Yeast Infection: Description, Causes and Treatment

What is Yeast Infection?

This kind of infection is most common among women. However, many remain ignorant or unaware of this medical problem. It is important to know the symptoms, dangers, and related conditions of yeast infection to be able to treat it early on. It is also necessary to determine the various causes of this disease to be able to avoid it before it even happens. Finally, it will be most helpful for any female person if she is also knowledgeable of the several possible treatments for yeast infection to be able to curtail it immediately.

Not many women are familiar with the term “yeast infection”. However, more women are probably aware of or have experienced previously the symptoms of this condition. The top three signs of having yeast infection are itching, burning and pain, and discharge. Itching of any part of the skin or body is usually caused by an infestation of foreign organisms such as fungi or bacteria in a particular area of the body. In the case of yeast infection, the affected portion is the vaginal part and the surrounding areas. The infection can cause intense itching that rashes or redness usually develop secondary to scratching. Another indication is a burning or painful sensation in that area especially when urinating. The skin in a woman's vaginal part may already contain sores due to frequent scratching that when placed in contact with the acidity of urine may cause pain or a burning sensation. This feeling may be similar to that which is experienced when having urinary track infection, however, they occur at different areas of the body. Lastly, some women report of having discharges that are usually described as odorless, white, and cheese-like. At other instances, a starch-like odor is said to be observed from the discharges.

Yeast infection itself is not considered as highly dangerous, however, it can be very irritating and disturbing especially among women who are already preoccupied with other responsibilities or tasks. On the other hand, like most infections, it is highly transferable to other individuals including the opposite sex. Certain conditions of the body may make it easier for a person to acquire this disease such as diabetes and use of antibiotics.

Other health problems which are usually associated with yeast infection include urinary tract infections and possible complications during pregnancy. However, these are not scientifically-based and are yet to be proven or negated in future studies.

What causes Yeast Infection?

The scientific term for yeast infection is Candidiasis. This was derived from the the yeast organism or fungus-like Candida that causes this condition. Fungus thrives in dark and moist areas such as the vaginal area of women. Certain health conditions such as pregnancy and diabetes make people, especially women, more prone to acquiring yeast infection. Pregnancy causes a change in the metabolic balance and vaginal acidity of women which is more favorable to fungus growth. Fungus are also known to thrive among individuals with high sugar levels such as in the case of people with diabetes and those with defects in sugar metabolism.

What are the treatments for Yeast Infection?

Various oral medications such as Diflucan or fluconazole and topical treatments may be prescribed by doctors to cure yeast infection. Home remedies such as using yogurt and garlic, whether internally and externally, can also be done. It is, however, important to consult a doctor first prior to applying any of the available remedies to avoid complications and further harm.

Yeast Infection Remedies

You will never know what can be very useful in your kitchen. Just a little flick of your hand, your basic ingredients and seasonings may become an effective yeast infection remedies .Might sound unbelievable, but it's true. The microorganisms Candida albicans, causes yeast infections. But don’t be surprised to know that home remedies for yeast infection can be very effective in getting rid of these microorganisms.

Candida is a kind of microorganism that is always present in our body. When its environment, including our body, changes the growth of the fungi suddenly increases which causes the infections. This change in the environment may vary from acid and alkaline imbalance to poor nutrition. Some triggers also include an increase intake of sugar, changes in the body’s hormones, antibiotics, and even birth control pills. Any one of these or combination of these factors can trigger the proliferation of the fungi resulting to infections bringing with it the problems of itching, burning, irritation, and the presence of white or yellowish discharge.

Although a number of products are commercially available to help soothe the discomfort brought by yeast infection, you might find these yeast infection remedies products a little expensive or buying them would be quite inconvenient or you need the remedy this instant. Also, there might be a chance that the fungi develop a resistance to commercially available medicines.

Some of the remedies that have been recommended include the use of borax especially if the yeast infection causes discharge that looks like egg white; calcarea carbonica to help with the itching and burning sensations felt before and after menstruation; kali bichromicum to remedy a very uncomfortable discharge with itching and burning; natrum muriaticum; pulsatilla; sepia; and sulphur.

You can fight microorganisms with other microorganisms. We’re talking about the use of probiotics which are friendly microbial organisms that occur naturally in the digestive tract and vagina. The growth of probiotic microorganism suppresses the growth of the Candida which cases the infections. It’s a battle of microorganisms.

There’s a big chance that these yeast infection remedies are not readily available in your homes. There are natural and more home made remedies that are available to you.

Garlic has been found to be effective by some people when it comes to treating yeast infections. What you can do is get a couple of garlic cloves and smash and convert it into paste. You then apply that garlic paste around the vagina area. The antibacterial properties of garlic can help in getting rid of those pesky fungi. The only setback would be the smell.

A not so smelly alternative would be the use of honey. However, the smell may not be as strong as garlic but the stickiness of honey would be quite uncomfortable. Nevertheless, according to testimonials applying honey on the affected regions helps alleviate the various symptoms of the infection. You apply honey and leave it for about 30 minutes before rinsing with warm water.

