Other types of vaginitis include:
- Cervicitis
- Sexually transmitted diseases including genital herpes, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.
- Atrophic vaginitis, often found in breastfeeding and menopausal women because of low estrogen levels
- Vulvar vestibulitis
- Lichen simplex chronicus
- Lichen sclerosis
- Allergic reactions to items used vaginally including spermicides and feminine hygiene sprays
- Forgetting to remove a tampon or other foreign body from the vagina[/ul]
Diagnosis of Vaginitis
Diagnosis of vaginitis begins with a visual inspection of any vaginal discharge, the vagina, and the cervix. Your doctor collects a sample of your vaginal discharge for microscopic evaluation. The color, viscosity(consistency), and the presence or absence of odor helps your doctor determine the type of vaginitis you may have.A visual inspection of your cervix helps to rule out cervicitis as the cause of your vaginal discharge. When the three common causes of vaginitis are not present, your doctor will consider other causes including hypersensitivity, irritant, and allergic vulvovaginitis, as well as physiologic leukorrhea.
Other diagnostic tools your doctor may utilize include a DNA probe, vaginal pH testing, and in some cases, vaginal cultures.
What Are the Treatments For Vaginitis
As you may guess, due to the large number of possible causes for vaginitis, the treatment for vaginitis depends on the cause. Treatments range from a number of different drugs to estrogen applied vaginally for vaginal dryness or atrophy.You can help reduce your risk of vaginitis by following the tips, on the next page of this article, to prevent vaginal infections, as well as by practicing safe sex unless you are in a long-term monogamous relationship. Anytime you experience unusual vaginal symptoms such as vaginal discharge, vaginal odor, vaginal itchiness, or vaginal dryness, contact your physician for diagnosis and treatment.
Source:
Self-Study STD Module - Vaginitis. CDC. http://www2a.cdc.gov/stdtraining/self-study/vaginitis/vaginitis1.asp. Accessed 09/24/09.
