Making the Diagnosis
Your doctor will first consider your history of vaginal infections or sexually transmitted infections and perform a physical or pelvic examination. If you have a discharge from your vagina, a sample will be sent to a lab for analysis to determine whether there's an infection or not. The doctor will check your vaginal pH, as this may provide a clue to the cause of the vaginitis.
If an infection is ruled out, your doctor will ask questions about what chemicals or irritants (e.g., douches or latex condoms) your vagina has been exposed to.
In some cases, vaginitis can be diagnosed simply by considering a woman's age, as postmenopausal women are prone to irritation of the vaginal lining.