Thrush, Cystitis and Women’s Genital Symptoms
Introduction
What causes genital symptoms in women?
Women’s genital symptoms are often dismissed as having two possible causes: thrush and cystitis. Although these problems are common, they are by no means the only ones to affect this region, and misunderstanding or incorrect treatment can lead to prolonged misery.
For example, antibiotics are usually given to treat a urinary tract infection such as cystitis. If you are actually suffering from a yeast infection (thrush), taking antibiotics may make your symptoms worse by killing the ‘friendly’ vaginal bacteria that normally keep the yeast infections at bay.
Another example is itching: thrush is the best known cause of itching around the vulva (external female genitals), but other conditions, including skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis, can also cause it. They require their own different treatments.
Even when the diagnosis is correct and the proper treatment given, it may not be the end of the problem.
Your symptoms may recur and it is often these recurrences that cause the most trouble.
How can this book help?
At some time in your life you will experience symptoms of infection or irritation in the genital area. You may find it a lonely experience because most women do not like to discuss such intimate problems, even with close friends. You might also worry that you could have a sexually transmitted infection.
Trying to find out what the trouble is by examining this part of your body is often difficult, because it is hard for you to see it clearly and it may be embarrassing to ask someone else to look for you. This book is intended to help you if you have genital infections or urinary tract problems so that, where possible, you can work out what is wrong and the best ways to deal with it.
How to use this book
It is difficult to puzzle out what is going on in your body without an understanding of how things work, and how they relate to each other. Most conditions of the female genital tract can easily be understood, and most women can make a fair guess at what is going wrong.
Helping you assess a problem
With a bit of background knowledge, you can often make just as accurate an assessment of the problem as any doctor whom you consult. After all, you know your own body better than a stranger, you have also had longer to think about your symptoms and have more of a vested interest in getting the answer right.
Understanding what is normal
This book starts with a brief account of the way the female genital region is arranged (what is medically called anatomy) and the way it normally works (physiology). Armed with an understanding of what is normal, it is much easier to work out what is happening when things go wrong.
Common symptoms
The next chapter looks at the symptoms that women commonly notice, what causes them and how to work out the most likely explanation. This chapter is divided into sections, one for each symptom.
Conditions
The conditions themselves are described in detail in the chapter ‘Looking for the cause of your symptoms’. Within each section you will also find answers to such questions as: ‘Is the diagnosis reliable?’, ‘What is the treatment?’ and ‘What are the predisposing factors?’.
Finding out what is wrong
The answers to the above questions explain variations in the accuracy and usefulness of the tests for the condition, tell you what should be done to manage it, and let you know what factors increase your chances of having the condition again.
Seeking help
The final chapters include information on where you should seek help and what to expect, a self-help section, and a glossary to explain unfamiliar or technical terms.
