The vaginal stone is a very rare disease. It occurs exclusively in the female sex. Foreign bodies form inside the vagina.
What is a vaginal stone?
The vaginal stone is called vaginal calculus by medical professionals. This is a very rare disease. This disease usually occurs in adult and older women, but can also develop in girls or young women. One of the abnormalities of the disease is that deposits in the form of minerals form in the vagina over a longer period of time. For immunodeficiency meaning, please visit phonejust.com.
These are not transported away and excreted via the vaginal secretions. Instead, the minerals solidify against the vaginal wall. They develop a solid and hard structure. Vaginal stones can be up to several centimeters in diameter and weigh several hundred grams.
The vaginal stone causes a narrowing of the vagina and in extreme cases can cause a blockage. It comes through the vaginal stone from a stagnation of outflowing secretions of the uterus or urine. A vaginal stone can lead to the formation of urinary stones. Urinary retention occurs and urinary incontinence is possible.
Causes
Causes include deposits of minerals in the vagina. These are biominerals or concretions. Stones are deposits of solid organic materials. They develop as residues from other tissue structures or body fluids that have already been dissolved and removed. The development of fistulas can lead to the formation of vaginal stones in women.
Abortion can leave tissue in the uterus or surrounding area. Normally, it is excreted during the next menstrual period. In some cases, tissue remains that is removed by a medical procedure in the form of a curettage. Nevertheless, it can happen in individual cases that smaller tissue structures have not been removed.
These can increase in size over time and develop into a vaginal stone. The vaginal stone can form in young girls as a result of religious rituals such as female circumcision. Malformations in the female sex can also be the cause of the formation of a foreign body in the vagina. This is particularly the case if the ureter does not find its exit within the bladder triangle.
Symptoms, Ailments & Signs
Symptoms of vaginal stones include a narrowed vagina and a narrowed ureter. These are initially not felt to be painful, but women with a very good body feeling may be able to feel them. In the further course, sexual intercourse can be experienced as unpleasant and thus reduced. If the vaginal stone continues to grow, urine can accumulate in the ureter. This can lead to inflammatory processes or an uncomfortable feeling of pressure in the bladder.
Those affected have the permanent feeling that the bladder was not completely emptied when urinating. They become restless and find it uncomfortable to wear clothing that constricts the body when sitting. A vaginal stone can cause a bladder infection and an irritated feeling in the abdomen. In severe cases there is a risk of kidney failure.
Diagnosis & course of disease
The diagnosis is made by a doctor using imaging methods such as X-rays. The vaginal stone forms very slowly over several months or years. Growth is progressive but is rarely considered clinically relevant.
Complications
A vaginal stone can cause severe discomfort and other complications in those affected. As the disease progresses, the initially slight feeling of pressure increases and develops into pain, which affects overall well-being. Activities such as urination or sexual intercourse are usually no longer possible without pain, which further restricts the quality of life.
If it continues to grow, urine may become blocked in the ureter. This increases the risk of inflammatory processes and other secondary diseases. Because of the vaginal stone, cystitis can develop, which in turn is fraught with complications. In severe cases, the foreign body leads to kidney failure.
Renal insufficiency is associated with further complications of the cardiovascular system, bone metabolism and blood circulation. Litotripsy treatment for a vaginal stone carries the risk of bleeding and serious injury to the ureters. In extreme cases, there is a complete rupture of the ureters and subsequent scarring. This is associated with incontinence, urinary retention and other complications.
The accompanying bile duct endoscopy can lead to injuries to the intestinal wall and bile ducts. Bleeding, infections of the bile ducts or acute inflammation of the pancreas can also occur. If the cause of the stone formation is not remedied, stones can form again and again.
When should you go to the doctor?
Since the vaginal stone can only occur in women, there is a need for action in the event of sudden physical irregularities. If abnormalities occur during the sexual act, it should be checked whether this is due to the techniques used. If it can be ensured that the methods used cannot lead to discomfort in the female genital area, a doctor should be informed of the abnormalities. Loss of libido, a foreign body sensation in the vaginal area and changes in menstrual bleeding are signs of an existing disease.
