A relatively new condition that has been circulating in the social media platforms and the internet at large, the blue waffle disease is a disease that is sexually transmitted – STD. The condition became a limelight in 2007 and people have been wondering whether it’s real or just another myth.
Well, just like any new health condition, it is likely that people may not know it’s existence until medical researchers and health care practitioners begin to talk about it. Blue waffle disease features nowhere in the medical terms and this is understandable considering that it is quite new.(6)
What is Blue Waffles Disease?
The disease’s name has been picked from two words ‘blue’ and ‘waffle’. The name ‘blue’ appears in the disease’s name because it tends to cause an inflammation with blue discoloration around the vagina. In fact, blue waffle disease is similar to vaginitis and it may be caused by a severe form of vaginitis.
The common cause of the disease are fungi and bacteria. Blue waffle disease affects both men and women, but it has been seen more in women. The term ‘waffle’ appearing on the disease’s name refers to vagina. When you look at the images of the disease, they appear scary because of the inflammations.
Causes
Many things are believed to cause blue waffle disease and below are some of the possible causes:
Vaginal Douching
The body has good and bad bacteria. The good bacteria helps control the bad bacteria, so when there is imbalance of these bacteria, it may pave way for the bad bacteria to dominate. Proper hygiene of the body restores a balance of microflora, however, when you have excessive washing of the vagina or vaginal douching, it tends to disrupt the very healthy balance of microflora in body. That said, it does not mean that you shouldn’t keep proper hygiene(1,2,3,4,6).
If you don’t ensure good hygiene, it could result in overgrowth of microorganisms like bacteria or fungi, something that could again result in infections. Don’t overdo body cleaning, moderate cleaning is a recommended. You want to wash the body after sexual intercourse to avoid getting infections. Also refrain from using unsanitary sex toys and wearing unsanitary undergarments as they could be a source of infectious microbes.
Compromised Immune System
When your immune system cannot fight against microbes and pathogens that cause diseases, it may be regarded as compromised. Your vagina is exposed to microflora, both fungi and bacteria. If the immune systems isn’t functioning properly or it’s weak, you have an increased risk of getting diseases.
Poor Diet
The ability of the immune system to function effectively relies on balanced diet. If you take a balanced diet, it will help build a strong body defense mechanism. Foods that lack essential nutrients and minerals are likely to weaken your immunity and the performance of the various body processes and systems. Microbes may easily attack your body if the immunity is inefficient.
Some people, especially those looking forward to keep their body weight minimal may try skipping meals. This isn’t advisable because, for one, skipping meals does not help lose weight, in the first place. In fact, it can result in gaining more weight. When you skip meals it can increase your likelihood of getting infections like blue waffles disease.
Improper diet could as well bring into changes within the vaginal immune system. Usually, the pH of an individual’s vagina is about 3.5 to 4.5, and diet is one thing that can result in fluctuations of these pH levels. If you do not take a healthy diet, you will disrupt the pH of your vagina and the immune system. Lack of vitamins and minerals as well as consumption of alcohol and lack of sleep are things that could easily weaken your immunity(1).
Unprotected Sex
Because blue waffle disease can be transmitted sexually, if you indulge in unprotected sex, you increase your risk of suffering the condition. If you cannot restrict your sexual life to one partner, you may want to use condoms, they not only protect you from acquiring STDs like gonorrhea and blue waffle disease but also help you prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Another thing that can double your risk of getting this condition is sharing of sex toys.
Changing of Vaginal Cleansers
When you change vaginal cleaners, especially going for new products that the body has been used to, it may result in irritation. Some of the cleansers may even be untested and if you use them, they may increase the risk of having infections like the blue waffles disease.
Oral Sex
People who do oral sex tend to be exposed to diseases because there is no protection. Microbes that cause diseases can easily be transferred from one person to another resulting in an infection. It is important that you refrain the habit of oral sex and consider the normal way of doing sex because you can actually use a condom to protect yourself and your partner.
Stress
The performance of the immune system may be weakened by mental and
physical stress. If your immune system is weak, it subjects you to diseases and other health conditions like blue waffles disease. Disease-causing microbes can easily attack your body if you have much stress.
Symptoms and Signs
An inherent symptom is the blue discoloration of the genital area. The disease starts with itchiness that occurs around the genital area. Soon after, there is change of color that may range from purplish to blue. During the later stages, the changes intensify to rich blue or purple(1,2,3,4,5).
An individual with blue waffles disease will experience severe pain on their vaginal region and those women who have had the disease have said the pain is beyond tolerable. So you can imagine how they have to live with the disease until it’s treated. In fact, the condition may spread to other areas like the anus further complicating the pain.
An individual will have pain during bowel movement and sexual activity. Another symptom is unpleasant odor coming from the vaginal discharge, and other people can even smell the odor.
Other signs and symptoms include:
- Visibly deformed external and internal vaginal tissues
- Noticeable dark brown and red spots within the vaginal folds
- Burning sensation
- Soreness or swelling of the vulva
- Pretty dry skin around the genital area
- Pain during intercourse
- Abdominal pain as well as fullness that occurs because of the swelling in the pelvic region and the vulva
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Infertility
- Limited movement of the hip region as well as the lower extremities
- Foul-smelling substance or discharge containing microbes like bacteria
- Tumor formations in severe cases
- Nausea
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Vomiting
- Depression
- Insomnia
The discoloration of vagina occurs because of the constant bruising of an infected vagina and it shows a severe vaginal infection. The bluish appearance is part of the body complex mechanism of trying to heal the wound where there is break down of the hemoglobin.
