Non - Yeast Vaginal Infections

To be sure you have a vaginal yeast infection and not some other type of vaginal infection today I will review symptoms that characterize some other types of vaginal infections. Let’s begin:

Chlamydia and Gonorrhea
Chlamydia and gonorrhea generate some symptoms that are very similar to yeast infection symptoms. These kind of vaginal infections are normally sexually transmitted and represent some serious danger to reproductive health. Actually, according to some studies those two represent the main cause of female (and male) sterility. Like a yeast infection symptoms an abnormal discharge is characteristic to this type of vaginal infection, also, a burning sensation while urinating is characteristic and abnormal bleeding, as well as irritation of the genital (vulvas) area.

Trichomonas
Trichomonas is the second cause of female sterility after gonorrhea. Like almost every vaginal infection, except atrophic vaginitis (which lack the infection itself), this one cause a vaginal discharge. For Trichomonas it is characteristic a discharge that has a fish-like smell. Also, irritation of the vulvar area is characteristic.

Bacterial Vaginosis
Like most vaginal infections, bacterial vaginosis is characterized by discharge, which will be white, sometimes gray and will have a fish-like smell, just like the Trichonomas. Vulvar irritation, or itching sensation is present, but the difference for other etiology vaginal infections will be the absence of pain during sex. A person suffering of bacterial vaginosis will also experience burning during urination.

Vulvitis
Vulvitis is an inflammation of the vulva. It can be caused by various infection factors, including Candida yeast, but the location is not vaginal. This condition can also be caused by various chemicals, inappropriate underwear, allergic reactions or skin infections. It also can be a result of pubic lice, bacterial infections or gonorrhea.

Atrophic Vaginitis
This kind of vaginitis is not actually an infectious disease; it is caused by a decreased level of sexual hormones, which causes the dryness in the vagina. Insufficient lubrication leads to pain during sexual intercourse and can serve as a background to various vaginal infections, including Candida yeast. The atrophic vaginitis normally occurs in menopausal women.

Vaginal Herpes
Vaginal Herpes is caused by a viral infection. Symptoms of vaginal herpes are quite similar to vaginal yeast infection symptoms. The difference is in the blisters caused by the herpetic virus and the fever that is extremely rare in yeast infections but extremely frequent in herpetic lesions. The danger of vaginal herpes is in weakening the immunity. The telltale symptom of herpetic infection is flue-like symptoms in 24-48 hours after exposure to infection occurs.

Important note: A diagnosis should be however left to the specialist’s discretion, otherwise there is a danger of misdiagnosis and of an improper treatment of yeast infection symptoms as a result.