At-Home Itch Test

This post is targeted to women out there (me, included) which can be of help for us. It might be too personal for others reading it, but this is a medical information we women should know. :)

When something's off down there - itchiness, burning, weird discharge_women tend to blame yeast. But 65% of the time, they actually have bacterial vaginosis or an STD (both of which can be dangerous if untreated). The vagisil screening kit (at least $17 at drugstores) measures vaginal ph; elevated levels point to a bacterial infection or an STD, which require prescription treatment. A self test can be a good idea. It cut's a woman's odds of misdiagnosing herself and missing a serious infection. If results indicates yeast, try an over-the-counter fix, then see your doctor if symptoms persist, says ob-gyne Suzanne Merrill-Nach, M.D. If pH is elevated, go straight to your doctor.