Friday, November 27, 2009

CYTOLYTIC VAGINOSIS

What is cytolytic vaginosis?

Cytolytic vaginosis is an occasional cause of vaginal discharge.

What is the cause of cytolytic vaginosis?

The normal vagina of an adult woman is colonised by lactobacilli. These bacteria produce lactic acid, which maintains an acid pH, and hydrogen peroxide, which is an antiseptic agent. The lactobacilli protect the vagina from pathogenic infections and are considered important for vaginal health.

Cytolytic vaginosis arises because of an overgrowth of the lactobacilli. They can irritate the cells that make up the vaginal lining, causing them to break up. The damaged or fragmented cells are then shed with the normal vaginal secretions.

What are the symptoms?

Many women with cytolytic vaginosis are unaware of it. It may be reported after a vaginal swab or cervical smear. However, they may have the following symptoms:

  • Abundant whitish vaginal discharge, which may be thin and watery or thick and curd-like
  • Vaginal and/or vulval itching (pruritus vulvae)
  • Burning (vulvodynia), especially on passing urine (dysuria)
  • Discomfort during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)

The symptoms are similar to those of vaginal thrush. Like thrush, they may get worse in the second half of the menstrual cycle. However, high vaginal swabs do not culture the yeast that causes thrush, Candida albicans, and antifungal creams and tablets are not effective. The vaginal pH is acidic (3.3 to 5.5).

How is the diagnosis made?

Cytolytic vaginosis should be considered in women with vaginal symptoms that have not settled down or have recurred after treatment for thrush.

A vaginal swab should be taken. The laboratory may report numerous lactobacilli and epithelial cells. There should be no sign of candida or other infective organisms.

What is the treatment for cytolytic vaginosis?

In most women, no specific treatment is required. Antifungal medications should be discontinued.

In those with symptoms, the following measures may be helpful:

  1. Pads instead of tampons for menstruation.
  2. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) sitz baths or douches to increase vaginal pH and thus discourage the growth of lactobacilli. Use 2-4 tablespoons of baking soda in 5cm of water in a warm bath several times in a week, then once or twice per week to prevent recurrences.

3 comments:

sasha said...

very informative blog
thanks for this great blog
here is a blog about women
health pregnancy tubal reversal
and vaginal diseases
http://www.mybabydoc.com/blog/
tubal reversal

Suzane said...

If you find it yourself or with any of these symptoms, you can also buy a home test to see if your bacteria levels are where they should be. Once you determine that it is indeed that type of infection and you want to be sure to treat it as soon as possible so it doesn’t get out of hand and cause you permanent damage. Once you have the infection gone and the list of Candida symptoms under control, you can then take precautions every day to ensure that this does not happen again.For more Thrush symptoms

Unknown said...

For anyone who has suffered from CV, I have to attest to the one thing that has actually returned my pH back to normal- and that it sitz baths. I had CV for almost 6 years. I have tried everything, amoxicillin, doxycycline, Preseed, baking soda douches, baking soda capsules. Only at the end of last year did I try taking sitx baths- and it worked, Every month my symptoms would decrease. Then my sypmtoms would only become apparent close to ovulation, one sitx bath and then I would back to normal. As of my last two menstrual cycles, I have had minimal discharge around ovulation and did not even take a sitz bath this last cycle. My body feels the closest it's been to normal since I developed CV from taking too many diflucan, and antibiotics. I hope anyone suffering from CV like I did will try the sitz bath. For myself I pour about 2 cups of baking soda into a completely filled tub, then soak for about 10 to 20 minutes. I hope this helps.

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