Overview of The Six Types of Vaginitis
By Jacqueline Harris

Candida or "Yeast" Vaginitis

This vaginal infection usually occurs in women of reproductive age. Symptoms may be a itching in the vulvar area that may even be described as a burning. There may be a discharge that resembles cheese of a white or white-yellow color. There may be a swelling and/or redness of the perineum. There is usually no odor with the discharge. Symptoms usually increase within 1 to 3 days. It is very uncommon to find this type of infection in women who are younger than reproductive age or women who have started menopause (when they are not taking estrogen). Women who wear pantyhose are more likely to experience these types of vaginal infections. A woman can also lack one or more of these symptoms and still have the infection.

This type of vaginal infection can go away eventually, but will always need treatment to reduce the amount of yeast present. Itching and the resultant rubbing can cause the tissue of the vulvar to be irritated and worn down, thus making it imperative to receive treatment.

The drug of choice to treat this infection is miconazole nitrate (Monistat®) or Butoconazole (Femstat®), which is administered intravaginally for a period of 3 days. Terconazole is a commonly used prescription therapy if over-the-counter therapy does not work. Tea tree oil of 0.5% to 2% has also been shown to be effective in treating these infections.

[1] [2] [3]