Yeast Vaginitis (cont.)
What are the symptoms of vaginal yeast infection and vulvitis?
Vaginal yeast infection and vulvitis cause symptoms that are
nonspecific, which means that aside from the yeast infection, other conditions
can cause the identical symptoms. The most common symptom of a vaginal yeast infection is
itching in the vaginal
and/or vulvar area. Other
symptoms of vaginal yeast infection and vulvitis include:
- burning,
- soreness,
-
pain during intercourse
and/or urination, and
- vaginal discharge.
(Vaginal discharge is not always present, but when it occurs, the
discharge is odorless and typically has a whitish, thick appearance and texture,
like cottage cheese.)
Vulvitis can also cause local pain in addition to the above symptoms. Pain in
the vulvar area is referred to as vulvodynia.
In up to 5% of women, yeast vulvovaginitis may cause a
recurrent problem. A recurrent yeast infection occurs when a woman has four or
more infections in one year that are not related to antibiotic use. Recurrent
yeast infections may be related to an underlying medical condition and may
require more aggressive
treatment.
How are vaginal yeast infections and vulvitis diagnosed?
Vaginal yeast infection is suggested when a cheesy white
discharge is noted over the walls of the vagina, but the symptoms of vaginal yeast infection are nonspecific and may be a result of other conditions. To firmly
establish the diagnosis and to rule out any other causes of the symptoms, your
doctor may take a specimen scraped from the affected area for microscopic
analysis or for culture in the laboratory. Identification of yeast under a
microscope, when possible, is the
least expensive and most rapid and accurate way to establish the diagnosis.
Next: What is the treatment for vaginal yeast infection and vulvitis? »
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