What are the symptoms of vaginal yeast infection and vulvitis?
Vaginal yeast infection (yeast vaginitis) 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 ot 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 (yeast vaginitis) 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.
