Something else? Ask Aunt Vadge – bottom left of your screen!Chancroid
Chancroid is an uncommon STI caused by a bacteria that causes painful genital sores, most commonly found in undeveloped countries. Testing is not standardised, but antibiotics cure it.
Urge urinary incontinence
Urge urinary incontinence is a condition where the urge to urinate is strong and sudden, because it is caused by a bladder muscle spams. Urge urinary incontinence is usually caused by a an underlying condition, but it can be triggered by a fright.
Pelvic floor exercises overview
Some ways to find and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, particularly after any pelvic organ issue (bladder, vagina, bowel).
Bladder retraining
Retraining your bladder sometimes needs doing when there are interruptions to the normal behaviour of your bladder. This might be due to weakness, infections, or damage to the area.
Aunt Vadge: urethral problems, bladder problems, no diagnosis for lump
A hard, growing lump over the urethra with sharp pain on weeing needs a cause found – urethral caruncle, diverticulum or Skene’s cyst. Push for a second opinion.
Detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD)
DSD occurs when there is damage to the spinal cord or brain interrupting the signals between the brain and the bladder, so the two don't work together anymore.
Aunt Vadge: cuts and tears continue, despite all bases being covered
Why recurrent vaginal fissures and tears keep coming back and won't heal, and the root causes worth investigating.
Aunt Vadge: am I just too tight to have sex?
Tearing at the bottom of the vagina during early sex is rarely about being 'too tight' – it's usually friction, dryness, condoms or a nearby cyst.
Aunt Vadge: after fingering I need to pee heaps
Constant urge to pee with little coming out after first-time fingering is usually a UTI. Four days in and losing sleep? Get it checked. What to do.
Aunt Vadge: dangling hymenal remnants – WTF!
A string of skin hanging out after rough sex is usually a harmless hymenal tag. You can still have sex and use tampons – and a doctor can snip it off.
Aunt Vadge: how do I remove dark spots on my labia?
Dark spots on the labia are almost always normal pigmentation that deepens with puberty. Why there’s nothing to fix, and when a changing spot needs a look.
Aunt Vadge: fingering used to feel good, but now it hurts and burns
Fingering used to feel good but now hurts and burns? Could be arousal and cycle changes, or thrush, dryness or irritation. When to get it checked.
The neurogenic bladder
A neurogenic bladder means malfunctioning or 'broken down' nerves that cause the bladder to function improperly in the storing and expulsion of urine from the body.
Aunt Vadge: spotting and bleeding and weird periods after miscarriage
Ongoing spotting and passing tissue after a miscarriage should be checked to rule out retained tissue – then herbs and iron can help your cycle recover.
Aunt Vadge: fordyce bumps – how do I tell sexual partners what they are?
Fordyce bumps on the labia are normal, common and not contagious. How to explain them to a partner – and why you don't owe anyone an explanation.
Aunt Vadge: Does watching porn and masturbating make my Bartholin cyst worse?
Does watching porn or masturbating cause or worsen a Bartholin cyst? No – it's a blocked duct, not your fault. But a lemon-sized lump needs a doctor now.
Aunt Vadge: a vaginal infection that won’t go away
A vaginal infection that won't go away despite treatment usually means it was never properly diagnosed. Why a full microbiome test breaks the cycle.
Aunt Vadge: toy mishap
A sex toy that yanked a little skin inside the vagina usually heals in about two weeks. How to care for it, what to avoid, and when to see a doctor.
How to deal with cuts and tears from fingering and rough sex
How to care for a cut, tear or graze from fingering or rough sex, help it heal, manage the sting, and know when it needs a doctor.
Aunt Vadge: is my womb falling out?
Something bulging at the vaginal opening that slips back when pushed is usually a pelvic organ prolapse – common, not an emergency, and very treatable.