The vaginal secretions constantly drain from a woman’s vagina and they tend to be foul with bacteria. The bacteria may spread to other sexual partners. Accumulation of vaginal secretions make the vagina to be itchy and if a woman scratches the areas, it further makes the condition worse.
Due to the infection of the vaginal area, the body stimulates an inflammatory response, which is part of the immune system to fight back microbes. The inflammatory response contributes to the intense pain that will occur even without contact or touch. The nerves around the affected area may also be affected something that leads to the tingling or burning sensation infected persons experience.
Also, the inflammation of the vagina makes the blood vessels in the area to dilate resulting in soreness and swelling of the individual’s vulva. As the blood vessels dilate, there is leakage of fluid right from the blood into the tissue’s interstitial space, and this is what gives rise to the swelling.
Diagnosis
The common way of diagnosing a patient of blue waffles disease is through a physical examination. A doctor will look at the vaginal area and see the kind of discoloration it has. The doctor will also examine the vaginal folds and the bruising or inflammation. A characteristic look of a patient’s vagina can hide the disease, but the doctor may order or conduct other tests:
Pelvic examination
A doctor looks into organs such as the inner vagina and cervix to see if the disease has spread to those areas. Pelvic examination may also indicate if there is swelling and other affectations within the pelvic organs(1).
Smear
A doctor will order for vaginal smears that check for specific microbes causing the infection. The test may help the doctor to determine the right course of treatment to administer to the patients depending on the causative agent or microbes.
Why Is Blue Waffles Disease Common in Women?
Blue waffle disease affects not only women but also men, however, it is more prevalent in women. The reason it tends to be seen in women is because the bacterium or microbes that cause it like inhibiting warm, moist areas like the vagina. The vagina is highly moist and warm providing an ideal place for the microbes to thrive.(4)
The disease can affect other areas like the mouth, but it’s far much seen in women’s vagina. Women contract the disease in different ways and the common one is sexual intercourse. Again, women who don’t adopt healthy, sanitary practices to clean up and shower after having sex, they may get the disease.
Women who use objects like sex toys may also have higher chances of having the disease. Foreign objects such as sex toys may carry the fungi or bacteria that may be transferred directly into their vagina. When women use sex objects like toys and they don’t clean sanitize them properly, the bacteria can live there and the next time they use the object, they transfer the microbes into their body.
Treatment of Blue Waffles Disease
A doctor may choose different forms of treatment to ensure effective treatment of the disease.
Antibiotic therapy
Antibiotics may help patients who have bacterial infection, and the course of treatment will depend on the severity of the condition. Today, blue waffles disease is treated using antibiotics such as penicillin and doxycycline. Because of the drug resistance issue associated with bacteria, patients who take these medications should make sure they complete the whole course.
Antifungal medications
A patient may be give antifungal oral preparations or creams to treat yeast infection. When a vagina is sore, the secretions will likely attract yeast growth and this may contribute to secondary fungal infection.
Wearing loose undergarments
When you wear loose garments, it allows air to circulate in the vaginal area preventing irritation of the vulva. A patient may choose to wear underwears that are made of cotton to ensure efficient absorption of moisture and the secretions.
Perineal hygiene
An individual ought to give the vulva proper cleaning and dryness. The moist environment of the vagina tends to promote the growth of microbes. Proper perineal care requires that you use mild cleansers and feminine washes containing lactic acid so that you step up the normal acidity of a vagina.
Blue Waffles Disease: Myth or Real
One of the most common questions people are asking is, is blue waffles disease real or not. For sure, the disease exists, however, it has not been listed in the medical science and the common reason is because little research exists, if any. The condition is new and has just been in public domain in the last few years, having been first seen in 2007.
While there is little scientific information available regarding blue waffle disease, there are facts that are known as of today. In this session, we look at some of the myths surrounding this disease(6):
It’s only transferred from females to males
Many sexually transmitted diseases are contracted by exposing oneself to the microbes that cause the disease. In this case, blue waffle disease is classed as an STD and for someone to have it, they may contract it by sex.
However, the disease-causing agents can be passed to an individual through mouth when they have oral sex. Another thing is that it’s not just women who carry the microves, men can also transfer them. In fact, men also suffer the disease.
The disease turn the vagina blue
Well, these is blue discoloration on the vulva, however, this does not necessary mean that the color of the vagina changes. What happens is that the bluish color is as a result of the breakdown of hemoglobin as the body tries to heal itself.
Most of the vaginal infections related to STDs cause symptoms like vesicles, lesions and rashes in the genital area. It’s common to see the bluish appearance of the vaginal tissue, but this mainly is because of the breakdown of the hemoglobin. You may have seen the blue hue occurring in body when you have a bruise, that’s the same thing with the bluish or purplish you see with blue waffles disease.
Poor vaginal hygiene causes blue waffles disease
It’s true that having poor vaginal hygiene can increase the risk of contracting a disease. However, this does not necessarily mean that if you don’t observe vaginal hygiene, you will get the disease. One reason why it is recommended you maintain a healthy vaginal hygiene is that when you do excessive cleaning of the vagina something known as douching, it is going to create an imbalance between the bad and good bacteria.
The imbalance of the microflora may mean that bad bacteria is going to outgrow the good bacteria causing increased susceptibility to diseases including increased risk of contracting blue waffles disease.
Reference:
- https://healthsurgical.com/blue-waffles-disease-pictures-men-women-symptoms.html
- https://www.hxbenefit.com/blue-waffles-disease.html
- https://medicalfoster.com/blue-waffles-disease-pictures-women-men-causes/
- http://www.bluewafflespictures.com/blue-waffles-pictures/
- http://www.bluewafflespictures.com/blue-waffles-disease/
- http://www.santamartharescue.org/blue-waffle-disease/