Women's Health

  Don't worry, they are treatable. There’s no question that vaginal pain sucks—it makes your life more complicated than it has to be (think: having sex, going to the bathroom) and instantly sends you into a panic spiral, wondering,  Why does my vagina hurt? TBH, the potential reason behind your discomfort runs the gamut, from something as simple as a yeast infection or STI to endometriosis. The first step to finding out exactly what is bothering you is to pinpoint where that pain is coming from. "Some women describe the area down below as their vagina," explains Melissa A. Simon, MD, the George H. Gardner professor of clinical gynecology at Northwestern University. In reality, you could be feeling it in your vulva, uterus, or pelvic or abdominal region. Depending on the location, you could be experiencing a different condition. But what if you’re not sure where your discomfort is coming from? "Keep a pain journal, so you can better characterize the pain to your healt...