Common symptoms of a yeast infection include:

  • vaginal itching
  • a thick, odorless vaginal discharge
  • vaginal burning
  • painful sexual intercourse
  • vaginal irritation
  • painful urination

You might have all of the above symptoms or just a few of them. Every woman is different and every yeast infection is different. A yeast infection left untreated can become more severe too.

Other Diseases with Similar Symptoms


The above symptoms can also manifest with diseases like chlamydia and bacterial vaginosis. This is why it is best to check with your GP if you have not experienced symptoms like this before.

The best way to get a yeast infection diagnosis is to visit your doctor but if you are pretty sure you have a yeast infection (if you get recurrant yeast infections or if you have had them before) you might be able to diagnose yourself.

The symptoms of a yeast infection are non-specific. This means that other conditions can cause the same symptoms, which is why a visit to a GP is recommended. The most common symptom is itching in and around the vagina.

You might also have soreness, burning, pain during sex or when urinating and a discharge. You do not always get a discharge with a yeast infection but if you have one it will be thick, white and a bit like cottage cheese. You might also have local pain in or around your vaginal area.

If you have recurring yeast infections (like 5% of yeast infection sufferers do) they might be caused by an underlying medical condition. This means you will need stronger treatment.

If a cheesy white discharge covers the vaginal walls, this is normally enough to indicate a yeast infection. Your doctor might want to scrape a sample for lab analysis though, just to be sure. The quickest way to identify whether or not you have a yeast infection is to look at the yeast under a microscope.