Know your body
The anatomy and everyday care basics that make every other health conversation easier.
- Vulva anatomyThe vulva is everything on the outside: the mons pubis, outer and inner labia, clitoral hood and glans, the urethral ...
- Vulva vs vaginaThe vulva is everything you can see on the outside: the labia, clitoris, urethral opening and vaginal opening. The va...
- Clitoris anatomyThe visible part of the clitoris, the glans, is only the tip of an organ that extends several inches inside the body....
- Vaginal pHBefore menopause, a healthy vaginal pH is usually between 3.8 and 4.5, which is moderately acidic. Lactobacilli bacte...
- DouchingDouching means rinsing the inside of the vagina with water or a solution. Health bodies including ACOG and the NHS ad...
- Finding a pelvic floor therapistA pelvic floor therapist is a physical therapist (US) or physiotherapist (UK) with extra training in the muscles of t...
Most confusion about intimate health starts with words. If "vagina" is used for everything below the belly button, it gets hard to describe where something hurts, what a symptom looks like, or what a clinician is asking about. This section fixes that first.
What this section covers
- Anatomy. Start with vulva anatomy for a tour of the outside parts, then vulva vs vagina for the difference that matters most at appointments. Clitoris anatomy explains why the visible tip is only a small part of a much larger structure.
- Everyday care. Vaginal pH covers what keeps the vagina acidic, what shifts the balance, and when a change in discharge or smell is worth a test. Douching explains why rinsing inside the vagina tends to cause the problems it is meant to prevent, and what to do instead.
- Getting help. Finding a pelvic floor therapist walks through what these specialists treat, how to find one in the US and UK, and what happens at a first visit.
How to use it
Each article opens with a short answer, then goes into detail with clear headings. Every page ends with a list of signs that mean it is time to see a clinician. If a specific symptom brought you here, the symptoms section is organized by what you feel, such as pain at the vaginal opening or burning after sex.
Nothing here replaces an exam. It is meant to help you understand your body well enough to notice changes early and describe them clearly.