Patient's question:
What are the symptoms of candidal vaginitis and bacterial vaginitis? What are the differences in the symptoms they exhibit?Doctor's answer:
Hello: The most common symptoms of candidal vulvovaginitis are external genital itching and a significant increase in vaginal discharge. The itching in patients can vary in intensity, occurring intermittently. The itching caused by candidal vulvovaginitis is generally more pronounced than that caused by trichomoniasis. Severe itching can make it difficult for patients to sit or lie down, disrupting their sleep and appetite. 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 primary symptom of this condition. The discharge is usually viscous, either white or yellow, or may be thin. A typical symptom of candidal vulvovaginitis is a discharge that resembles cottage cheese or curd-like clumps. During gynecological examinations, 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 the labia minora may be swollen. The vagina may contain a significant amount of viscous white discharge, or the vaginal mucosa may be covered with a white membrane. When the membrane is removed, the exposed mucosa appears red, swollen, and eroded, or may have superficial ulcers.Bacterial vaginosis (BV), also known as non-specific vaginitis, haemophilus vaginitis, corynebacterium vaginitis, gardnerella vaginitis, etc., was named at the International Conference in 1984. This condition is caused by a mixed infection of Gardnerella vaginalis and certain anaerobic bacteria and can be transmitted through sexual contact, with higher prevalence in populations with multiple sexual partners. The clinical manifestations are primarily an increased amount of vaginal discharge with a fishy odor. This is due to the release of a special odor when the discharge is expelled. During sexual activity or movement, the odor becomes particularly noticeable because the vagina contains a large amount of amines, and the pH of the vaginal discharge also increases. During a speculum examination, it is observed that the amount of discharge in the vagina...