3 Diagnostic Questions About Desquamative Inflammatory Vaginitis

Another appointment can feel exhausting when you have already explained the same discomfort several times. If desquamative inflammatory vaginitis, or DIV, comes up, ask what evidence supports it and what still needs checking. You deserve an explanation you can follow.

Three diagnostic questions

1. Was the sample examined under a microscope? DermNet¹ describes a wet mount showing increased inflammatory and parabasal cells, alongside raised vaginal pH. Ask what the report showed and whether microscopy was available.¹

2. Which other causes were considered? Testing should exclude infectious causes, and other forms of vaginitis, including erosive lichen planus, can resemble DIV. A negative result for one infection does not supply the whole diagnosis.¹

3. How will we judge the treatment response? Clinician-directed treatment can include vaginal clindamycin and hydrocortisone. Treatment may continue for weeks or require ongoing intermittent use. If it does not help, the diagnosis and plan need reconsideration.¹

Keep the previous attempts together

Before the visit, list the products you used, their dates and what you noticed afterward. Include prescriptions and products bought without a prescription. A single page is easier to hand over than a history scattered across your phone.

Ask for the treatment instructions and follow-up arrangement in writing. You can also say which explanation needs repeating. Understanding the plan is part of the appointment, even when the visit is running late.

Down There, Decoded includes a Down-There Log, symptom sorter and appointment script. Use them to organize the history and questions you want to bring. See the book.