Misdiagnosed of Vaginal Yeast
According to a St. Louis University researcher who recently studied the common complaint, women who think they have a vaginal yeast infection are usually wrong,And, they may do more harm than good if they treat themselves, says Susan Hoffstetter, an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and women’s health.
“Everything that itches isn’t a yeast infection,” says Hoffstetter, who co-directs the SLUCare Vulvar and Vaginal Diseases Clinic, which specializes in treating pain, discharges and skin problems around the vaginal area.
“(Yet) people keep treating themselves. They buy over-the-counter medicines for yeast infections or they call the doctor to get a prescription for medicine over and over again.”
Vaginal yeast infections are common, she says. Three out of four women will have at least one episode sometime during their life. Symptoms include pain or discomfort during sex; burning, redness and swelling of the vaginal area; a thick, white cottage-cheeselike discharge that doesn’t smell bad; and pain during urination.
Yet in her study, Hoffstetter found that in nearly three out of every four cases, women were treating themselves or calling a doctor for a medicine to treat a condition they didn’t have. That, she said, could lead to trouble.
“If you treat yourself and it never goes away, you shouldn’t continue to treat yourself,” she said. “You’re making a situation worse, and you can get into cyclic episodes where you think you have a yeast infection all of the time.”
In her study, Hoffstetter analyzed the records of more than 150 new patients who came to her clinic. All of the women thought they had yeast infections, yet only 26 percent did.
“Their symptoms didn’t correlate with the clinical evidence of a yeast infection, she said.
The women reported itching and a vaginal discharge, but in many cases those can indicate inflammation, dry skin tisssues or even a sexually transmitted disease. These problems require a different treatment than the anti-fungal medication given to those with yeast infections.
Her advice: Call a health professional for a pelvic exam to detect swelling and unhealthy discharge. A specimen also may be taken to determine whether yeast is the real culprit.
“Women shouldn’t just run to the drugstore if they think they have a yeast infection,” Hoffstetter said. “The optimal thing would be to be evaluated.”
Hoffstetter’s findings were presented during an education session hosted by the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease, which recently inducted her as a Fellow.
Source: BND
