Do you know all the signs of vaginal infections and the manner in which these signs typically present?

Vaginal infections are very common in women, but not all vaginal infections are alike. Each has a different cause, and thus requires a specific form of treatment. Unfortunately, the symptoms of the various infections can often appear very similar in nature, often making it difficult to determine a proper diagnosis.

However, there are a few subtle differences in these symptoms that may help pinpoint the specific type and cause of the infection.

To clarify this further, here we will discuss what the term vaginal infection means and its causes, followed by a brief outline listing some of the more common signs of vaginal infections and how these signs can differ depending on the origin of the infection.

About Vaginal Infections

Within the vagina there are certain bacteria. These bacteria produce a type of acid, which allows them to repel other bacteria and fight off various viruses and fungi.

This is a very delicate vaginal flora balance, and when this balance is upset – when something happens that lowers the level of acidity in the vagina – it can lead to a vaginal infection.

There are many factors that can lead to an imbalance of acidity, and thus cause vaginal infections.  Some of these causes include :

• Hormonal Changes. When women experience changes in their hormones it can cause an upset in the balance of vaginal bacteria. Women who are pregnant or going through menopause, for example, are much more prone to vaginal infections during these times.
• Stress. Major and/or prolonged stress can also be a precursor to many vaginal infections.
• Antibiotics. Ironically, antibiotics used to treat bodily infections can actually cause vaginal infections.  Antibiotics can destroy the good bacteria in the vagina leaving the area susceptible to the “bad” bacteria, viruses and fungi.
• Sexual Intercourse. Sexual intercourse, especially with multiple partners, may lead to a number of sexually transmitted vaginal infections (STIs).
• Foreign Objects. Rarely, foreign objects such as tampons can cause vaginal infections, and possibly even a life-threatening condition known as toxic-shock syndrome.

There are several classifications of vaginal infections, but the three most common are vaginal yeast infection, caused by a proliferation of a certain fungus in the vagina; bacterial vaginosis, caused by an overgrowth of bacteria; and trichomoniasis, caused by a sexually transmitted parasite that infects the vaginal walls.

All of these vaginal infections lead to a condition called vaginitis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the vagina, and one which tends to produce several of the most common signs of vaginal infections.

Five Common Signs of Vaginal Infection

There are several common signs of vaginal infections, and while only a doctor can properly diagnose the type of condition you’re experiencing, the five most common things to look for are :

• Vaginal Discharge. While it is perfectly normal and healthy for women to experience occasional vaginal discharge, any abnormalities in the amount produced, or any changes in the color, texture and smell of the discharge, may be signs of a vaginal infection. Vaginal yeast infections, for example, tend to produce a grey-white discharge that is thick, almost curdled-looking. With bacterial vaginosis, the discharge is also gray-white, but much thinner and watery, and with trichomoniasis, the color of discharge is gray-green in appearance.
• Irritation/Soreness. Vaginal infections can lead to irritation, including redness and swelling in the affected area, however this soreness is not usually experienced in cases of bacterial vaginosis.
• Itching. Itching is one of the universal signs of vaginal infections, and is especially intense with vaginal yeast infections.
• Pain when urinating. Several types of vaginal infections, including vaginal yeast infections and trichomoniasis, can cause pain while urinating.
• Pain and/or bleeding during Sex. Pain during intercourse is very common during the early phases of most vaginal infections, and in rare cases, bleeding may also accompany this pain.

There are, of course, other signs of vaginal infections, but these five are the ones most often reported. While the disparity of symptoms of the various vaginal infections is indeed very subtle, learning to recognize these small differences could save you the time and expense of pursuing an incorrect treatment strategy.

Related posts:

1. The Hidden Dangers of Vaginal Infections
2. Vaginal Infections – How It Affects Your Daily Life
3. Is Bacterial Vaginosis Common Among Women?
4. Difference Between Vaginal Infection and Vaginal Bleeding
5. What Are The Signs and Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis?
6. Vaginal Infection Tests and When to Seek Treatment
7. Vaginal Bacterial Infection – 5 Home Remedies

There are some rare cases where the women did not develop any signs and symptoms and only to have it detected during her annual checkup at the ob-gyn.

If you don’t give the ob-gyn a visit at least once annually, it is time to start doing so.

Some of the most common bacterial vaginosis signs and symptoms include :

• Foul and fishy vaginal odor. This usually gets worse right after a sexual intercourse. You can see it from your partner’s facial expression if you don’t smell it yourself. (Further Reading : Are You Ashamed of The Fishy Odor Down There?)
• Burning and itching sensation around the outside of the vagina. (Further Reading : Cope With Irritations Caused By Bacterial Vaginosis With These 5 Simple Ways)
• Grayish or white vaginal discharge which are more than normal.

It is important to take note that all the symptoms above can happen at the same time.

Related posts:

1. 5 Common Signs of Vaginal Infections
2. Do You Recognize These 5 Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis?

Not sure if you really have bacterial vaginosis?

Did you know that a recent survey showed that one in every three women will be affected by bacterial vaginosis at some point of their life?

It can be embarrassing to discuss this topic with your friends or sometimes even the doctors!

So, here’s a really simple bacterial vaginosis quiz for you. It’s just you and your computer, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

Remember, do this quiz honestly. Just answer the 7 questions you’ll see what are the chances that you are infected by bacterial vaginosis, and what you SHOULD do next.

Click HERE to take the bacterial vaginosis quiz.

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It is not.

