luxury to go from Dr. to Dr. to try to figure out what is wrong with me...so I turned to the internet for some answers.  

This is what I'm going to do. I'm going to do some Kegel exercises to strengthen my vaginal floor just in case I have spasms. Then I'm going to get some antibiotics to clear up any type of bacterial infection that I may have.  Then I'm going to get some diflucan to clear up any yeast infection.    Then when I get insurance, I'll get a test for the lichen sclerosus, get my hormone levels tested and maybe get a steroid ointment. ??????????????

[gillbill]

I am posting this same e-mail on all of my "watched posts," Because my problem is solved and I want to "pay it forward" one last time before I remove my name from this forum.

There seems to be more than one thing happening. I am writing to those women who: have a reoccurring rip-type fissures on the inside of the labia, between the labia and clitoris, along the natural fold. (Mine was always in the same spot. -Note my earlier posts.) You probably have sensitive skin, you are probably high-stress, you may be more "moist" than you think is "typical." You are in relatively good health-maybe you workout. You have at times thought it was everything from soap to rough sex to a "big" boyfriend. You have ruled out everything, one at a time including Herpies and other VD's with a test from Dr. It may be worse with hormonal changes, (monthly) or cyclically reoccurring or just always there to some degree. I had this same condition. "Chronic Whatever-itis" What ever they call it, it means your skin is inflamed. They are naming the symptoms, not the cause/problem.

I went to a Dr. He prescribed a topical steroid and a antibiotic. I also had a infection, which is common when things are out of balance down there. (yeast infections also can be commonly be present). I took the meds, it got better for a week, then came right back and I didn't return to Dr. for another year-just lived with it. This was the second Dr. I went to over the years for it. I had it 2001-2003, then all of 2008-2010. (You can wait and wait and live frustrated, (like I did), or go back as soon as the symptoms return and get your life back! Be assertive! I asked a lot of questions, gave him a ton of data on all that had "ruled out", that I was a serial monogamist that always used protection with my faithful boyfriends... (Frankly, I think he was bored with all of the talk, b/c they are trained to treat the symptoms with the mildest they think will work.) When I returned, He apologized that he didn't treat it more aggressively, the first time. By then I was crying and defeated thinking I would just have it forever. As he explained paired with my research and my first-hand account, this is what happened: At some time there was a trauma to the area, a scratch, rough touch, or yeast infection that went haywire. The body’s defenses are jumping on that area because it had an issue with that area already. My vaginal balance was way off. When the ph changes, and allows more bacteria/yeast to grow, (naturally through the month), that change/moisture irritated the area, increased discharge or sweat from working out or sitting too long, (little oven) irritated the area, my changing soaps and detergents 1,000 different times trying to solve the issue paired with extra wiping, washing and attention to the area irritated it and, it just never got to totally heal. All of the junk I put on it may have made it worse and the worrying didn't help a bit. He prescribed a "Z-pack" Which is Zithromax 250MG/Generic=Azithromycin=4 pills. He prescribed Flagyl 500MG=Metronidazole=14 pills. He prescribed Clobetasol .05% cream=a topical steroid, which I was going to use if I needed it after the antibiotics, but I didn't (maybe I used it for 2-3 days) - I was worried about the steroid, b/c of the fact that it thins the skin and it seemed counter - production intuitively to me). Anyhow the Antibiotics worked great! My body was able to heal itself after the Antibiotic Napalm Bomb. I have discolored skin from the years of trying to healing, but that too is lightening up and I have ZERO pain. It made me think of the "hard reset" on my computer. You know it's not great to do, but sometimes it must be done when nothing else is working. Also, separately and unsolicited -after seeing what I was prescribed, the Pharmacist volunteered that he had only seen this prescribed this way a couple of other time, but that it was quite effective for aggressively solving issues. By the way, he also said, "Do NOT drink alcohol with the one! Like no ‘wine sauce’ at dinner, no 'just a sip of wine.' No mouthwash- It contains alcohol- unless you want to be violently sick.

I wish you all luck in getting your issue taken care of.

Thank to everyone for all of your posts!