Another good antibacterial and anti fungal remedy would be vinegar. Vinegar mixed in warm water is said to be quite effective. You need to soak the area for at least 20 minutes though to see and feel some effects. Cider vinegar is said to be more effective.

These are but a few of the home remedies for yeast infection. There might be a couple of others that you might heard of but before you decide to use them, it would be best to ask around or read more about them to make sure that you won’t be doing more harm than good.

Treating Yeast Infections

Treating yeast infections can be administered at home with prescription medication or potentially after recommendations from people who have experienced it. Treatment can take effect within a week. If your infection is not too severe, you can continue with your home treatment, but if you are experiencing heavy infections, it is important to consult your doctor. There might be some symptoms that means your particular infection is not appropriate for self-treatment or medication.

You can buy yeast infection treatments over the counter (OTC) in drugstores without a prescription from the doctor. Some examples of common treatments are: Miconazole, Tioconazole, Butoconazole and Clotrimazole.

These medications are known as the azole treatments, which block the production of ergosterol. Ergosterol is present in yeast cell walls. In the absence of ergosterol, the yeast cell wall deteriorates and the yeast cell dies. Azole treatments are proven safe to use and are known to effectively fight probable symptoms of yeast infection.

Nystatin and amphotericin B. are good treatments, which can be found in Polyene antifungals. Nystatin is known to be effective for superficial candidal infections and also for thrush while amphotericin B is reserved for more serious cases of fungal infection. These works by attacking ergosterol in the yeast cell wall.

These treatments are applied by topically over a period of 1-7 days, but always read the labels carefully for the correct application procedure. You should watch carefully in case irritation occurs. If it does, you should discontinue using the medication immediately. Pregnant women are not advised to use these medications without prescription from their doctors.

Other ways of treating yeast infections include pills, creams, troches, lotions and vaginal depositories. To know the right and safe option, you should always seek the advice of your doctor.

OTC products are useful in treating vaginal yeast infections. They tend to be made up of four active ingredients that stop the spread of yeast infection. These drugs are part of the anti-fungal family, which works actively to stop and break down the cell wall of the Candida and bacteria. OTC treatments have been approved by the FDA to effectively stop forms of yeast infection, however, it is useful to be aware that antibiotics may disrupt the balance of healthy bacteria present in the vagina and intestine, which may lead to diarrhea, vaginitis and constipation.

It is important to carefully understand and take seriously yeast infection treatment. If it is your first time visiting your doctor regarding a yeast infection, you should be open and candid with the symptoms that you have as this will help the doctor determine if your infection is manageable or needs more serious treatments. When the doctor explains the effects and how you can properly do treating yeast infections , you should listen closely so that you can apply the treatment effectively. The use of vaginal suppositories and creams need the right dosage as if used incorrectly your infection may get worse.

Female Yeast Infection – An Unseen Battle

Some yeast can be found harmlessly inside our bodies bout when they grow and multiply, they become a yeast infection. It is necessary to know the causes of female yeast infection and how it affects you so that predominately preventive measures can be taken. There are mainly three things that can make you susceptible to yeast infections.

First, during pregnancy, your increased estrogen level causes your vagina to produce more glycogen, making it easy for yeast to grow there. Yeast infections are very common in pregnant women, especially during the second trimester. This type of yeast infection is hard to prevent, as the causes of yeast infection in pregnancy is natural. However, you can help by wearing loose fitting, cotton underwear, avoid taking baths and limit your intake of sugary food as yeast needs sugar to grow.

Second is by taking antibiotics. As stated earlier, there are many yeast organisms present in our bodies, which are not harmful. Bacteria also live inside our bodies, which is essential to our health and is usually harmless. The presence of yeast and bacteria inside our bodies should be maintained in balance with one another. Taking antibiotics might kill the bacteria, which allows the yeast to grow rapidly, thereby causing yeast infection. It is important to maintain the balance of yeast and good bacteria in our body so that we can prevent the growth of infections. Therefore, it is advisable to only take antibiotics when it is strictly necessary.

The third common cause is sexual intercourse. Semen is more alkaline than vaginal fluids. Which causes the production and growth of yeast. During sexual intercourse, some internal tissues can become irritated and inflamed, leaving them susceptible to infection. Some birth control devices that contain spermicide can also cause irritation. The use of prophylactics during intercourse can also increase irritation as they are usually coated in spermicide.

There are other factors that might affect your vaginal balance. Stress can be a contributing factor. If a person is stressed your immune system becomes compromised, which invites the growth of yeast. Staying clean is an important factor to fight the production of yeast inside our body. If someone has a high carbohydrate intake like alcohol and refined sugars, this creates the perfect environment for yeast growth. A diet high in sugary foods can lead to Diabetes, which in turn is another cause of female yeast infection . Clothing is another source of irritation and can encourage forms of fungal growth. Non-ventilating clothing increases warmth and moisture, the ideal breeding ground for yeast to reproduce rapidly.