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Women's Health

Vaginal lumps

12/26/2006

Question:

A few months ago, i started experiencing vaginal itching and as a consequence the area got quite red and raw. then, quite suddenly, several small lumps appeared primarily around the clitoral area (in particular, in the folds of skin just above the clitoris). the itching continued and the lumps grew in size for a few weeks. i am from britain but i am currently living and working in south korea. as i do not speak the language very well, i had to ask a co worker to go with me to the doctors which was quite embarrassing.

i was told that it was either conyloma (genital worts, is this correct?) or vulvovaginitis (i think thats what they said anyways!). so they gave me some medicine (don`t know what it was) and that made the lumps change in both shape and in colour. they became smaller and odd shaped (hard to describe) and turned really white (before they were quite red). after a few days they seemed to almost disintegrate, and just more or less crumbled away and the itching completely stopped (i was also given some cream to apply but again, i dont know what it was). they didnt dissappear completely, but more or less.

now they are back, itching, not red just skin coloured and they are also scaly, or rough at least. im obviously very concerned and i really dont want to go back to the docs with my co worker (embarrassing for both of us) but i do realise that i will have to.

i was just wondering if any one could give me some clues as to what it might be? im guessing some type of STD, but would that have been altered so radically by drug treatment (which incidentally, i did not complete because i came down with a bad cold and took flu meds instead). so im quite confused and slightly worried! any help would be hugely appreciated. is it probable that it is genital warts? if so, i have to get them removed right? what fun!

thanks

Answer:

It would be helpful to know what type of medicine was given. Vulvovaginitis is an infection due to an overgrowth of yeast (Candida) that normally causes lots of itching and irritation, but usually not bumps. This is a common infection and is not a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Condyloma (genital warts, due to the human papilloma virus, HPV) on the other hand, usually appear as soft, moist, pink, or flesh-colored swellings, usually in the genital area. They can be raised or flat, single or multiple, small or large, and sometimes cauliflower shaped. They can appear on the vulva, in or around the vagina or anus, on the cervix, and on the groin or thigh.

After sexual contact with an infected person, warts may appear within weeks or months, or not at all. This is a STD. The major significance of HPV is that some types can cause changes in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer; women with HPV should have regular exams and Pap smears performed. A good web site to read more about various conditions is that of the Centers for Diseases Control (CDC): www.cdc.gov/std.

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Response by:

The Ohio State University W. Fred Miser, MD
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Director, Ohio State Medicine Residency Program
Department of Family Medicine
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
W. Fred Miser, MD