If the color of the menstrual period changes or if there are any peculiarities of the cycle, these should be discussed with a doctor. Inner restlessness, locomotion disorders and an increase in inflammatory diseases should also be examined more closely. If you feel ill, behave abnormally and have a slight increase in body temperature, you should see a doctor for a check-up. Changes in the fluid balance or peculiarities of going to the toilet are further signs of a health problem.
If the need to empty the bladder again occurs immediately after the last urination, this is considered to be a cause for concern. If the symptoms persist for several days or weeks or if they increase in intensity, a doctor is needed. Since severe cases can lead to a loss of kidney function, immediate action must be taken if there is pain in the kidney area.
Treatment & Therapy
The treatment and therapy of a vaginal stone depends on its size and the place where it occurs. If it is a small foreign body, it can be removed by a gynecologist in most cases. This is often done with forceps. In some cases, the vaginal stone is broken up via lithotripsy.
Shock waves are introduced outside the body, which penetrate to the inside of the body and shake the vaginal stone. In many patients, the foreign body detaches spontaneously. The individual parts are then carried away and excreted in the coming days through the vaginal body fluid or the urine.
The patient should take it easy during this time and not engage in any strenuous activities. A check-up is recommended after a few weeks to avoid the formation of residual tissue. In most cases, a larger vaginal stone will require an episiotomy.
This is an episiotomy that is often used during a natural birth. If the measures taken are not sufficient or if the vaginal stone has formed in a very unfavorable position, a surgical intervention with the total removal of the foreign body is carried out. After the scars caused by the operation have healed, a check-up should take place.
Prevention
Preventive measures include regular check-ups with a gynecologist. This examines the female sex organs and can determine the formation of a vaginal stone in good time. In addition, in the case of medical interventions in the abdomen, a follow-up examination using imaging methods should be carried out after a few weeks or months.
Since the vaginal stone develops very slowly, feeling good about your body is useful. In very rare cases, experienced women can feel the vagina themselves in a relaxed squatting position with their fingers. The vessel wall can be easily checked for abnormalities such as the formation of solid tissue.
Aftercare
A few months after the end of the treatment, the success of the medical intervention must be checked by means of a follow-up examination. An examination with imaging methods such as an X-ray or a computer tomography examination is suitable for this. Regular check-ups at the gynecologist are essential after the vaginal stone has been removed.
Vaginal stones develop slowly. Symptoms that indicate a recurrence are not always immediately recognizable and occur gradually. Checks with a gynecologist minimize the risk of a serious illness recurring. The gynecologist can scan the vessel walls for abnormalities and react immediately in an emergency.
In order to recognize the first signs of a new vaginal stone, you need to feel good about your body. Affected women should work intensively on it after the end of the treatment. If there are any suspicions, such as bleeding or pain, an immediate medical examination is recommended.
After the vaginal stone has been successfully removed, taking care of the intimate area helps to improve healing. Recurrence of irritation must be avoided at all costs. This allows the tissue to regenerate. Special care products should be used to care for the affected area. Now at the latest it is time to find out and eliminate the cause of the vaginal stone. The risk of recurrence is thus reduced to a minimum.
You can do that yourself
Vaginal stones require treatment depending on their size and location. Affected women should consult a gynecologist who can diagnose and initiate treatment.
The self-help measures are limited to looking out for unusual symptoms after an operation. In the event of bleeding or pain, the gynecologist must be informed. After an open operation, the intimate area must be protected. The doctor can suggest suitable care products that can be used to treat the affected area. It is also important to determine the cause of the vaginal stones. Foreign bodies often develop as a result of an operation or as a result of fistulas in the genital area. It is important to identify and eliminate the causes in order to avoid the development of further vaginal stones. Drinking lots of fluids can help flush out vaginal stones.
In general, however, the rare disease must be treated by a doctor. The responsible gynecologist usually removes the vaginal stones using lithotripsy. In some cases, bacterial infections can occur after such an operation. Affected women must also pay careful attention to the signals of the body and, if in doubt, contact the gynecologist.
