Canestest Self-Test for Vaginal Infections
If you're unsure if you have bacterial vaginosis or thrush, Canestest can help you to take control. Canestest is an innovative and reliable self-test to help you quickly determine which common vaginal infection (bacterial vaginosis or thrush) you may be suffering from and enable you to treat it quickly and effectively.
Canestest links vaginal pH and symptoms to a probable condition: first, the easy-to-use swab helps you to find out whether or not your vaginal pH level is abnormally increased. Then, this result should be interpreted in conjunction with the symptoms table on the pack, helping you to find the right treatment
Symptoms
Thrush and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are both common infections but need to be treated differently.
Thrush is caused by an overgrowth of the yeast (Candida albicans) causing symptoms such as itchiness, soreness or a white discharge.
BV is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria usually found in the vagina. BV symptoms usually include a fishy odour and a greyish-white, watery discharge.
With Canestest, you can test before you treat so you know you're using the right treatment for your infection.
How does Canestest work?
The vagina normally has an acidic pH level this keeps the good and bad bacteria that live there in check. Any changes to the vaginal pH balance can cause and can also be an indication of vaginal infections such as BV. Canestest tells you if you have a relevant pH shift and helps you to understand and diagnose the type of vaginal condition you're likely to suffer from. A higher vaginal pH indicates that you may be suffering from BV while a normal vaginal pH means your symptoms are probably caused by thrush. Canestest has been proven to help detect changes in vaginal pH with more than 90% accuracy.
How do you use Canestest?
It's easy and straightforward, in fact similar to inserting a tampon and it shouldn't cause any discomfort. To get the most accurate results you should not use Canestest less than one day before or after your period or if you have any signs of your period or vaginal bleeding. You also need to allow 12 hours after having sexual or vaginal douching.
Instructions
1. Unwrap the Canestest swab (make sure the swab tip does not come into contact with anything before you insert it into your vagina)
2. Hold the Canestest swab by the handle and insert the yellow tip into your vagina, rotate the swab and then remove
3. After 10 seconds check the tip of the Canestest swab to see if the colour has stayed the same or changed to blue or green
Precautions and considerations
Do not take any decision of medical relevance without first consulting your medical practitioner. Also, if you're unsure about the right treatment or confused about the result, please consult your doctor. Remember, Canestest won't be able to give you an accurate diagnosis in any of these situations:
- It's less than one day before or after your period
- There are signs that your period has arrived or you have any signs of vaginal bleeding
- It's been less than 12 hours since you've had sexual intercourse or used a vaginal douche
If you are pregnant, consult your physician, as interpreting test results during pregnancy and choosing a medication requires professional knowledge.
Some menopausal women may have an elevated vaginal pH, and may therefore receive a green/blue result with the swab even though they are not suffering from Bacterial Vaginosis or Trichomoniasis. As such, you should not use this test if you are menopausal.
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