Vaginitis, also known as vulvovaginitis, is not one specific condition. The term encompasses a variety of disorders that cause infection or inflammation of the vagina or vulva.

阴道炎的原因可能包括细菌，病毒或酵母菌感染。也可以在性伴侣之间通过。由于缺乏雌激素而引起的阴道干燥也可能是促成原因。

A wet mount is used to help diagnose vaginal infections that could be causing vaginitis and don’t affect the urinary tract. It’s also called a vaginitis test or wet prep.

Vaginitisis detected during a regular妇科考试。

Symptoms of vaginitis can differ, depending on the cause of thevaginal infection。有些人没有症状。

Common symptoms, when present, include:

Your doctor will ask you to abstain from douching in the24 hours before your appointment。一些医生还要求您在测试前24小时没有性交或使用卫生棉条。

您的医生会像定期的妇科检查一样躺在脚上的脚上躺在检查桌子上。他们会插入一个speculuminto the vagina to help see the area. A sterile cotton swab is inserted into the vagina to obtain a sample of vaginal discharge.

While you may feel pressure or discomfort, the test shouldn’t hurt.

The doctor will transfer the sample of discharge onto a slide. The slide is examined under a microscope to check for infection.

Abnormal results from a wet mount indicate there’s an infection.

在显微镜下查看样品时，医生通常正在寻找Candida yeast infection或某些细菌或其他微生物的存在。这些包括细菌Gardnerella和Trichomonasparasite.

Gardnerellacausesbacterial vaginosis，而Trichomonas寄生虫原因滴虫病, a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

有可能同时出现多种类型的阴道炎。其他常见类型的阴道炎包括病毒性阴道炎，非感染性（刺激性）阴道炎和atrophic vaginitis。

您的医生将针对特定类型的感染或炎症定制治疗。如果您怀孕或认为您可能怀孕，请在他们开出任何东西之前就知道。

Treatment for a yeast infectionmay include prescription vaginal creams,阴道栓剂, or oral antifungal medication.

Trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis can be treated with prescription oral antibiotic medication.

Noninfectious (irritant) vaginitis may be caused by reactions to vaginal sprays or杀精子剂。香精，乳液和织物软化剂也会引起刺激，导致非感染性阴道炎。您的医生会要求您避免任何可能引起刺激的产品。

在治疗期间，您可能需要避免性交。

治疗后，您可能需要再次进行测试，以确保阴道炎已清除。询问您的医生是否需要进一步测试。

Practicing good personal hygiene is important to preventing vaginitis.

您可以采取其他措施来帮助降低患阴道炎的机会：

  • Avoid irritating products.不要在阴道区域进行冲洗或使用阴道喷雾剂或香精。这些产品会引起刺激。
  • Stay away from tight clothes.Avoiding wearing tight jeans or spandex can lower your risk of developing a yeast infection.
  • 减少your risk of STIs.Practice sex with a barrier method to lower the risk of anSTI。还get screenedfor STIs.
  • 考虑激素疗法。如果你是围绝经或更年期，您可能会遇到与lack of estrogen.如果您的卵巢已被移除。缺乏雌激素会导致阴道dryness和刺激。与您的医生谈谈激素替代疗法是否合适。您可能还可以使用局部乳霜或润滑剂。

Speak with your doctor about any concerns you may have. Regular exams are important for maintaining vaginal health.