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Vaginitis
Vulvovaginitis; Vaginal Infection; Vaginal Inflammation
Vaginitis, or vulvovaginitis, is an inflammation or infection of the vagina. It can cause itching, pain, discharge, and odor. Learn about causes, treatment, and tips for prevention.
Vaginitis
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Vaginal Canal Close-Up
Image by TheVisualMD
Vaginitis is an inflammation or infection of the vagina that can cause itching, burning, pain, discharge, and bad odor. Vaginal symptoms are a common reason women seek medical care. There are many types of vaginitis, each with its own cause, symptoms, and treatment. Pregnant women with some types of vaginitis may be at higher risk of preterm birth.
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Anatomy of the Vagina
Image by TheVisualMD
Vaginitis, also called vulvovaginitis, is an inflammation or infection of the vagina. It can also affect the vulva, which is the external part of a woman's genitals. Vaginitis can cause itching, pain, discharge, and odor.
Vaginitis is common, especially in women in their reproductive years. It usually happens when there is a change in the balance of bacteria or yeast that are normally found in your vagina. There are different types of vaginitis, and they have different causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in women ages 15-44. It happens when there is an imbalance between the "good" and "harmful" bacteria that are normally found in a woman's vagina. Many things can change the balance of bacteria, including
Yeast infections (candidiasis) happen when too much candida grows in the vagina. Candida is the scientific name for yeast. It is a fungus that lives almost everywhere, including in your body. You may have too much growing in the vagina because of
Trichomoniasis can also cause vaginitis. Trichomoniasis is a common sexually transmitted disease. It is caused by a parasite.
You can also have vaginitis if you are allergic or sensitive to certain products that you use. Examples include vaginal sprays, douches, spermicides, soaps, detergents, or fabric softeners. They can cause burning, itching, and discharge.
Hormonal changes can also cause vaginal irritation. Examples are when you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or when you have gone through menopause.
Sometimes you can have more than one cause of vaginitis at the same time.
The symptoms of vaginitis depend on which type you have.
With BV, you may not have symptoms. You could have a thin white or gray vaginal discharge. There may be an odor, such as a strong fish-like odor, especially after sex.
Yeast infections produce a thick, white discharge from the vagina that can look like cottage cheese. The discharge can be watery and often has no smell. Yeast infections usually cause the vagina and vulva to become itchy and red.
You may not have symptoms when you have trichomoniasis. If you do have them, they include itching, burning, and soreness of the vagina and vulva. You may have burning during urination. You could also have gray-green discharge, which may smell bad.
To find out the cause of your symptoms, your health care provider may
In some cases, you may need more tests.
The treatment depends on which type of vaginitis you have.
BV is treatable with antibiotics. You may get pills to swallow, or cream or gel that you put in your vagina. During treatment, you should use a condom during sex or not have sex at all.
Yeast infections are usually treated with a cream or with medicine that you put inside your vagina. You can buy over-the-counter treatments for yeast infections, but you need to be sure that you do have a yeast infection and not another type of vaginitis. See your health care provider if this is the first time you have had symptoms. Even if you have had yeast infections before, it is a good idea to call your health care provider before using an over-the-counter treatment.
The treatment for trichomoniasis is usually a single-dose antibiotic. Both you and your partner(s) should be treated, to prevent spreading the infection to others and to keep from getting it again.
If your vaginitis is due to an allergy or sensitivity to a product, you need to figure out which product is causing the problem. It could be a product that you started using recently. Once you figure it out, you should stop using the product.
If the cause of your vaginitis is a hormonal change, your health care provider may give you estrogen cream to help with your symptoms.
It is important to treat BV and trichomoniasis, because having either of them can increase your risk for getting HIV or another sexually transmitted disease. If you are pregnant, BV or trichomoniasis can increase your risk for preterm labor and preterm birth.
To help prevent vaginitis
Source: MedlinePlus
Trichomoniasis
Image by CDC / ID 5241
Vaginitis (pronounced vaj-uh-NAHY-tis) is an inflammation or infection of the vagina that can cause itching, burning, pain, discharge, or bad odor. The vagina is the tubelike passage that connects the opening of the womb to the outside of a woman's body. It is sometimes called the "birth canal." There are a several types of vaginitis, each with its own causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Vaginitis is different from vulvodynia (pronounced vuhl-voh-DIN-ee-uh), which describes chronic pain or discomfort of the vulva, the area outside the vagina. Whereas vulvodynia affects only the vulva, vaginitis affects the vagina and can also cause itching, burning, and pain on the vulva.
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Vaginal discharge
Image by VeeBabzel
Vaginal discharge is a fluid—usually white or clear—that comes out of the vagina. Most females have vaginal discharge. The amount and consistency of vaginal discharge changes at different points in a female’s cycle. Increased vaginal discharge can be caused by normal menstrual cycle changes, vaginal infection, or cancer (rare). Unusual vaginal discharge can also be a symptom of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection of a female’s reproductive organs often caused by some sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If a female has more than her usual amount of vaginal discharge, she may need to see her healthcare provider.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Candida auris fungal organisms
Image by CDC/ Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit; Photo credit: Medical Illustrator: Stephanie Rossow
Vaginitis is often caused by infections. Some vaginal infections are passed through sexual contact. Some infections occur if there is a change in the balance of organisms normally found in the vagina.
