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There's safety in numbers, particularly when it comes to dating. That's why a fun, low-pressure first or second date is better with another couple. Extra people in the mix have several benefits. First, awkward conversation lags are kept to a... Read More
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Problems Down There? Answer a Burning Question

If your vagina is on fire, it's time to get some help. No one ever wants to talk to people about vaginal burning, which is why we're going after all the embarassing problems women experience "down there" that cause a burning sensation.

About Vaginal Burning, Irritation and Itching

Women who have never had vaginal problems before tend to worry there's a serious medical condition as soon as they start having symptoms. The good news is that it's usually nothing to worry about, and it can be treated easily with medication.

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Chemical Irritants

The first thing to think about is if you have changed your body soap, toilet paper, laundry detergent or dryer sheets. If you have, then the different chemicals may irritate your vagina. Simply change back to what you were previously using or opt for products that cater to sensitive skin.


Frequent Sex or Rough Sex

Women who have frequent or rough sex have a greater risk of suffering from vaginal irritation and burning. Sex causes friction, and this can tear vaginal tissue, even if you use lubrication.

While it can be difficult to see the cuts on your vagina, you might notice your nether regions are red and irritated.

The best treatment for this is to avoid sex for a few days until your vagina has healed. To prevent it from happening, avoid frequent or rough sex.

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Bacterial Vaginosis

A bacterial infection, also known as bacterial vaginosis, can cause burning in the vagina. With this type of infection, bad bacteria from various sources grow in the vagina. While symptoms vary with bacterial vaginosis, most women experience discharge and a fishy odor along with burning and irritation.


To treat the infection, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. Medication typically rids your body of the infection and stops the burning within a few days.

Yeast Infection

A yeast infection, or vaginal candidiasis, is one of the most common reasons why women experience irritation. In fact, 3 out of 4 women will have a yeast infection in their lives.

When a woman has a yeast infection, she has yeast, or candida, excessively growing in her vagina or vulva. Most women will have a thick, white discharge, plus burning and itching when they have this type of infection.

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To treat a yeast infection, doctors typically prescribe an antifungal medication. Some women receive oral medication, while others receive creams, suppositories or ointments to use in and on the vagina. Your history of yeast infections and the intensity of your symptoms will determine your specific treatment regimen.


Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)

This is what many women worry about when they feel their vaginas burning. Luckily, there's a greater chance of having a bacterial or yeast infection than an STD, especially if you've had protected sex.

If you haven't had protected sex, you may have contracted an STD. Some of the most common ones that include a burning sensation as a symptom include chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, trichomoniasis and gonorrhea.

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To treat an STD, a doctor will normally prescribe an antibiotic and request you come in for a follow-up appointment to make sure you no longer experience symptoms. It's important to treat an STD as soon as possible because it can cause internal problems if left untreated.

Lichen Sclerosus

While this condition is rare and occurs mainly in postmenopausal women, some younger women do suffer from it. You can tell if it is lichen sclerosis by using a mirror to inspect your vagina.


If you see white patches on the vagina and vulva, you most likely have the condition and should contact your doctor for treatment. Many doctors prescribe a steroid cream for this condition, as it reduces the inflammation associated with the condition.

Vulvodynia

One of the most misunderstood vaginal conditions is vulvodynia. The medical community is baffled by this condition and can't explain why it happens. They suspect that many women have a genetic predisposition for it. Immune deficiencies, hormones, nerve connection abnormalities, oxalates in urine and chronic inflammation are other considerations for possible causes.

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Most sufferers feel pain at the opening of the vagina and the bottom of the vulva.

If you feel you may have this condition, seek medical attention. Your doctor can use a cotton swab to test for it by swabbing the site of the pain or burning.


Because not a whole lot is known about this condition, there are many options for treatment. Some women spend weeks or months searching for relief. The least invasive treatment is changing your diet to one that is low in oxalates. High oxalate levels in urine sometimes can cause vaginal irritation.

Some physicians also recommend taking a calcium citrate supplement of 1,500 milligrams. Some women respond well to tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants because they reduce vaginal irritation.

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Others do better with steroid injections, which paralyze the nerves and relieve the pain. Surgery is the last resort and involves removing the painful part of the vulva.

Speaking to Your Doctor about Vaginal Burning

While it may not be easy to speak to your doctor about your vaginal issues, it's imperative you address your concerns if you don't believe they are from frequent or rough sex or a chemical irritation. The longer you wait, the worse the condition can become, and that means more pain.


To make your discussion with your doctor easier, write a list of all your symptoms. When your doctor asks you what you've been experiencing, you can simply take out your list and read from it. This way, your anxiety won't get in the way of remembering all of the issues you are having.

