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Identifying a thrush infection

What are the signs?
The surest way to confirm you have a thrush infection is to get tested.
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Phone you local GUM clinic and see if they can arrange an emergency appointment within the next 24 hours.
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Alternatively, phone your GP and ask for a same-day appointment to get swabbed.
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If both of the above fail, phone 111 and ask for an emergency appointment same day to get swabbed.
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As soon as you can after getting swabbed, use a clotrimazole pessary if you have had thrush before and it has not failed as a treatment before. You may need to lie down for a long period of time for this to be effective – nighttime is best but see if you can take time off work to lie down and let the medication work.
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It's advisable to have boric acid pessaries on hand to use if the clotrimazole fails and the infection does not clear in 10 days. Some doctors might suggest a 500mg medical-grade boric acid pessary once a night for 14 nights until you can see a vulva consultant. Note for some women boric acid pessaries irritate their skin, if your symptoms worsen after boric acid use - discontinue and wait to see a vulva derm (do not wait long!) You can try phoning 111 and ask for a gynaecologist to prescribe you a long-course oral itraconazole (a second-line azole drug) until you see a clinician in person.
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Discharge:
A thrush infection is associated with white cottage cheese discharge however this is not always clear as healthy vaginal discharge is often white and contains clumps anyway. This highlights the importance of testing.
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Burning feeling in the vagina as well as the vulva is a strong sign that a thrush infection is present.
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Chronic feeling of a thrush infection:
If you have had a thrush infection and you now test negative but still feel burning at the entrance of your vagina, vestibulodynia is highly suspect.
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See a vulva dermatologist or vulva clinic at your first opportunity to do so.