CHRONIC VAGINITIS

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CHRONIC VAGINITIS

Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

A 1999 article in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology showed

that most gynecologists did not do an adequate evaluation for vaginal

infections.

Unfortunately, that's still true.

This study explained why so many women are not cured of their vaginitis.

Infection is the most common cause of vaginitis: itching, burning,

discharge, odor

or vaginal pain on intercourse. Doctors should insert a Q tip into the

vagina, add a fraction of a drop of water and then look at the fluid under a

microscope.

This was not done in 42% of visits for vaginitis.

If a doctor looks in the microscope and sees yeast, trichomonas or bacterial

vaginosis, he can often cure her by prescribing the appropriate antibiotic.

If he finds none, he should look for warts and check for infections with

bacteria, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and so forth. He should perhaps do a biopsy

to

rule out skin disease, a vinegar-aided colposcopy to check for warts, and

look for a contact irritant such as contraceptive jellies, bubble bath or

perfumes.

This was not done in 46% of the visits. Even if all tests fail to reveal a

cause, many women can be cured when they and their partners take a

long -acting

erythromycin or tetracycline for a couple of weeks.

HC Wiesenfeld, I Macio. The infrequent use of office-based diagnostic tests

for vaginitis.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1999, Vol 181,

Iss 1, pp 39-41.