Yeast Infections and How to Cure Them

WHAT DOES A YEAST INFECTION FEEL LIKE?

The symptoms of a yeast infection include:

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE A YEAST INFECTION?

Your health professional can usually diagnose a yeast infection just by finding discharge that looks like cottage cheese during a pelvic exam. But sometimes it's difficult to tell one type of vaginal infection from another. Two simple tests can help your health professional figure out what you've got.

In the first test, your health professional will look at a sample of your vaginal discharge under a microscope. The discharge is treated with a special solution so any yeast can be seen.

In the second test, your health professional will send a sample of your discharge to the lab for a culture. The lab will test it to find out exactly what kind of infection you have. Getting a culture can be especially helpful if you don't get better after treatment. Maybe the wrong diagnosis was made the first time. If you don't have a yeast infection, these tests will help your health professional figure out what kind of infection you do have.