Vaginitis is characterized by inflammation of the vaginal mucosa, which can be caused by an imbalance of vaginal flora, infections, hormonal changes or irritation. It can lead to symptoms such as vaginal discharge, itching, redness, swelling or irritation.

Vaginitis can affect both adult women and children. In some cases, inflammation can extend and affect the vulva, which is referred to as vulvovaginitis.

Treatment for vaginitis depends on the underlying cause, and it is important to consult a gynecologist to determine what is causing the problem and to start the most appropriate treatment. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics, antifungals or vaginal ovules.

Common symptoms

The main symptoms of vaginitis are:

Abnormal white, greenish-yellow or gray vaginal discharge, which may have a foul odor
Vaginal itching
Vaginal redness or burning
Vaginal irritation
Feeling of vaginal heaviness
Pain or discomfort during sex
Pain or burning when urinating
Frequent urge to urinate, or a feeling that the bladder has not been emptied completely.

The symptoms of vaginitis, or vulvovaginitis, can vary depending on the underlying cause of the inflammation. Therefore, it is important to consult a gynecologist to identify the cause and begin the most appropriate treatment.

Confirming a diagnosis

A vaginitis diagnosis is confirmed by a gynecologist by evaluating the symptoms. He or she will assess when the symptoms started and whether there have been other episodes of vaginal discharge, irritation and redness in the past.

The doctor should also evaluate your health history and history of sexually transmitted infections, hygiene practices, allergies, use of vaginal douches or lubricants, and history of medication use.

This evaluation is followed by a pelvic and vaginal exam, in which the doctor will inspect the genital area and assess the characteristics of the vaginal discharge and collect a specimen to send for lab analysis.

Possible causes

The main causes of vaginitis are:

Imbalance of the vaginal microbiota
Inadequate vaginal hygiene, vaginal douching or frequent use of tampons
Forgetting a tampon or an object such as a menstrual cup or condom
Year infection, bacterial vaginosis or cytolytic vaginosis
Sexually transmitted infections, such as trichomoniasis
Allergies to underwear fabric, toilet paper, latex condoms, spermicide, lubricating gel or tampons
Normal hormonal changes that occur during puberty or pregnancy.

Furthermore, treating cancer with radiation therapy or chemotherapy or the use of antibiotics or corticosteroids can also increase the risk of vaginitis.

Vaginitis can also appear during menopause, postpartum or breastfeeding, due to decreased estrogen levels that make the vaginal mucosa thinner and drier.

How do you get vaginitis?

Vulvovaginitis is not considered to be an STI, but it can be caused by trichomoniasis, which is transmitted through sex with a person infected with Trichomonas vaginalis.

In most cases, vaginitis is caused by hormonal imbalances, which can result in the growth of fungi or bacteria in the vaginal mucosa.

Types of vaginitis

Vaginitis can be classified according to the underlying cause of it, and includes:

Fungal vaginitis: caused by the fungi of the species Candida sp;
Atrophic vaginitis: caused by a drop in estrogen levels, and is more common during menopause, postpartum or during breastfeeding;
Trichomonas vaginitis: is caused by the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis, which causes the STI trichomoniasis and is transmitted through unprotected sex with an infected person;
Allergic or non-infectious vaginitis: caused by allergies to fabrics, pads, intimate gel or latex condoms, for example.

Another type of vaginitis is bacterial vaginosis, which is caused by an imbalance in the vaginal flora, promoting the development of other bacteria, mainly Gardnerella sp. Read more about bacterial vaginosis and the symptoms it causes.

Treatment options

Treatment for vaginitis should be carried out as guided by a gynecologist, and may vary depending on the intensity of symptoms and the underlying cause.

The main treatments for vaginitis that your doctor may consider include:

1. Medications

The main medications for vaginitis that may be prescribed by your doctor are:

Antifungals, such as fluconazole, miconazole, clotrimazole or itraconazole (in the form of vaginal ointments or tablets) to treat fungal vaginitis
Antibiotics, such as metronidazole, tinidazole or clindamycin (in the form of vaginal ointment or tablets) to treat trichomonas vaginitis, in which case the partner should also be treated
Estrogen replacement, mainly for atrophic vaginitis caused by menopause.

Additionally, the doctor may recommend sitz baths with bicarbonate to treat cases of cytolytic vaginosis.

2. Avoiding irritants

When vaginitis is associated with allergies, it is important to identify the trigger that is responsible for the allergy and avoid it when possible. In the meantime, the doctor may prescribe corticosteroid of antihistamine ointments or tablets to help relieve symptoms.

How to prevent vaginitis

To prevent vaginal inflammation, you can consider the following precautions, such as:

Avoiding wearing tight pants on hot days
Sleeping in light clothes or without underwear
Not using tampons for many hours at a time
Avoiding vaginal douching
Avoiding antibiotics unnecessarily
Avoiding unprotected sex.

The use of condoms is also important to avoid various types of sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, gonorrhea, HPV and syphilis, which cause many complications and even risk of death.