[sleepykitty]

  I am 29 and pregnant and have what the Dr described as the biggest anal fissure he had seen in a long time spanning my perineum, and it's not the only one. I am so pleased to find this forum because I thought for so long I had a fungle infection that kept recurring. I was not sure if I should keep doing my pelvic floor exercises as I was unsure how this would effect my large fissure. It's great to hear advice to keep going as it is important for birth.
I would love to hear how women here went with their births having this condition!
I had previously self pescribed steroidal cream like beta cream but was worried about weakening skin plus had no effect! I also put tea tree oil on my perineum and anus as I thought this would combat the fungle infection but this just REALLY hurt. I was also pescribed an antifungal and steroidal cream by a Dr who misdiagnosed me!
The Dr I saw who finally told me I had fissures told me just to use olive oil on my fissures and stop using toilet paper and soap and to wash with olive oil. So far I think it's going okay but it hasn't been long enough to tell.
One of the most frustrating things apart from the itching and stinging and moistness is the fact that the Dr's never believe when I say it can't be herpies or an std as my husband and I were virgins when we married and are still faithful. The last Dr actually told me not to have kinky sex, (shocking!!) as if!!
Well this forum has helped me so please keep posting your experiences!

[Goldielocks1724]

I just want to help anyone and everyone that has been suffering from the same symptoms as me. First, I just want to let you all know that I had been diagnosed with vulvodynia 12 years ago. It did completely go away just as it suddenly began one day when I was 19 years old. I have been through so much, numerous doctors, specialists, all different kinds of pills, creams, cystoscopy, biopsy, hymenotomy, physical therapy,  and even been to the psychiatric ward for telling people at a hospital that I didn't want to live if I had to live with this pain. I've been through it all. What I really believe is that if you are tested for everything, and nothing comes back positive for a bacteria, or yeast, a virus, STD, or skin condition, please, please, please, consider that it could be your pelvic floor muscles. I am so serious about this because when you go to the doctor and they can't tell you what's wrong with you because no test comes back telling them what is wrong with you, IT"S HELL! and I have suffered so badly that I almost lost all hope  and just wanted to give up, but I didn't, and I kept praying for the day that I would be pain free, and after 6 years of horrible burning pain in the vulva, it was finally gone. So what was it, what made it go away? I really think it had to do with fixing my pelvic floor muscles over a long period of time, and finally healing an anal fissure. I have been pain free since 2003 until now, which would be 7 years now, however, I just had another baby, another episiotomy, another anal fissure, and I just gained a new symptom of intense vulvar itching. At first, I thought it was a yeast infection because, well, itching meant yeast infection for me, but after diflucan didn't work, and repeated times to the doctor testing me for everything with all results coming back negative, and then taking an antibiotic, using a steroid cream, and taking another yeast med Terazol,  inserting Boric Acid suppositories, taking baths in baking soda, and taking probiotics, NOTHING WORKED! I cried so many times, and I finally stopped thinking it was an infection of some sort, and I started to do kegel exercises (100x a day), regular cardio, and leg stretches. The itching had gone away, and I was normal again. It was completely gone until I stopped the kegels, cardio, and stretches, then the anal fissure came back, and the vulvar itching came back, so I thought it was yeast infection again, why?, when I didn't test positive for yeast, and the yeast creams I used last time didn't work, I don't know, but I used Terazol, hoping it was just yeast but it didn't work, so I started to do the kegel excercises again, cardio, and stretching, and it's going away again. I swear this thing has to do with the pelvic floor muscles, and the anal fissure. They have to be linked. I just wanted to share this because alot of women are having these symptoms whether it be burning or itching or both and they put all of these creams and stuff on their skin down there, and it could be doing more damage than good, and I think they should first rule out pelvic floor dysfunction because if you start doing kegels and your symptoms go away, then you can save your very delicate vulvar skin that can be so easily damaged by these prescription, and over the counter creams. If a test comes back positive for something that requires a perscription cream then yes please use what is prescribed to treat it but if you are one on those women who have been to the doctor over and over with negative results for everything, please, look into pelvic floor dysfunction, whether you have or don't have an anal fissure, because you can still have pelvic floor dysfuction without having an anal fissure, and please if you have an anal fissure, please go to the doctor and get the proper treatment to help heal it because that could be causing plevic floor dysfunction, and I'll tell you this from experience, I fought with myself for so long thinking what I had was an infection, a yeast infection, a bacterial infection, a UTI, whatever, because that's what it felt like, AN INFECTION! But it wasn't, it was a combination of an anal fissure that wasn't healing, and the pelvic floor muscles being in spasm all the time, and being too weak, and if I kept using yeast creams, and steroid creams, and things that people say to use on the internet, my vulvar skin might be damaged beyond repair, and I wonder sometimes about these women who develop these pre-cancerous vulvar skin condtions. So I hope and pray that I can help as many women as I can that are suffering from these horrible symptoms, we weren't meant to live life this way. God Bless.