Non-health professionals can think of bacterial vaginosis as an infection; however, bacterial vaginosis is really just an imbalance of the vaginal flora, not a STD. When the imbalance occurs, then certain anaerobic bacteria such as Gardnerella bacteria increase their numbers.

This causes symptoms such as a gray discharge, vaginal irritation and also a fishy odor that worsens after sexual intercourse.

There has been a debate about this in the past, mostly amongst lay people. Health professionals know that the imbalance of flora in those with bacterial vaginosis can be found in virgins!

And because this is the case, then bacterial vaginosis really cannot be counted as a sexually-transmitted disease, one transmitted through the act of sexual intercourse.

Studies do find that if a woman has three or four sexual partners, she has a higher risk of developing bacterial vaginosis. It’s possible that higher numbers of bacteria could potentially be transferred from males to females but this hasn’t actually been proven in the research studies yet.

Men are not generally treated when his partner has bacterial vaginosis. Even so, health professionals recommend that women stay loyal to their partner and not have multiple sex partners.

Bacterial vaginosis can be associated with having a new partner.

Health professionals also recommend abstinence as a way to prevent bacterial vaginosis or its recurrence.

Bacterial Vaginosis vs Trichomonas

Another reason that people don’t understand that bacterial vaginosis is not a sexually transmitted disease is because bacterial vaginosis is treated with Flagyl, which is also used to treat the sexually transmitted disease called Trichomonas.

The difference is that Trichomonas has a green, frothy discharge whereas the discharge in bacterial vaginosis is grayish. There’s a fishy odor to the vaginal secretions in bacterial vaginosis but not in Trichomonas.

Bacterial Vaginosis vs Yeast Infection

A yeast infection is similar to bacterial vaginosis in that it is usually an imbalance of flora. Yeast normally grow amongst the normal flora in the vagina and in the intestine. It’s only when our immune system is suppressed, when we take an antibiotic, when we are exceptionally stressed for long periods of time, when we eat processed foods and sugary foods for long periods of time, or when we have accumulations of heavy metals that we are most prone to develop yeast infections.

In yeast infections, the discharge is white like cottage cheese. In bacterial vaginosis, the discharge is grayish. There is usually not an odor to yeast infections.

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Here are the 5 symptoms of bacterial vaginosis to watch for:

1. Abnormal vaginal discharge, usually white or gray
2. Discharge is thin
3. Strong fish-like odor, especially after intercourse.
4. Burning during urination
5. Itching around the outside of the vagina

The vaginal discharge will be there day and/or night time. It will be seen on your panty liner or on your underwear if you don’t wear a panty liner.  The discharge is thin and it may seem like it’s not that important but in reality, any discharge is abnormal. When you’re at your healthiest, you won’t have any discharge at all.

The strong fish-like odor isn’t pleasant at all. You’ll smell it especially after sexual intercourse and in the morning when you first wake up. If you work long hours, you can expect the smell to increase during the workday. The longer the vaginosis goes untreated, the worse the smell will get. Bacterial vaginosis can ruin relationships, especially when the discharge and smell are so bad that the smell can be detected three feet away.

Burning upon urination can also start slowly and almost unnoticeable and then worsen as time goes on. The itching will start with an occasional itch and progress to where you’re feeling as if you want to break all social rules and scratch … even in an important business meeting!

In about half the women with bacterial vaginosis, there are no symptoms. That’s why it’s very important to have healthy eating and personal hygiene habits all the time!

Stay Healthy With Good Personal Habits

Some of the most helpful health habits are:

1. Don’t leave tampons in for longer than 2-3 hours at a time. The longer the tampon is in, the greater the chance for bacteria to multiply
2. Change sanitary pads at least once every 2-3 hours
3. Change underwear daily
4. Wear cotton underwear and try to avoid dyes and bleaches that can irritate sensitive female reproductive tissues
5. Keep the number of sexual partners to a minimum of one. Researchers report that the greater number of partners you have, the greater the chance of developing bacterial vaginosis
6. Eat wholesome foods such as meats, dairy products, yogurt, fermented foods, fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds
7. Leave out candy and processed foods
8. Wash the vaginal area after intercourse
9. Do not douche

In one way, the vagina is similar to the intestinal tract:  it depends on normal flora to function properly.

Millions of good bacteria are found in the vagina, and there are some potentially harmful bacteria there as well.

When a woman is healthy and has healthy habits, the good bacteria reproduce their numbers to levels that correspond with excellent health of the reproductive system. This means that the woman has a greater tendency to have easier periods, smell fresh, and have very little discharge. However, when the potentially harmful bacteria increase their numbers, that’s when the trouble starts. A discharge and fishy or wet sock odor are common when the bacterial flora is out of balance.

What Happens When Someone Has Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a condition when the vaginal flora is out of balance. Specifically, there’s an increase in the number of anaerobic bacteria in the reproductive tract along with a change in the pH of the usual cervical ‘juices’. The condition is quite common, and it can be associated with a greater risk of developing sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, herpes, gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

If a woman is pregnant with bacterial vaginosis, the change in pH and flora can affect the fetus. It’s common that pregnant women with BV will deliver pre-term babies or babies that are low birth weight, which is less than 5-1/2 pounds. A low birth weight infant is susceptible to all types of illnesses.

Bacterial vaginosis can also cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can cause infertility or scarring of the Fallopian tubes. PID can also potentially lead to life-threatening pregnancies called ectopic pregnancies when the egg attaches to tissues outside the uterus.

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1. What Are The Signs and Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis?