Quickcare Self Care Home Page: Vaginitis

Welcome
to Quick Care's Self-Care Advisory Web Site!
This free web site is dedicated to educating the public about self treatment of common illnesses and injuries, with special attention to use of non-prescription medications and other products readily available to the consumer.

Choosing Yourself as a Health Care Provider

"Self-Care" is individuals making their own decisions regarding diagnosis and treatment of health problems, as well as preventive care. These days we know how important "choices" are in health care -- the right doctor, the right insurance plan, the right price. But for simple ailments, millions of Americans are choosing themselves as their own providers of health care. And why not? Recent studies have shown that on average, U.S. citizens encounter a medical problem that is treatable without involving a health professional every three days! As a nation, we're just as inclined to self-treat our children, too: parents keep an average of 5.5 non-prescription medications in the home for treatment of childhood illnesses (remember that commercial about Dr. Mom? It's true!).

Conditions Treatable Without a Doctor's Care or Prescription Continue to Grow

In the past 10 years, the U.S. has seen an explosion in over-the-counter (OTC) remedies (that is, medicines not requiring a doctor's prescription). Many medicines have recently moved from prescription to OTC, eliminating the need for doctor visits for dozens of low-risk medical conditions such as yeast infections, allergic rashes, allergies, heartburn, etc. Unfortunately, public knowledge regarding self-treatment of these and other minor conditions has lagged behind the flood of newly available medications.

Escaping the "Self-Care Information Void"

So, safe and effective treatments are available without a doctor visit, but when and exactly how do we use the medications? The Self-Care Advisory is the answer to this "information void."

Home health books or brochures are outdated almost as soon as they are printed, due to publishing lag time. Quick Care constantly updates the Self-Care Advisory web site, so you'll have the latest information and newest product recommendations possible.
Physicians generally focus on prescription treatments, and may be less able to inform you about OTC products which can be just as effective. The Self-Care Advisory focuses on off-the-shelf medication to relieve illness, and when to see your doctor for further care.
Even though pharmacists are well-informed about availability and appropriate use of OTC products, they aren't trained to diagnose or treat even minor ailments. The Self-Care Advisory is written and updated by physicians who have treated these illnesses in an office-based setting for years. We'll help you through the basics of self-diagnosis.
Companies which manufacture and promote non-prescription drugs traditionally concentrate on advertising the product, not educating the consumer about an illness, its causes, or how to gain relief. Use the Self-Care Advisory as your source for this essential information.

How to Find the Information You Need

The information contained in Quick Care's Self-Care Advisory is authored by physicians and pharmacists, but designed for consumers. Each topic is organized into four components:

The Basics: This section describes the "nuts and bolts" of the illness or condition, how and why it occurs, basic anatomy and physiology, and of course how to identify whether or not one has the ailment.
Prevention: If the adverse health condition can be avoided, this section outlines the necessary steps.
Treatment at Home: Here the array of OTC medicine choices is reviewed, as well as advice on non-medical treatment methods. Surprisingly, not all medications on drug store shelves have been proven safe and effective to the satisfaction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; the Self-Care Advisory explains how the effective medications work and when to use them.
When to Seek Professional Care: For most of the topics discussed in Quick Care's Self-Care Advisory, home treatment and time alone resolve the ailment. But occasionally, simple conditions progress to complicated ones despite treatment. It's important to know when to see a doctor or other health professional, and you'll find the guidelines in this last section of each topic.

Quick Care's Self-Care Advisory Medication Review Process

The purpose of Quick Care's Self-Care Advisory is to educate the public about minor ailments and products available for self treatment. Readers must understand what the products are used for and when they should be used. But they also must be confident that the treatment has been shown to work as intended, and is considered safe.

Our Medication Recommendations are "Category I"

Surprisingly, some non-prescription medications available on store shelves have never been proven to be safe and effective (at least not to the U.S. Food and Drug administration satisfaction). Those active ingredients with demonstrated safety and effectiveness for their intended use are referred to by the FDA as "Category I." Quick Care begins its medication review process by ensuring that all recommended treatments and product examples shown are "Category I."

