Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffDiagnosis of vaginal dryness may involve:
- Pelvic exam. Your doctor visually inspects your external genitalia, vagina and cervix and inserts gloved fingers into your vagina to feel (palpate) your pelvic organs for signs of disease.
- Pap test. Your doctor collects a sample of cervical cells for microscopic examination. He or she may also take a sample of vaginal secretions to check for signs of vaginal inflammation (vaginitis) or to confirm vaginal changes related to estrogen deficiency.
- Urine test. You provide a urine sample to be analyzed for urinary conditions, if you have associated urinary symptoms.
References
- Bachmann G, et al. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of vaginal atrophy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Casper RF. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of menopause. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- The North American Menopause Society. The role of local vaginal estrogen for treatment of vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: 2007 position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2007;14:357.
- Bachmann G, et al. Treatment of vaginal atrophy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Cedars MI, et al. Menopause. In: Gibbs RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:725.
- Ibe C, et al. Vulvovaginal atrophy: Current and future therapies. Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2010;7:1042.
- Fox R, et al. Clinical manifestations of Sjogren's syndrome: Exocrine gland disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Vaginitis. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp028.cfm. Accessed May 26, 2010.

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