Should You Test Yourself For A Vaginal Yeast Infection With A Yeast Infection Home Test Kit?

First, I want to discuss why you need a yeast infection test if you have yeast symptoms. And then I’ll talk about how the test works and when you can do a home test and when you need to seek medical attention.

Do you need a test?

It can be difficult to know by the symptoms if you have a yeast infection or other infection. Studies indicate that only 33% of women can accurately self-diagnose a yeast infection by symptoms alone. But the accuracy goes up to 96% by using a yeast infection home test.

The symptoms of yeast infections are similar to those of other vaginal infections such as itching, irritation, redness, a burning sensation when urinating, a thick vaginal discharge and possible odor. Women may think they have a yeast infection when they could have another type of vaginal infection such as bacterial vaginosis. According to The National Institutes of Health, bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in women of reproductive age. Another infection with similar symptoms is trichomoniasis which is often occurs in young, sexually active women.

So, yes, it’s a good idea to have a test because you’ll want to know for sure if you have a yeast infection or vaginosis or STD that can be more serious and needs medical treatment.

If you’ve had a vaginal yeast infection before, you probably know the symptoms and you know how to treat it yourself at home. But if you’re susceptable to recurrent yeast infections you should see a doctor as this can indicate a more serious yeast problem.

Before starting a treatment, it’s important to know if you have a yeast infection, STD or viral or bacterial infection. If you have trichomoniasis or a bacterial vaginosis infection, you’ll need to see a doctor and be treated with antibiotics. But if you wrongly take antibiotics, they won’t stop your yeast infection and can actually cause yeast infections.

By knowing what kind of infection you have faster, you can start looking at options to treat your infection and you can start feeling better faster.

Taking a test is the best way to diagnose a yeast infection. If you think you might have a vaginal yeast infection but aren’t sure, you can either go to a doctor or you can use a home yeast infection kit.

Why Test At Home?

A yeast infection home test kit offers an easy, convenient and inexpensive way to find out if you  have a vaginal yeast infection or other infection, and you can do the test in the privacy of your home.

Here are some more benefits of using a home test kit:

• A home yeast test kit is inexpensive and gives accurate results. 
• Save time. You don't have to wait to get a doctor's appointment, you don’t have to drive to the doctor’s office, don’t have to wait in the waiting room and you don’t have to talk about your embarrassing situation and get an uncomfortable exam.
• You can avoid a doctor’s bill. The doctor will likely do a swab test and send it to the lab which means that in addition to the doctor’s bill, you’ll also get a lab bill.  You can avoid these costs by buying a yeast infection test kit. 
• You can get the results of the home test right away and start the treatment for your vaginal itching and burning and get immediate relief.

Here are some of the negatives of using a home test kit:

• If the test indicates that you have a different kind of infection, you’ll still have to go see a doctor.
• The kit will not tell you if you have an STD, nor will it tell you the exact type of vaginal infection you have.
• The positive reviews mention that the test is easy to use and that the instructions gave a good explanation of what the different PH levels could mean, and the results are instant and easy to read. But others contradict that and find the results confusing and unclear. Some people report not seeing much change in the color of the strips (they don’t understand that this indicates that they don’t have a more severe infection).
• Some people find that the kit if overpriced. The price is typically around $13-15 online and can be more expensive in drug stores. Others mention that the test strips are overpriced. You could purchase PH strips on a roll that can do the same thing but they take a little more work and won’t have the detailed instructions on how to use them and how to read the results as the kit does.
• There are several circumstances where you shouldn’t use this product. Don’t use it if you’re menopausal, pregnant or nursing because of changed estrogen levels. Do not use during your period, immediately after sexual intercourse, or after douching. Wait at least 5 days after your period has ended, and at least 48 hours after intercourse or douching to use the kit. These factors can raise your pH level.

How The Vagisil Screening Kit Home Test Kit Works

Should you use this home test or should you go to a doctor to get an exam and diagnosis?
I’ll start by discussing what the test does and doesn’t do and how it works.

The test is simple to use. It tests the Ph levels inside the vagina using a special paper.

Here’s what Lauren Streicher, MD says about pH at the website of Doctor Oz:

“PH refers to the vagina’s acidity level. A vaginal pH of 3.5 - 4.5 indicates that there is a perfect amount of good bacteria (lactobacilli), and no overgrowth of the bad bacteria that can cause odor, irritation and sometimes infection. At its extreme, the result of too much bad bacteria is bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV, not yeast, is the most common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge, accounting for 40 to 50% of cases ... Women with BV are at risk for many more serious medical conditions including preterm delivery, post-hysterectomy infection, and an increased tendency to acquire STD’s such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. They also have an increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease and subsequent infertility.”
The kit contains two vaginal wands with pH paper, instructions and a pH guide. A woman inserts one of the wands into her vagina, removes it, then compares the color of the pH swab to the colors on the guide.  The number that corresponds with the color match is your vaginal pH. 

A yeast infection usually doesn't cause an increase in pH so your pH will be normal. In other words, if your pH is normal, your symptoms may be due to a yeast infection. A normal vaginal pH will give you a yellow reading which barely changes the paper. The color will be the same color or slightly darker. An above normal pH usually points to BV or a STD or another condition that needs medical treatment which will show up as dark green or blue depending on how severe it is.

Conclusion

The test is not perfect and not fool proof but it can give you peace of mind. The Vagisil Screening Kit, 2-Count Package only indicates your pH level and if your pH is normal, you’re likely to have a yeast infection.

If your ph is high, the kit will indicate that you can have a bacterial infection and you need to see a doctor to find out what type of infection you have and to get treatment and a prescription.

If you have yeast symptoms, and your ph is normal, you can use home remedies or over the counter remedies for a yeast infection and your symptoms will typically go away. If they don’t go away, then you either have another type of infection that needs a prescription, or you have a bad yeast infection that needs more than just an over the counter treatment.

If you believe you have a vaginal yeast infection but aren’t sure, and don’t want to see a doctor, buying a yeast infection kit is an alternative. If you are concerned about having a different type of infection or a severe type of yeast infection, you should see a doctor. Seeing a doctor is always the safest thing to do at least to get a proper diagnosis. If you find out that you just have a yeast infection, then you have several treatment options you can choose from, including natural remedies.

Vagisil Screening Kit is a test for vaginal infections that you can do from the comfort and privacy of your own home.
This product gets mixed reviews. Some people are very happy with this while others don't find it too useful.