Chronic Vaginitis & Yeast Infections
Don’t Suffer from Reoccuring Vaginal Yeast Infections
Approximately 75% of all women have asymptomatic yeast infection at some point in their lives. It is normal to have yeast and other bacteria in the vagina; however, some women experience uncomfortable symptoms and about 5% of women have chronic infections due to vaginal yeast infections caused by a fungus, usually Candida albicans, a common organism that may or may not cause discomfort.
If you have vaginitis 4 or more times in a year it is considered chronic vaginitis.
Vaginitis is defined as an inflammation of the vagina and is a condition that affects millions of women worldwide each year. Many women experience recurring symptoms and/or prolonged symptoms — a condition known as chronic vaginitis.
The most common types of vaginitis or chronic yeast infections are:
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Yeast infections
- Trichomoniasis
- Vaginal atrophy (atrophic vaginitis)
Experts estimate that 40% of all types of vaginitis are caused by candida. Yeast overgrowth, candida, is a pandemic today and affects millions. If you have suffered from four or more yeast infections in the past 12 months then you have chronic vaginitis.
The recurrence is usually caused by reinfection with the same organism from a vaginal reservoir, typically Candida albicans, a harmless yeast, a type of fungus that lives in everyone’s body. In a healthy body, it lives symbiotically in the body but it can overgrow and turn into an opportunistic pathogen. Besides causing most vaginal yeast infections, Candida also causes infections in other moist areas of your body such as your mouth, skin folds, and nail beds.
Vaginitis signs and symptoms can include:
- Change in color, odor or amount of discharge from your vagina
- Vaginal itching or irritation
- Pain during intercourse
- Painful urination
- Light vaginal bleeding or spotting
- Feeling like you have to pee more than usual
Vaginitis symptoms can be super obvious, or barely noticeable. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all. It’s a good idea to pay attention to what your vulva and vaginal discharge normally looks, feels, and smells like, so it’s easier to notice any changes that could be signs of vaginitis or other infections.
At Mitchell Medical Group, we specialize in alternative treatment for chronic vaginitis due to candida overgrowth.
During your consultation, Dr. Mitchell does an extensive review of your medical history and a skin test which helps show your reactivity to candida immediately. If you have a strong immediate reaction to the Candida skin test you can see for yourself how Candida is involved in your immune system.
When chronic vaginitis is due to overgrowth of Candida in the body our treatment focuses around restoring proper immunity to Candida. This is primarily done with a yeast-free diet and by sublingual immunotherapy. Sublingual immunotherapy is a special approach that involves the patient taking drops under the tongue to build up their immune system in a slow, safe and comfortable way so that the Candida does not return which means no more chronic vaginitis.
You can meet with Dr. Mitchell from anywhere in the country. He personally takes your full medical history — the step he considers most important in understanding a complex case — and you speak with him directly. There is no medical assistant or trainee taking your history and relaying it back to him.
What happens next depends on where you live. If you are in New York State, a virtual visit works the same way an office visit does. If you are outside New York, state licensing rules shape what Dr. Mitchell can provide directly: your consultation is educational, and he will review your history, explain how he thinks about cases like yours, and can speak with your local physician to guide the plan. Many out-of-state patients then travel to our Manhattan or Rockville Centre office for treatment.
These telehealth visits are intended for educational and informational purposes only. My goal is to help provide you with these resources to work with your local healthcare provider to get the best care possible.
Call our office today at 347-916-3571 to schedule your meeting or request an appointment online.
Our medical experts here at Mitchell Medical Group have put together a list of the most frequently asked questions and answers about chronic vaginitis.
What is Chronic Vaginitis?
Chronic vaginitis is defined as a case of vaginitis that lasts for more than six months or recurs several times for the same woman. Though chronic vaginitis can occur in women of all ages, it is most likely to occur for women who are in the reproductive stage of life.
What Causes Chronic Vaginitis?
Like all cases of vaginitis, chronic vaginitis is caused by a change in the balance of the yeast and bacteria that normally live in the vagina. This change can cause the lining of the vagina to become inflamed, thus resulting in vaginitis. Factors and activities that can change the normal bacterial balance of the vagina include the following:
- Antibiotic use
- Changes in hormone levels due to pregnancy, breastfeeding, or menopause
- Douching
- Spermicide use
- Sexual intercourse
- Infection
- Nutrient deficiency
Studies show that over 40% of all chronic vaginitis infections are caused by yeast infections alone.
How is Chronic Vaginitis Diagnosed?
Diagnosing vaginitis and vaginosis depends on your age and your risk factors for infection. The diagnostic process in a woman of child-bearing age begins with a physical exam, including a pelvic exam, and medical history. Our practice doesn’t do gynecological exams so we request you have one by your gynecologist and please bring any testing done by that office.
We typically see women who have had repeated vaginal yeast infections that haven’t resolved. Our testing involves a skin test to see if you have a hypersensitivity or yeast overgrowth.
What are Conventional Treatment Options for Chronic Vaginitis?
Conventional vaginitis treatments vary greatly depending on the cause of the vaginitis in question. In most cases, vaginitis is treated with either a pill or a cream or gel that is applied to the inflamed region of the vagina. For chronic vaginitis, doctors will often make lifestyle recommendations of prescribing long term medications to help with the body’s bacterial imbalance.
Are There Holistic Medicine Treatment Options for Vaginitis?
Holistic medicine offers several promising treatment options that have shown marked success in many patients suffering from chronic vaginitis — most notably those with vaginitis caused yeast infections from the Candida albans fungi strain. At Mitchell Medical Group, our first steps are always to perform an extensive medical history review and conduct a test to see how your skin reacts to Candida. From there, we can recommend holistic treatments including yeast-free dieting and sublingual immunotherapy.
If you are tired of suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, give our office a call today at 347-916-3571.
We have convenient offices in midtown Manhattan and in Rockville Centre, Long Island.