Tests for other infectionsįurther swabs may be taken to be sure you do not have other types of vaginal infections. You will be able to take this swab yourself and the healthcare professional will tell you how. It can also inform the doctor about which type of candida you have. This indicates if you have thrush or another infection. A sample of discharge is taken from the vagina and analysed in a laboratory. This is a stick with a cotton bud at the end of it. A pH level of 4.5 or less suggests thrush. A test strip is placed into the vagina and then the colour change indicates if thrush is likely or not. This is the basis of the over-the-counter test for thrush. The level of acidity gives an indication of whether a discharge is due to thrush or to bacterial vaginosis. If tests are needed they may include: A test to see how acidic the vagina is (a pH test) See your doctor, who may examine you and may arrange some tests. However, if you have assumed you have thrush and you have had treatment, but the symptoms have not gone away, you may need to have tests. Any discharge you have does not smell and is white or creamy.It is reasonable to assume it is thrush if: There are other causes of vaginal discharge. It is important that you do not assume that a vaginal discharge is thrush. The diagnosis is often based on the typical symptoms and signs. You do not always need a test to diagnose vaginal thrush. It's important to speak to a doctor if thrush treatment hasn't worked after two weeks. With treatment, thrush improves within days and should be gone within one or two weeks of starting treatment. More severe thrush can last several weeks. How long does thrush last?Ī mild thrush infection can get better within a few days, sometimes even without treatment. In these cases it's best to contact your doctor or visit a sexual health clinic. A rash or blisters on the skin of the vulva.Bleeding between periods or after having sex.Symptoms which suggest your symptoms are NOT due to thrush include: Other skin rashes near to the vagina (called satellite lesions) - this is rare and may indicate other fungal conditions or herpes simplex virus.Scratch marks (excoriation) on the vulva.Redness (erythema) - usually around the vagina and vulva, but may extend to the labia majora and perineum.Thrush symptoms indicating quite a severe case include: The discharge from thrush does not usually smell. It can add to the itch, redness, discomfort, or pain around the vulva. The discharge from thrush is usually creamy white and quite thick, and may resemble cottage cheese, but is sometimes watery. See the separate leaflet called Bacterial Vaginosis for more details.) (The most common cause of vaginal discharge is bacterial vaginosis. Thrush is the second most common cause of a vaginal discharge. There may also be a discharge from the vagina. How would I know if I have a yeast infection? Itching of the skin folds outside the vagina (the vulva) is one of the most common thrush symptoms. Often symptoms can be quite irritating and will not go without treatment from antifungal creams. Sometimes thrush symptoms are minor and clear up on their own. This leaflet focuses on vaginal yeast infections (vaginal thrush). However sometimes they multiply and cause thrush symptoms.Ĭandida can also cause fungal skin infections and mouth infections ( oral thrush). Most of the time, they don't cause any problems. Small numbers of candida commonly live on the skin and around the vaginal area. Candida is one of these.įungi like warm, moist, airless places, and a vagina is a perfect home for them. Many others don't cause any harm, or any symptoms, unless they grow too much. Some of these germs are helpful to us - for instance, 'friendly' bacteria in the gut help us to digest our food. We all have many germs living on or inside us all the time. Thrush is caused by the overgrowth of a fungus called candida.
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