Patient's question:
Candidal vulvovaginitis, does it also cause vaginal bleeding, what should I do, will it affect the baby? / Thank you.Doctor's answer:
Hello: This disease is caused by Candida albicans, a fungus that exists on the surface of the human body and in body cavities, such as the mouth, rectum, and vagina. Under normal circumstances, the presence of this fungus in the vagina does not cause illness; it only becomes problematic when it multiplies excessively. Symptoms include itching of the external genitalia, occasional burning sensation in the vagina, and a curd-like discharge. Candidal vaginitis can be treated with either pure Western medicine or a combination of Chinese and Western medicine:1) General Treatment
- Actively treat other conditions that may cause candidal vaginitis and eliminate predisposing factors.
- Maintain clean and dry external genitalia, avoiding scratching.
- Abstain from sexual activity during treatment.
- Avoid spicy or irritating foods.
2) Altering Vaginal pH
- The optimal pH for Candida growth is 5.5. Using alkaline solutions to rinse the external genitalia and vagina can help inhibit fungal growth by altering the vaginal pH.
- A 2–4% baking soda solution can be used to rinse the vagina once or twice daily, with 2 weeks constituting one course of treatment.
- After rinsing, dry the external genitalia to maintain dryness and further suppress Candida growth.
3) Vaginal Suppositories
- Imidazole-based suppositories are highly effective for treating candidal vaginitis.
- Clotrimazole suppositories: Insert one nightly after rinsing, with 10–14 days as one course of treatment.
- Daktarin (clotrimazole) suppositories: Insert one nightly after rinsing, with 7 days as one course of treatment.
4) Topical Creams
- Clotrimazole cream or Daktarin cream applied externally can treat external genital inflammation caused by Candida infection and alleviate itching and pain.
- Apply externally several times daily for 2 weeks.