Urinary & women’s health
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (yeast infection)
For a suspected yeast infection, the pharmacist's first task is making sure that is really what it is, because several conditions imitate it and the wrong guess wastes a week. Murray Shore Pharmacy in North York offers the assessment in a private consultation room, covered by OHIP, with a prescription where appropriate.
Common signs
- Vaginal and vulvar itching, often intense
- Thick, white discharge resembling cottage cheese, typically without a strong odour
- Redness, swelling, or soreness of the vulva
- Burning with urination or intercourse
- A similar, confirmed episode in the past
See a doctor instead if
- A first-ever episode, where confirming the diagnosis matters most
- Pregnancy
- Fever, chills, or pelvic or lower abdominal pain
- Discharge that is grey, green, yellow, or foul-smelling, which points to a different infection
- Four or more episodes in a year
Any of these sound like you? Call 416-789-1800 and we will point you the right way — or reach Health811 (opens in a new tab) by calling 811.
How the assessment works
The assessment is history-based and private: no examination, no swab, just precise questions about the discharge, the itch, your cycle, recent antibiotics, and whether you have had a confirmed episode before, because recognizing a repeat of a known infection is where pharmacist assessment is strongest. Where the picture fits an uncomplicated recurrence, an antifungal may be prescribed where appropriate. First episodes, pregnancy, and anything atypical are referred, since those situations deserve a confirmed diagnosis rather than a probable one.
Sources 1, 2Three ways to get started. Do it all from home, or come in.
Start online from your phone, call us, or walk in and ask for the pharmacist. No appointment is needed. When you start online, a pharmacist calls or messages you back to finish the assessment. Prefer email? Write to us.
Frequently asked questions
Plain answers from the pharmacy team. Tap a question to open it.
This is my first yeast infection ever. Why does that change things?
Because several conditions cause similar symptoms, and the first episode is when misdiagnosis is most likely. A physician can confirm what it actually is; after that, recognizing and treating recurrences is exactly what the pharmacy assessment is built for.
Will I need an exam or a swab at the pharmacy?
No. The pharmacist assessment is entirely conversation, held in a closed room. When your answers make the diagnosis genuinely uncertain, the honest next step is a physician visit where a swab is possible, and we will say exactly that.
I am pregnant and fairly sure it is a yeast infection. Can you prescribe?
Pregnancy takes this out of the pharmacy program's hands, so no. We will refer you to your physician or midwife promptly, and the assessment notes we send along mean you will not be starting the conversation from zero.
The over-the-counter treatment I bought did nothing. Now what?
Treatment failure is information: either the diagnosis was wrong, the course was not completed as directed, or something is complicating the picture. The assessment works through all three possibilities before anything else is suggested, which is more useful than buying a second box on a hunch.
I get these infections every couple of months. Is a prescription each time the answer?
No. Four or more episodes a year is defined as recurrent candidiasis and needs a physician to look for what is driving it. We will assess the current episode honestly and document the frequency so the referral carries weight.
Is the assessment covered by OHIP?
Yes, the assessment is billed to OHIP with a valid Ontario health card. If treatment is prescribed, the medication goes through your drug plan or is paid out of pocket.
Do I need an appointment, and how private is the visit?
No appointment needed, and the entire conversation happens in a closed consultation room, never at the counter. If you prefer to time your visit, call 416-789-1800 first.
What should I bring?
Your Ontario health card, a list of your medications, and the name of anything you have already tried for this episode. If you have had a confirmed yeast infection before, mention roughly when; that history is part of what makes a pharmacy assessment appropriate.
Can the pharmacist actually prescribe treatment?
Yes, where clinically appropriate, treatment may be prescribed at the end of the assessment, so you can leave with it the same visit. Where the picture is uncertain or complicated, you get a referral and a clear reason instead.
Could my symptoms be something other than yeast?
Yes, several conditions overlap, including bacterial infections and simple irritation from products, which is why the assessment asks detailed questions rather than assuming. MedlinePlus has a plain-language overview if you want to read ahead.
What helps prevent yeast infections from returning?
Skip douching and scented products in that area, change out of wet swimwear promptly, and favour breathable cotton underwear. If infections keep returning despite these habits, that pattern belongs in front of a physician, and we will say so.
Sources & further reading
Numbered references, linked from the sections above.
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416-789-1800 Call nowPrefer not to call? Email info@murrayshore.com or visit us at Bathurst & Baycrest.