Patient's question:
I am a female, 23 years old, single, and have never had sexual experience. However, my lower genital area has been itchy. Initially, it was only the left external genitalia, but recently, the inner genitalia and vagina have also started to itch, and the symptoms have become increasingly severe. I had a check-up at the hospital a few months ago, and the doctor simply diagnosed it as simple vulvitis and prescribed some anti-inflammatory medication and a wash solution. After using them, the itching slightly subsided (due to the constant itching, I scratched my external genitalia, and the doctor prescribed an ulcer treatment cream). There haven’t been any ulcers since, but the itching and odor have not improved. Later, I never went back to the hospital for further examination. My itchy condition has already...Doctor's answer:
Hello: It may be candidal vulvovaginitis, which can be diagnosed through a vaginal discharge test. The most common symptoms of candidal vulvovaginitis are external genital itching and a significant increase in vaginal discharge. The itching symptoms of patients may vary in intensity and frequency. The itching caused by candidal vulvovaginitis is generally more pronounced than that caused by trichomoniasis. Severe itching can make the patient restless and unable to sleep or eat properly. Patients may also experience a burning sensation in the vagina, which is particularly noticeable during urination. In more severe cases, symptoms such as frequent urination, painful urination, and dyspareunia may occur. An increased amount of vaginal discharge is another main symptom of this condition. The discharge is usually thick and may be white or yellow, or it may be thin. The typical discharge of candidal vulvovaginitis is curd-like or creamy in consistency. During a gynecological examination, the following may be observed: depending on the severity of the condition, the labia minora and vaginal mucosa may show varying degrees of congestion and edema of the labia minora. The vagina may contain a significant amount of thick white discharge, or the vaginal mucosa may be covered with a white membrane. If the membrane is removed, the exposed mucosa may appear red, swollen, eroded, or have superficial ulcers.