Vaginitis or vaginal infection is most commonly caused by Candida albicans. Each woman is likely to get vaginal infection at some point even they are not sexually active. When the vagina gets inflamed, it can cause considerable pain with itchy discharge. Any change in the levels of good bacteria can cause vaginitis. Some kind of skin problems and decreased levels of estrogen hormone can contribute for vaginal swelling.
Healthy vagina always has some bacteria (good ones) and yeast. Problem occurs when the balance of bacteria/yeast get disturbed. Overgrowth of yeast cells can cause vaginitis leading to symptoms like itching, irritation and vaginal swelling. Vaginitis can be treated by antibiotics (bacterial infection) and antifungal creams and suppositories.
Symptoms Of Vaginitis :
Some of the common signs of vaginitis are :
- Itchy feeling on the vagina
- Foul smelling discharge from the vagina
- Pain while passing urine and pain while having sex
- Light bloody discharge from the vagina
- Whitish milky fluid like discharge from the vagina can occur due to Candida infection
- Grey colored discharge with foul smell can be due to bacterial infection
- In rare cases greenish yellow colored discharge can occur with froth due to Trichomoniasis
- In severe cases some women may develop fever or chills
Read More On Yeast Infection
Vaginitis Causes :
Major cause for vaginitis is inflammation of vagina when the bad bacteria are more than the volumes of good bacteria. This can happen due to illness and weakened immunity. Under normal condition, lactobacilli (good bacteria) live in your vagina. However during infection bad bacteria by name anaerobes increases in number destroying more volumes of good bacteria leading to vaginal inflammation. Normal balance of the vagina is disturbed due to increased bad bacteria and this often happens while having sex with multiple partners. Bad bacteria get transmitted into the vagina through sexual intercourse and affects largely women who are sexually active.