06 March 2024 , 20:00
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Intimate health is important to everyone, and women rely heavily on sexual health professionals and gynaecologists to check for certain conditions and to help diagnose things.
But a gynaecologist has warned that there's a health condition that many women haven't heard of, and it may be misdiagnosed as thrush because of the similar symptoms - but when the thrush treatment doesn't work, it becomes more obvious there's something else wrong.
Dr Susanna Unsworth, resident gynaecologist for INTIMINA spoke to The Metro, to explain that a lesser-known condition is called genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), and it used to be called vaginal atrophy.
"This is what occurs when there is a loss of oestrogen - such as at menopause, but sometimes seen around pregnancy and with some hormonal contraception too", she explained, saying that it's a chronic and progressive condition of the vulva, vagina and lower urinary tract, but doctors often label it as a yeast infection.
Women will then be sent away and told to get treatment for thrush, but their symptoms just don't get better - because it isn't thrush they're experiencing.
A twitching eye can sometimes be serious - signs, symptoms and when to see a GP
Symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic, include:
- Vaginal dryness
- Vaginal burning
- Vaginal discharge
- Genital itching
- Burning with urination
- Urgency with urination
- Frequent urination
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
- Urinary incontinence
- Light bleeding after intercourse
- Discomfort with intercourse
- Decreased vaginal lubrication during sexual activity
- Shortening and tightening of the vaginal canal
Dr Unsworth explained that thrush treatment or UTI (urine infection) antibiotics won't make it better, and "The treatment actually needed is some low dose vaginal oestrogen, which is safe to use for the vast majority of women, even after breast cancer."
She said that if you've been to the doctor and haven't responded well to the treatment you've been given, to go back and be examined, as the signs can be picked up and "easily treated."
According to the NHS, thrush symptoms are:
- white discharge (like cottage cheese), which does not usually smell
- itching and irritation around the vagina and vulva
- soreness and stinging during sex or when you pee
- redness
So it's clear to see why sometimes the conditions are confused.
If you're concerned about your sexual health, contact your GP.