Vulvar and vaginal disorders are a sometimes overlooked category of disease in women. It seems as though minor discomforts in this region are fairly common, and because of that women are not sure when to seek evaluation. As a result, as a physician, I often meet women who have suffered for too long and have allowed vulvar and vaginal disease to affect their activities and relationships. Hopefully some of this information can change this. 

Vaginitis 

Most women have had vaginitis at some time in their life. The term simply means infection in the vagina. It is a broad category of infections that are often caused by the organisms that normally populate the vagina. Examples would include yeast and bacterial vaginosis. They can also be caused by sexually transmitted organisms. Treatments are usually always successful. 

Importance of Vaginitis: 

1. Vaginitis affects quality of life.

2. Certain types of vaginitis make it easier to catch more serious sexually transmitted infections such as Hepatitis and HIV. 

3. Certain types of vaginitis such as Bacterial Vaginosis make adverse pregnancy outcomes more likely. 

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Vulvar Disorders 

The vulva is simply the external genital structures from the pubic area all the way to the rectum.

Vulvar disease is generated from a combination of external influences like infections or irritation, combined with a reaction from the patient's own immune system. It is challenging to diagnose and, in adults, often requires biopsy. The differential diagnosis (list of things it could be from) is large, and ranges from the ordinary to the malignant. Treatments are varied, often multifaceted and usually given over a prolonged period of time. 

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