It's likely your doctor will ask you questions about your sexual activities in the past few months. To avoid the embarrassment of having to answer these questions, give him the information as part of your symptoms. You can simply say, "I have not had any unprotected sex." or "I have had unprotected sex, and I fear I may have a STD because of the symptoms I've just listed."

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Always remember to report your history of any other vaginal problems. This can help the doctor diagnose you more easily and quickly.


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Irritating Guy Habits Explained

Boys will be boys.

Unfortunately, that can add up to one big headache for many women. Even the best guys have their flaws and habits that drive us up the wall; however, most man-mistakes aren't made purely to piss you off. We decode some of guys most mystifying and irritating behaviors.

Saying "I don't care" or "Whatever you think" every time you ask him for an opinion or decision.

Does your man go mute when you ask him how you look or get the deer in the headlights stare every time you talk about marriage? Don't write him off as uninterested or insensitive just yet. When guys aren't sure what you want they're afraid to say the wrong thing and would rather clam up than start a fight. The more comfortable you make him with sharing his thoughts and feelings, the more he will.

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It's also important to communicate clearly to him your needs and wants so that he can understand your feelings. By relating to where you are coming from, he will be better able to engage in a dialogue. If you have been dating for several months and he still doesn't speak up when you prompt him, you need to have a discussion about what's going on.



Not saying "I'm sorry."

After a big blowout when you can cut the tension with a knife, you might be thinking "this could all be over if he would just apologize" - but he doesn't budge. Even in the most PC times, many men have a hard time letting a woman get the last word. Most guys grew up in households seeing their fathers, grandfathers, and other men never apologize to the women in their lives. You can either suck it up and learn to accept his lack of progress or calmly explain to him that you are both equals in this relationship and that saying sorry doesn't emasculate him in any way.

He always wants sex at the worst times.

Men typically think of sex as a cure-all for any situation even an emotional one. They assume you will feel the same way. Just got laid off? Sex will take your mind of that. Having a fight with your best friend? Let's have sex to blow off that steam. It may seem like he's acting selfish, but he is only trying to help you the way he knows how. You can let him down gently and promise him a night of passion once your mood has passed or you can give it a chance to see if it actually works.

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He acts distant or mean to you when his friends are around.

When you spend time alone together your man may seem like the sweetest in the world, but when it comes to hanging with his crew he might act like he barely knows you. This typically goes back to the male-ego problem. Having his friends see him stroking your hair, holding your purse while you go to the bathroom, or blowing you a kiss from across the bar can totally blow his manly street cred. Either play it cool or skip the group hangouts altogether.


He remembers the score of a basketball game three years ago but can't remember anything you talked about yesterday.

A man's relationship with sports probably started long before he met you. Guys have been watching and talking about sports for a long time whereas being in a relationship may be relatively new to them. In addition to a long-term relationship with sports, many men mark certain times in their lives as they coincide with sports events like the Super Bowl or World Series.

He always gets defensive when you say something negative about his mother.

As the first woman in their lives, moms will always hold a special place in a man's heart. Even if she's acting terribly, it will be hard for him to hear you talk badly about the woman who raised him. Your best bet is to grin and bare it and if you must broach the "mom" subject do so very, very carefully and gracefully.

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He acts like he doesn't like your friends.

Your man might come off cold or uninterested when meeting your gal pals but that's because he may not be able to keep them all straight. Guys tend to have a long-standing solid group of a few friends, whereas women probably have lots of separate social groups like college friends, co-workers, family friends, etc. He may not understand your level of commitment to each group so he isn't sure how friendly or invested he should get.


When you ignore him, he calls all the time but when you act interested he suddenly wants nothing to do with you.

This can be one of the most frustrating issues a woman can experience when dealing with a man and it can make you feel downright crazy, but there is a reason why. When you are not paying attention to a guy by doing your own thing and living your life you come off as confident but the minute you offer a man your attention his brain switches to a mode that makes him feel trapped.

This can be blamed on biology as men have innate need to show or signal to others that he is still available to procreate at a moment's notice. Some guys are better at controlling this than others and if you can't seem to get him to settle down after a few tries - move on. {relatedarticles}

So the next time you're grumbling and cursing him under your breath asking "WHY does he do that?!" you can turn to this guide to figure it out. Remember that just like you aren't perfect - neither is he. Rather than ignoring it, hoping he will change on his own, the best to way to tackle these issues is to keep an open mind and line of communication.


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The Kissing Game: 7 Techniques to Drive Him Wild

Seven seems to be a prominent number. There are the 7 days of the week, the 7 wonders of the world and of course the 7 deadly sins. However, did you know that there are also the 7 sinful kissing techniques based upon the 7 deadly sins? In ancient times, a sin was considered a serious moral offense and the seven deadly sins were seen as the gravest ones.

