A vaginal yeast infection is a disease occurred by yeast which is a kind of fungus. It is also known as yeast vaginitis, candidal vulvovaginitis or candida vaginitis. Candida is a scientific name of yeast which causes vaginitis.
Approximately 90% of vaginal yeast infection occurs due to the candida albicans.
Candida albicans is a quick spreading fungus. It occurs by the complex symptoms including stress, gas, fatigue, weight gain, and joints pain. The Candida albicans is a part of gut flora (microorganisms). It stays in the digestive system. But certain conditions affect candida which causes it to spread.
Nearly, 75% of the women experience vaginal infections at some point in their life.
Almost 20% to 50% of women have candida in their vagina. The vaginal imbalance in bacteria causes to spread candida. The vaginal yeast infection can spread through sexual contact. You may develop an infection which transmitted through sexual contact.
The vaginal yeast infection also happens in women who are not sexually active. A healthy woman has normal yeast in the vagina. It can get disturb any time and lead to diseases.
Causes of Vaginal Yeast Infections
Table of Contents
The primary cause of vaginal yeast infection is a candida. There are some causes which affect normal candida and result in infection. Here are the causes in detail.
Antibiotics
Taking antibiotics for throat infection or any other diseases can affect the ecosystem of your body.
The antibiotics kill healthy bacteria which stay in the vagina. The yeast infection spread in dead bacteria. To boost healthy bacteria, your doctor may advise to take probiotic supplements along with your medicine. It will reduce the chances of infections.
Lactobacillus is the most dominant bacteria in the healthy woman vagina. Taking probiotic can be beneficial.
Eating yogurt is also a good choice for healthy bacteria.
Tampon and sanitary pads
The high-moisture climatic condition causes to breed yeast. The usage of tampons and pads for excess hours increase the moisture around the vagina. Increased sweat around vagina cause to disturb the normal yeast. As a result, yeast grows and leads to infections. In some cases, it causes rashes in the vagina and induces painful itching.
Changing your tampon every hour can be helpful in warm weather. It will prevent sweat and stops spreading bad bacteria.
Apart from a tampon, the sanitary pad also a cause for vaginal yeast infections.
Every girl gets information to change the pad every hour. But in a certain condition of busy schedule women often forget about changing the pad during their period. Keeping a sanitary pad for long hours can cause toxic shock syndrome. It will cause foul odor and irritation.
Wearing a panty liner to prevent discharge also needs to change frequently. Unchanged pad or panty liner surely cause your dry skin, itchiness, and yeast infection.
High Blood Sugar
The imbalance of blood sugar or increased diabetes results in developing a high risk of severe yeast infections. It may occur frequently.
Still, research going on, how diabetes connected to yeast overgrowth.
However, continue reading below to find the evidence of many possibilities.
The high glucose levels cause secretion in the sweat, urine, and mucus. Yeast grows on sugar. The high glucose secretions are the primary cause for the overgrowth of yeast.
The glycogen stores glucose. The increased level of glycogen in vagina reduces the pH which causes yeast growth.
In most cases, people with diabetes find difficult to reduce with a yeast infection. According to a research of 2015, hyperglycemia may result in the damage of immune proteins. These proteins are beta-defensins, which work against infections and eliminate microbes.
Contact with an infected partner
Vaginal yeast infections can spread through sexual contact. It may also spread by oral contact. An individual with an oral yeast infection can pass the disease to another person while kissing.
An infection free individual can also develop yeast infection by excess sexual activity. Having a lot of sex can imbalance the pH in the vagina. This condition leads to yeast infection by overtaking good bacteria.
Urinating after sex session can be helpful. Washing your genital parts before and after sex helps to prevent yeast growth.
Wearing tight underwear
Yes, tight underwear can trigger the yeast infection. Wearing the same underwear for long hours or days can trap sweat. The sweat and moisture around the vagina cause yeast overgrowth.
Wearing tight jeans or legging can be discomforting. It blocks air and prevents the vagina to breathe. Tight clothes are ok for short time fashion, but wearing too long can create heat and moisture. It can cause you rashes, itching, and yeast infection.
Wearing airtight cloth while sleep time can be distressing. During sleep, your overall body relaxes and need air to breathe. Therefore, avoid tight silky underwear and tight pants.
DNA
Some women are sensitive to candida albicans because of genetic mutation.
According to the research conducted by the National Institutes of Health and Medical in 2011 has shown about genes and yeast infection problem.
A healthy immune system identifies the excess growth of candida and activates defense. But women with genetic fault don’t make key proteins to defense the infections.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, hormonal changes imbalance vaginal pH. Every woman experiences vaginal yeast infection during pregnancy. You can have a safe treatment with the help of your doctor.
The pregnancy causes to produce more glycogen. It happens because of high levels of estrogen. It will result in the overgrowth of yeast infection.
Some research shows that estrogen has a direct impact on yeast. It causes yeast to stick more promptly to the vaginal walls. In pregnancy yeast infections will have symptoms such as redness, swelling in the vagina, itching, and odorless discharge.
You should take extra care under your doctor’s guidance to prevent spreading infection risk.
Weak Immune system
The immune system is a defensive mechanism to prevent diseases. A microorganism called flora helps to prevent spreading organisms. The human body has different flora. The yeast is also a flora, which stays in the body.
