(NAPSA)—While it may often be possible to diagnose many common illnesses yourself, sometimes making a mistake can result in delayed treatment, causing the problem to turn into something moreserious. That’s what often happens with vaginal infections. “Far too many women are misdiagnosing themselves and inappropriately selftreating. They don’t realize that mistreatment or delays in treating some infections like bacterial vagi- E nosis (BV) can greatly increase a woman’s chance of developing more serious obstetric and gynecological conditions, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility,” said Dr. Marie Savard, an internist, women’s health expert and author. Approximately 50 percent of women with symptomsof a vaginal infection self-treat with overthe-counter (OTC) medications designed to treat yeast infections. The problem is that an estimated 70 to 80 percent of women do not have yeast infections, but maysuffer from a potentially more serious form of infection such as BV, trichomoniasis (Trich) or a combination infection that requires a prescription treatment. Fortunately, new self-diagnostic products are making it easier for women to properly diagnose the causeof their infection. One new product getting favorable reviews from women is known as Fem-V, a product from publicly held Synova Healthcare. It’s easy to use. Women presenting with symptomsof itching, abnormaldis- fi A newtest is helping women to avoid misdiagnosing a common but potentially serious health problem. charge or odor simply wear a pantiliner (attached like a traditional pantiliner) until a vaginal discharge appears. They then remove an indicator strip housed inside the liner and place it in a drying tray for 10 minutes. If a blue-green color stain appears on the test, a doctor’s visit is required to further evaluate a possible bacterial vaginosis infection, trichomoniasis or other concern. If no blue-green color stain remains, the infection is likely due to the yeast and an OTC anti-fungal treatment maybe considered. According to Dr. Savard, the new test helps ensure faster and healthier outcomes by empowering women to test and treat themselves properly. For more information, visit www.fem-yv.com.
