How to Check for Yeast Infections: The 4 Best At-Home Vaginal pH Tests

A common type of infection is one caused by yeast. A yeast infection has happened to about 75 percent of women at least once in their lives. Yeast infections can be painful, but they are usually easy to treat.

But you have to figure out what they are before you can treat them.

A doctor can easily tell if a woman has a vaginal infection. That’s your best bet, since only a doctor can tell for sure if you have a yeast infection or not.

But if you can’t get to a doctor or nurse, you might want to try a vaginal pH test at home. With these over-the-counter (OTC) tests, you can find out how acidic your vaginal secretions are. They can’t tell you for sure if you have a yeast infection, but they can help you rule out other types of infections.

Quick look at our picks for the best at-home vaginal pH tests

• Best drugstore vaginal pH test: CVS Health Feminine Screening Kit for Vaginal Infections
• Easiest vaginal pH test to read: Natureland Vaginal pH Test
• Best discreet vaginal pH test: Stix Vaginal pH Tests
• Best inexpensive vaginal pH test: PGYARD Vaginal pH Test

Pricing guide

Home vaginal pH tests are not too expensive. They are easy to find online or at the drugstore near you.

• $ = under $12
• $$ = $12–$15
• $$$ = over $15

Healthline’s picks for the best vaginal pH tests

Best drugstore vaginal pH test

CVS Health Feminine Screening Kit for Vaginal Infections

• Price: $$$

A pH test that works well and doesn’t cost much can be found at any drugstore. This kit from CVS comes with two swabs and can tell you in just a few seconds if your vaginal pH is off.

People who wrote reviews said it helped them decide if they needed to see their gynaecologist. But reviewers say that for the price, the kit should have come with more swabs.

Just like any other at-home vaginal pH test, this one can’t tell you for sure if you have a yeast infection.

Easiest vaginal pH test to read

Natureland Vaginal pH Test

• Price: $$

This kit comes with 40 pH strips that you can use to test how acidic your vaginal discharge is. It’s simple to use and understand, and it comes with a lot of strips in case the first one doesn’t work.

Since each strip is in its own package, it is easy to carry and store.

Customers like how easy it is to read the rainbow chart on these strips and how fast the results show up. One reviewer who had to keep an eye on her pH levels all the time said that this kit was just what she needed to see if her levels were getting better during her treatments.

Best discreet vaginal pH test

Stix Vaginal pH Tests

• Price: $

Stix delivers to your home and is approved by urologists. This kit was made with women in mind by women.

The kits are sent to your door in a discreet box, and you can get results quickly.

Each kit has two test swabs and easy-to-follow directions. Also, the brand has subscription options for people who need to check their pH levels regularly.

Reviews show that customers who are prone to yeast infections and those who want cheap options are happy with the tests. Some people like that the test is private and they don’t have to go to the pharmacy as often.

Best inexpensive vaginal pH test

PGYARD Vaginal pH Test

• Price: $$

This kit comes with 50 strips, 10 per pack, and is easy to use for people who need to test their pH regularly. The chart that comes with the kit makes it easy to read the results.

People who get bacterial vaginosis (BV) and yeast infections often say that this kit was useful and right when they felt an infection coming on.

People with diabetes who have to keep an eye on Candida also use this kit, and they say it helps them keep track of Candida.

When should you get tested for a yeast infection?

If you have a yeast infection, you may feel the following:

• burning
• itching
• thick vaginal discharge that’s white or yellow

If you have any of these signs, you might want to find out if you have a yeast infection. See a doctor if this is your first infection or if you’ve tried self-treating but nothing has helped.

If you can’t see a doctor right away, you can use a pH test kit to see if the pH levels in your vaginal fluid are off.

What to expect from a yeast infection test

The best way to find out if you have a yeast infection is to have a doctor give you a vaginitis test.

The sample will be taken with a clean cotton swab by the doctor. The sample will then be looked at with a microscope to see if there is an infection.

If you do a pH test at home, you will hold one of the pH strips against the inside of your vaginal wall for a few seconds.

Then, you’ll look at the chart that came with your kit and compare the colour of the strip to it. This will let you know if your pH level is off, but it can’t tell for sure if you have a yeast infection.

What to do after receiving yeast infection test results

If you take a pH test at home and think you might have a yeast infection, you can treat it yourself with OTC medication like miconazole and clotrimazole.

Calamine or a cream with 1 percent hydrocortisone can help stop vulvar itching. Also, wearing cotton underwear or other breathable underwear can help keep symptoms from getting worse.

If a doctor tells you what’s wrong, they may give you prescription medicine or you can buy over-the-counter medicine.

People who recurrent yeast infections over and over again might be treated differently. A doctor might, for example, look at a fungal culture or suggest stronger prescription drugs.

FAQs about yeast infection tests

Can an at-home test check for yeast infection?

No. Yeast infections can’t be found with pH tests at home. They can only tell you if your pH is normal in your vaginal area.

Remember that a high pH doesn’t always mean that you have an infection. In the same way, a low or normal pH doesn’t mean that there isn’t an infection.

The best way to find out for sure if you have a yeast infection is to see a doctor.

How do doctors test for yeast infections?

When looking for an infection, doctors often do a vaginitis test. They will take a sample of your vaginal discharge with a swab. This sample is then looked at under a microscope.

This test is the best way to find out if you have a yeast infection or if it’s something else, like BV, chlamydia, or trichomoniasis.

Is it OK to take yeast infection medication without getting a test from a doctor first?

If you’ve had a yeast infection before and have similar symptoms, you can treat it on your own. It’s also okay to do if you’ve talked to a doctor and he or she has confirmed that your symptoms are from a yeast infection and suggested treatment.

But if you have a serious infection, it’s best to talk to a doctor. yeast infections don’t cause every itch or discharge.

As soon as you can, make an in-person appointment with a doctor. If your symptoms are bad, you can start taking over-the-counter (OTC) miconazole while you wait for your appointment.

How we chose the best vaginal pH tests

We made sure to look at well-known brands whose customers had good things to say about the products. We also thought about how easy these tests are to take and how fast you get the results.

As was already said, these tests can’t tell you for sure if you have a yeast infection or not. Instead, they’ll tell you if the pH levels in your body are off.

Most yeast infections have pH levels that are low, but some infections, like BV, have pH levels that are high.

If you’re not sure if your symptoms are caused by an infection, it’s best to see a doctor to find out for sure and get treatment.

Takeaway

If you have a yeast infection or think you might have one, you need to see a doctor to be sure. You can only learn so much about your symptoms from tests you can do at home.

For mild cases, you might be able to treat yourself with an over-the-counter (OTC) drug, but for severe cases, you’ll probably need a prescription drug.

As with any kind of infection, it’s best to see a doctor to confirm a diagnosis and get treatment as soon as possible.