For a majority of affected women, vaginitis is caused by one of these types of infection:
Vaginitis has other causes, too. For instance, some women are sensitive or allergic to vaginal sprays, douches, spermicides, soaps, detergents, and fabric softeners. These products can cause burning, itching, and discharge, even if there is no infection. Women also can have vaginal irritation caused by the natural lessening in estrogen levels during breast-feeding and after menopause.
A woman may have more than one cause of vaginitis at the same time.
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Female urinary system - Pain when urinating
Image by TheVisualMD
Symptoms depend on the type of vaginitis a woman has:
Bacterial vaginosis often causes a thin, milky discharge from the vagina that may have a "fishy" odor. It may also cause itching. Most women have no symptoms and only find out they have it during a routine gynecologic exam.
Yeast infections produce a thick, white discharge from the vagina that can look like cottage cheese. The discharge can be watery and often has no smell. Yeast infections usually cause the vagina and vulva to become itchy and red.
Trichomoniasis can cause itching, burning, and soreness of the vagina and vulva, as well as burning during urination. Some women have a "frothy" gray-green discharge, which may smell bad. Many women have no symptoms.
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Bacterial vaginosis workup
Image by Mikael Häggström
To find out the cause of a woman's symptoms, her health care provider will
Other lab tests are also sometimes used to diagnose vaginitis.
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Gardnerella Vaginalis Test
Also called: G. vaginalis
Gardnerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis) in a sample of vaginal fluid. This bacterium can be found in healthy women, but when it overgrows it causes an infection known as bacterial vaginosis (BV).
Trichomoniasis Test
Also called: Trichomonas vaginalis, T.vaginalis, Trich, Trichomonas Testing
Trichomoniasis (trich) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a parasite. This test looks for trichomoniasis parasites in your body. Trichomoniasis is rarely serious, but can put you at higher risk for other STDs. The disease can be cured with medicine.
Yeast Infection Test
Also called: Yeast Only Culture, Candida, Yeast Infection Tests
A yeast test is used to diagnose and detect yeast infections. Yeast is a type of fungus that can live on the skin, mouth, digestive tract, and genitals. Some yeast in the body is normal, but if there is an overgrowth of yeast on your skin or other areas, it can cause an infection.
Administering medication vaginally without an applicator / intravaginal administration
Image by British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
The treatment needed depends on the type of vaginitis a woman has. Some women try to treat symptoms on their own rather than see a doctor, but an exam and lab tests are needed to learn the specific type of vaginitis.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is treated with an antibiotic that gets rid of the harmful bacteria and leaves the good bacteria. Women need a prescription for this medicine. There is no over-the-counter treatment for BV. Treatment is recommended for women with symptoms. During treatment, women should either not have sex or use a condom during sex.
Yeast infections are usually treated with a topical cream or with medicine that is placed inside the vagina. A health care provider can write a prescription for most yeast infection treatments. Although yeast infection treatments can be purchased over the counter, women should see a health care provider to confirm the cause of vaginal symptoms. Medicines used to treat yeast infection will not cure other types of vaginitis.
Trichomoniasis and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) need to be treated right away. Trichomoniasis is usually treated with a single-dose antibiotic medicine. Both a woman and her partner(s) need to be treated to prevent spreading the infection to others and to keep from getting it again. Some other STIs that cause vaginal discomfort cannot be cured, but their symptoms can be controlled with treatment.
Vaginitis caused by allergy or sensitivity can be treated by not using the product that causes symptoms. A woman's health care provider may also give her a medicated cream to relieve symptoms until the reaction goes away.
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Female Reproductive Organ with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Image by TheVisualMD
Without treatment, symptoms of vaginitis can worsen. Some types of vaginitis can increase a woman's risk of other health problems.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) increases a woman's risk of getting other sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, if she is exposed to the pathogens that cause them. BV also is associated with pelvic inflammatory disease, a serious disease that can harm a woman's reproductive organs and cause infertility. Having BV increases a woman's risk of preterm labor and preterm birth. Women who have it also are more likely to get an infection after having surgery such as an abortion or hysterectomy.
Trichomoniasis increases a woman's risk of getting or spreading other sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. Trichomoniasis also may cause preterm labor or preterm birth.
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Pregnancy and Bacteria
Image by TheVisualMD
Some types of vaginitis can cause problems during pregnancy.
Pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis (BV) are more likely to go into labor and give birth too early (preterm). Preterm infants may face a number of health challenges, including low birth weight and breathing problems. However, treating BV in women who are pregnant has not been consistently found to reduce rates of preterm birth. For this reason, most pregnant women without symptoms are not screened for BV. Evidence does not support routine screening for BV in asymptomatic pregnant women at high risk for preterm delivery. NICHD scientists are trying to clarify the link between BV and pregnancy problems to help prevent them.
Sexually transmitted types of vaginitis can be very harmful to a pregnant woman and her unborn child. Trichomoniasis can cause preterm labor and preterm birth. Some sexually transmitted infections can be passed from a mother to her infant before, during, or after birth. A pregnant woman should tell her doctor about symptoms of vaginitis. She also should get routine prenatal care, including screening tests for sexually transmitted infections.
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Female Pelvis Showing Condom within Vagina
Image by TheVisualMD
These steps can help prevent vaginitis:
Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
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