First enumerated by Pope Gregory (the Great) and elaborated in the 13th century by Thomas Aquinas, the 7 deadly sins were identified as (1) vainglory, or pride, (2) lust, or inordinate or illicit sexual desire, (3) greed, or covetousness, (4) envy, (5) gluttony, which is usually understood to include drunkenness, (6) wrath, or anger, and (7) sloth.

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Today, the word sinful has taken on a less sinister meaning and is more often associated with a giving in to a secret pleasure. For example, we refer to chocolate as sinful decadence and we call a good back massage a sinful indulgence.

Likewise, these 7 sinful kissing techniques are meant to playfully appeal to his most basic desires and drive him back into the wild. So if you want a little adventure, pump up your pucker and share these enticing kisses with your special someone.


1. The Prideful Kiss

Pride is a feeling of pleasure from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is associated, or from qualities or possession. It was frowned upon because it was taking away credit away from a higher being- the true source for one's good fortune. Today we try to promote self-esteem because it builds confidence.

When your sweetheart is full of pride, his self-confidence will grow, and his chin will jut out. To give your man a boost of self-confidence and pride, start by firmly kissing the bottom of his jaw line right where his face meets his neck. When he raises his chin, make a path of jawline kisses up to his ear and then give his earlobe a big wet kiss. You will both be feeling prideful at that moment.

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2. The Lustful Kiss

This one is probably self-explanatory. But for sake of consistency, here is a brief explanation of why lust was considered a deadly sin by the ancients. Lust was viewed as impure love that was not sustainable. But who says that you can't lust after the one you love.

Of course, you can and it all begins with a kiss. The best lustful kiss is still the good old French kiss- an open mouth kiss where your tongues do most of the lusting.


3. The Greedy Kiss

Greed is defined as excessively desirous of acquiring or possessing, especially wishing to possess more than what one needs or deserves. Greed is bad because you are hoarding something that someone needs to survive. But in today's world, there is nothing wrong with wanting your fellow to be excessively desirous of you and wanting you all to himself.

For the greedy kiss, you are going to give him a kiss that will keep him coming back for more. The greedy kiss is the French kiss with something extra. While you are French kissing, try to spell out the word "More" on his tongue to convey your own greedy desire for him.

4. The Envious Kiss

Envy was seen as sinful because it meant you didn't appreciate what you had and you might do something illegal to obtain it. Today, the sin of envy has been replaced by ambition, which is motivated by wanting a better life for you and your family. There is nothing wrong with ambition if you are honest and work hard to achieve what you desire.

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Contrary to what you might think, the envious kiss is not to make your guy envious seeing you kiss someone else. That would be truly sinful. The envious kiss is to make other men envious of your love and wishing they were getting that kind of attention from their wives or girlfriends.

For the envious kiss, pick a public place and grab him passionately, throwing your body fully into his. Pretend that you have not seen your honey for ages and plant a passionate kiss that will leave him and everyone breathless watching.


5. The Gluttonous Kiss

Gluttony is the excessive gorging of food and drink. Gluttony was seen as a sin and a weakness because if you become intoxicated you are much more likely to give in to other sins, such as lust, envy and anger. In our water-down version of gluttony, the intent is to make your lover hungry for you by giving him something to wet his appetite.

Start by selecting a favorite food or beverage to place in your mouth for this appetizing kiss. Ironically, a Hershey's kiss works well in executing this sinful kissing technique. Let the morsel of the chocolate melt in your mouth and then kiss your sweetheart for a doubly rich surprise.

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6. The Angry Kiss

Anger is the antithesis to love and was seen as a deadly sin because it could literally lead to deadly consequences. For our modified angry kiss, we are not suggesting anything so sinister or painful. Instead, the angry kiss is more akin to an aggressive-styled kiss to release pent up feelings similar to the way that anger is the release of pent up frustration.

For the angry kiss, sneak up on your partner like a wild animal, let out a few playful growls, and then attack him with a rapid round of fiery kisses.


7. The Lazy Kiss

Sloth is the sin of laziness or the reluctance to do work. It was considered a sin because lazy people who sit around all day simply couldn't be up to any good. In the modern world, everyone needs a least one lazy day to recuperate from their hectic lives.

For the lazy kiss, pick a Sunday or Saturday or whatever day the both of you are off. After a leisurely breakfast in bed, give him a kiss that lasts at least 5 minutes longer than normal. In other words, the trick is to make him feel that you have all the time in the world just for him.

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After a week of experiencing these sinfully sweet and sizzling kisses, your sweetheart may be begin calling you the 8th Wonder of the World.


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