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Step 1
Determine how many symptoms you have. Common symptoms of vaginal infections include itching, burning, redness, abnormal discharge, odor and pain. Create a list of your symptoms to determine how severe your infection is.
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Step 2
Rate each symptoms based on their severity. Use a scale between one and five, with one being only mildly severe and five being extremely severe. The rating needs to be based on how disruptive the symptoms are to your life and comfort. For example, if you have vaginal itching that is only slightly uncomfortable then you can rate it a one, however, if the itching is accompanied by a burning sensation then you may want to rate it as a three or four.
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Step 3
Evaluate how long you have had your symptoms. Occasional vaginal discomfort is normal, however, it your symptoms have lasted longer than a couple of days, or if they seem to be getting worse, then chances are you have a vaginal infection and it is getting worse.
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Step 4
Utilize the McGill Pain Questionnaire to evaluate the severity of your vaginal infection based on the severity and type of pain you are experiencing. This questionnaire only takes about five minutes to complete. It uses a series of questions that have the patient select descriptive words about the pain that they are experiencing, for example, throbbing, annoying and blinding.
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Step 5
Look at your vaginal discharge for clues about the severity of your vaginal infection. Normal discharge is clear or white and is relatively odorless. If your discharge changes to a thick white substance that is accompanied by itching, then chances are you have a low grade yeast infection. However, if you have a yellow or green colored discharge that smells bad and is clumpy, then you most likely have a more severe vaginal infection and you need to go to your doctor for treatment.
