Non-STD Vaginal Infections
Women can be afflicted with a couple of common infections that are not transmitted sexually. These include vaginal yeast infection, which is caused by a fungus, and bacterial vaginosis (BV), which is caused by overgrowth of certain vaginal bacteria.
Although these infections do not cause serious health problems, they are nevertheless bothersome because of the symptoms they cause. Vaginal itching, vaginal irritation, vaginal discharge, and sometimes a bad odor are the common symptoms of a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis.
In most cases, a vaginal yeast infection or a bacterial vaginosis is easily treated with a simple course of anti-fungal or antibiotic. Sometimes, getting rid of these infections can be more challenging, and may require multiple courses and more prolonged treatment.
If a patient suffers vaginitis symptoms (vaginal itching, vaginal irritation, vaginal discharge, or bad vaginal smell), we can test for yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis through a simple vaginal swab exam, and treat if the results are positive.