How long have you been struggling with your vulvovaginal problems or vulvodynia (burning vaginal discomfort)? Your vaginal health has a powerful effect on your quality of life. If you’ve spent months or years trying to find a doctor who can diagnose and treat your concerns with no luck, you may be feeling like you just have to live with this uncomfortable, life-altering problem. Most gynecologists lack the training and testing equipment to diagnose and treat you accurately. The discomfort of vulvovaginal issues can hinder your ability to enjoy a healthy sex life and even normal activities.
What is a Vulvovaginal Health Expert?
Fortunately, vulvovaginal specialists have extensive training and experience in treating vulvovaginal issues. They specialize in treating conditions that have stumped other doctors and left you feeling frustrated and hopeless. Typical doctors have little experience with these issues, and they have usually been trained to test for and treat only four types of vaginal flora that can cause vaginitis. This type of testing often misses the underlying etiology, which is usually more complex. A vulvovaginal health expert should have the training, experience, and equipment for proper testing and diagnosis.
What Can I Expect From My Visit
The most important and informative part of your visit is the Vaginal Fluid Analysis test. This method requires no invasive speculums or examinations. The VFA will give your vulvovaginal expert a wealth of information about the state of your vaginal microflora and the condition of the vagina itself, including:
- The health and maturity of the vaginal cells
- The presence of white blood cells suggests an infection
- The number of lactobacilli (“good” bacteria) and other types of bacteria
- The presence of yeast cells that indicate an altered vaginal microflora
Unlike standard testing that uses outdated, ineffective techniques, this testing method can detect changing patterns in the vaginal flora over time to provide an objective picture of response to treatment. A facility like Fowler GYN International has advanced testing methods available onsite and can deliver your results in as little as ten minutes.
Why is the Vaginal Microflora So Important?
A healthy vagina produces secretions with a pH between 3.5 and 4.5. This acidic pH comes from the normal vaginal residents called lactobacilli. These bacteria produce lactic acid, and this acidic pH keeps most problematic organisms from getting a foothold. If this pH becomes less acidic, over 30 types of bacteria and other microorganisms can start to grow too fast.
When you experience symptoms of vulvovaginal irritation, repeated yeast infections, or burning and stinging, your altered vaginal microflora has changed your vaginal secretions into an irritant that traumatizes the delicate vulvovaginal tissues. The bacteria are not the cause of your symptoms, however, They are the result of a change in the conditions of the vagina. If your vaginal health changes, a less beneficial bacteria or yeast can become too active.
How to Restore Your Vulvovaginal Health
Based on the source of your vulvovaginal concerns, your specialist will assign you an individualized protocol to follow. Your treatment plan will gradually resolve the altered state of the vaginal microflora, normalizing your vaginal secretions and stopping the irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.
Even vulvovaginal problems that have resisted treatment for years respond to treatment once the underlying etiology has been correctly determined. A vulvovaginal health expert can give you the answers you’ve been looking for and give you back your life. Relief from these long-term, frustrating, uncomfortable issues can leave you feeling like you have to live like this forever. Vulvodynia can often feel like it steals their enjoyment of life and prevents any attempts at enjoyable sex. Even if your other doctors have not been able to treat your concerns, a vulvovaginal specialist can help.
Take the Next Step
The experts in vaginal health at Fowler GYN International (FGI) Phoenix, AZ specialize in the treatment of vulvovaginal conditions. The team at FGI is led by Dr. R. Stuart Fowler. Dr. Fowler is an Emeritus Mayo Clinic board-certified gynecologist.
You can reach FGI at https://www.fowlergyninternational.com/, or by calling (480) 420-4001.