Vaginal Infections
Vaginitis is the term for a vaginal infection. It is important to know a normal from an abnormal vaginal discharge. Normal discharge will have skin cells, fluid, mucus and a healthy dose of bacteria. It is controlled by your hormonal cycles prior to menopause, and is affected by a great many things including diet, hydration, skin conditions and medications.
I. Types of infection
a. Yeast
b. Chronic
Yeast
c. Bacterial
Vaginosis
II.
When to get Checked: if you have any of the following symptoms
a. Itching
of the vulva, vaginal opening, or labia
b. Redness,
burning, soreness, or
c. Actual
sore
d. Swelling
of the vulvar skin
e. Foamy
or greenish-yellow discharge
f. Bad
odor Blood-tinged vaginal discharge
g. Pain
with intercourse or urination
h. Abdominal
or pelvic pain
i. Fever
or any systemic symptoms
j. Exposure
to infection
k. Symptoms after antibiotics: about a third of women will have infections after they have taken a round of antibiotics
k. Symptoms after antibiotics: about a third of women will have infections after they have taken a round of antibiotics
III.
Diagnosis is really not best made by the look alone, here are some things your physician might want to do to confirm or make an accurate diagnosis
a. Cultures: But be careful of the interpretation, up to half of all healthy women will have yeast in their vagina without having an actual infection!
b. pH
test
c. Whift
test
d. Slide
test
e. Other
testing like ultrasounds and blood testing for infections can be helpful in difficult cases. In this section we will cover some common questions and concerns regarding these infections
What are the little red spots that I have in the vaginal area?
Should you self treat or get vaginal infections treated over the phone?
As a general rule, self diagnosis is convenient, but not particularly accurate, and a menopausal woman should never get treated over the phone as we do not want to miss a cancer or a precancerous condition that may only be presenting as a discharge or discomfort.
How to wash the vaginal area, is soap necessary?
It is not necessary to wash the vaginal area with soap too frequently. This can be a common source of vaginal irritation and discomfort.