Another consideration is availability. The Self-Care Advisory allows only major brand items as product examples. These manufacturer's medications are readily available, use exclusively Category I ingredients, and have the additional benefit of being the most recognizable names as well. In all instances, OTC medications will also be listed by generic name and amount for purposes of consumer choice.

Get Started!

Here are the topics covered in the Quick Care Self-Care Advisory. There are five main subject areas. Simply click on the topic you'd like to study. Check back often! Quick Care constantly updates existing topics, and will be adding new topics frequently.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Vaginitis

BasicsVaginitis is an inflammation of the vagina which may cause vaginal itching and/or vaginal secretions. There are several reasons that the vagina may become inflamed, each necessitating a different prevention and treatment strategy. However, before we discuss those strategies, let's consider the signs and symptoms:

Change in vaginal secretions (in terms of color, odor, or amount)
Vaginal itching or irritation
Light vaginal bleeding
Painful sexual intercourse
Painful urination

What are the causes of vaginitis?
1. Bacterial vaginosis. Occurs when the normal balance of vaginal bacteria is disturbed due to a surplus of "bad" bacteria. Vaginal secretions may be grayish-white and have a fishy odor; this type is common during pregnancy, though many women never even detect it.
2. Yeast infection. Marked primarily by vaginal itching, yeast infections are caused by a fungus called Candida albicans. A secondary symptom is a thick, white, curd-like vaginal secretion. Three out of four women will experience a yeast infection in her lifetime.
3. Trichomoniasis. Caused by a parasite, this form of vaginal inflammation is often passed along during sexual intercourse. It is marked by a greenish-yellow vaginal secretion.
4. Atrophic vaginitis. After menopause or following the removal of the ovaries, decreasing estrogen levels may cause vaginal itching and burning due to the thinning and drying of vaginal tissues.
5. Noninfectious vaginitis. Triggered by a specific irritant, such as a new soap or tampons.
PreventionThere are many easy ways to prevent vaginal inflammation and irritation:

Avoid baths, hot tubs and spas.
Wear cotton underwear for better breathability. Try sleeping without underwear.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting or damp clothing to reduce chances of vaginal itching.
Eat yogurt with active lactobacillus cultures to increase levels of "good" bacteria.
Avoid douching, feminine hygiene sprays and scented soaps that may irritate delicate vaginal tissues.
Wipe from front to back when using the toilet.

TreatmentTreatment for each case of vaginal inflammation varies with the specific cause; some cases can be treated successfully at home, while others require a doctor's diagnosis and a prescription medication.

Yeast Infection: if you have had a previous yeast infection and experience similar symptoms again, an over-the-counter yeast infection medication will probably do the trick. Try a 1-day, 3-day, or 7-day cream or suppository with miconazole, clotrimazole or fluconazole.
Trichomoniasis: A prescription medication of metronidazole pills is necessary.
Bacterial vaginosis: see your doctor for a diagnosis and prescription of metronidazole or clindamycin.
Atrophic vaginitis: A doctor will prescribe estrogen in the form of cream, tablets or rings to improve the quality of the vaginal tissues and lessen risk of dryness and burning.
Noninfectious vaginitis: Identify and eliminate the specific irritant(s), such as perfumed sprays or soaps, new tampons or pads, douches, and tight-fitting clothing.

Recommended products

For yeast infections, look for antifungal treatments in the form of cream or vaginal suppositories. These contain miconazole (Monistat, Vagistat-3) or clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin).
Another effective yeast infection treatment is over-the-counter fluconazole (Diflucan), an oral antifungal medication.

Whether your medication is a cream, vaginal suppository, or oral tablets, always be sure to finish the entire round of doses, even if you feel better right away.
When to see your doctorThough recurring yeast infections are usually successfully treated at home, other causes of vaginal itching and inflammation will require a trip to the doctor's office.
Be sure to see a doctor if:

You have never had vaginitis before.
You have had multiple bouts of vaginitis, but not all have been due to yeast infections.
You have multiple sex partners, or a new sexual partner.

Be sure to mention any vaginal itching, vaginal secretions or vaginal bleeding.

Quickcare Self Care Home Page

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Vaginitis

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