What's the difference between vaginal atrophy and a yeast infection?

Readers ask this when they are unsure which of the two they are dealing with.

Let a clinician examine you

Ask a clinician to examine you and tell you which one it is, and ask before booking whether that exam and any lab test are in the visit fee. The notes listed below help you describe what you notice.

Reading that gives you words for the visit

For a clear explanation of one side, one hospital system has a page on vaginal atrophy, its causes, symptoms and treatment. Reading it first gives you words to use at your visit. A broader list of changes that people connect to menopause is on a menopause symptoms and relief page, and a section on sexual health from The Menopause Society addresses the topic directly.

What to write down

Before the visit, note these things so the clinician can work from specifics:

What you feel, and where.
When it started and whether it comes and goes.
What you have already tried, including anything bought without a prescription.
Where you are in your cycle, or whether your periods have stopped.

Do not assume one explanation and treat for it before you are examined. If you are unsure, say so.

What to ask the clinic about the fee

Ask before booking what the visit includes. A few plain questions help:

Is the exam part of the visit fee, and are any lab tests billed separately?
If the answer is not clear in one visit, is a second visit a new charge?
If treatment is prescribed, what does it cost at the pharmacy and at the clinic?

A page on menopause treatment can help you prepare for the treatment conversation.

When symptoms call for a clinician

Pricing questions help you plan the visit, but only an examination can tell vaginal atrophy from a yeast infection. If you have pain, unusual discharge, bleeding or anything that worries you, contact a licensed clinician.