Some people are born with immune deficiency. They face lifelong difficulty to stay healthy. A weak immune system finds difficult to fight yeast infection. It will result in the overgrowth of yeast.
Staying healthy and stress-free can help to eliminate the yeast infection. Avoid smoking and alcohol. Maintain a healthy lifestyle to build a strong immune system.
Menopause
The aged woman can have the vaginal yeast infections due to the menopause. As a woman age, her diabetes or blood pressure often fluctuates. The hormonal imbalance is the main reason for this fluctuation. It makes vaginal ph out of control and causes a yeast infection.
Specially aged women should stay hygienic. They should care about their vaginal health to prevent infections. Avoid sweat and moisture around the vagina and keep it clean.
The yeast infections may go and come back again. Therefore you need to take treatment and maintain personal care.
Disability
Physical disability and long hours sitting in a wheelchair may cause you the vaginal yeast infection. Prolong sitting on a chair can produce more moist. If you have incontinence with a disability, then you are more likely to develop a yeast infection. Frequent washing vagina is good but wetness can create moist which will mix with sweat. This condition is an easy way of developing a yeast infection. Drying your vagina after wash and keeping it clean can be helpful.
According to the US National Library of Medicine, the anti-fungal powder can inhibit the yeast infection in disable women. Even thy can use skin-protective ointments.
Rare Yeast Infection
According to Iranian research in 2010, 1 in 3 women found yeast infection other than Candida albicans. The study found second common yeast was candida glabrata. This yeast infection causes less discharge than candida.
Nearly 15% of the women found with rare yeast types such as
- Tropicalis
- Candida parapsilosis
- Krusei
- Candida guilliermondii
An individual with HIV has a high risk of getting candida infection. Even a person who takes immune system-suppressing medicine has more chances to develop a yeast infection.
Pictures of vaginal yeast infections
Symptoms of vaginal yeast infections
No one likes to have infections in a certain part of the body which can be embarrassing. Unfortunately, it happens due to the health conditions and poor lifestyle.
To determine yeast infection, you should know the symptoms given below.
Vaginal itching
It is a symptom of vaginal yeast infections. When itchiness occurs, you may assume that you have some problem.
The vagina is a soft tissue which should be clean. It has good and bad bacteria. It produces clear white mucus which should smell bad. The balance of bacteria and mucus production depend on hormone levels.
The itchiness may occur because of soap. A recent change of soap can cause you dermatitis. Using a harsh chemical soap for washing vagina can cause you to scratch like itching. It will imbalance the pH and yeast begin to grow. It will result in a yeast infection. Avoid the things given below, which causes itchiness.
- Tampons and sanitary pads
- Latex diaphragms
- Washing detergent
- Tight clothing
- Latex condoms
- Shampoos and body wash
- Scented toilet paper
- Vaginal lubricants
- Fabric softeners
Vaginal discharge
It is a most revealing symptom of yeast infection. You may get a white, thick and odorless discharge. It may often look like cottage cheese. The discharge may have water or without water.
Some woman has excessive fluid during the discharge. The vaginal discharge accompanied by pain and swelling require doctor help.
You need to check it properly. Often, women get confused by bacterial vaginosis with a yeast infection. The bacterial vaginosis has watery discharge and strong foul odor. Therefore, a proper understanding will help the right treatment.
Burning sensation
It is a symptom of vaginal yeast infections. You may feel the heat during intercourse. In other times also it is possible to get the constant burning sensation. The burning sensation may occur due to the sexually transmitted diseases. The STI accompanied with vaginal yeast infection may develop a high risk of diseases. So, don’t ignore the burning signs.
Swelling
Swelling in genital parts can be a symptom of vaginal yeast infections/. The overgrown yeast causes rashes and itching. Harsh touching to the vagina to relieve itchiness may cause swelling. This condition can lead to pain and burning while urinating.
Frequent urination
Increased urination frequency can be one of the symptoms of vaginal yeast infection. The swelling and irritating itchy sensation make you pee frequently. But it could be urinary tract infection same time happening. There are other reasons such as pregnancy, obesity, bladder incontinence which cause frequent urination. Frequent urination can make yeast infection worst and painful. Have treatment before it spread and prevent risk.
Diagnosis
After reading the causes and symptoms, you may have got the idea of how yeast infection develops. Consulting a gynecologist is necessary. Explain your condition and symptoms without hesitation. Your symptoms can help to understand the disease condition.
In some cases, a woman may experience symptoms similar to bacterial vaginosis or sexually transmitted infections.
Do not take any medicine with the advice of a friend or family. Talk with the doctor and let them examine with microscope whether you have overgrowth yeast or not.
Treatment for vaginal yeast infections
You may have many treatments according to your infection stage. Once your doctor confirms the symptoms, you can start treatment. Here are the treatment options, such as vaginal creams, vaginal tablets. This will helps to stop the infection from spreading in a week of time.
If you don’t find alternate creams effective then ask your doctor to change the treatment. Your doctor may prescribe you Diflucan an oral medication. If you get a frequent vaginal yeast infections, then tell your doctor. You may get long-term antifungal medication to prevent reoccurrence of infection.
There is some lifestyle change you need practice. It will help to eliminate vaginal yeast infections. The prevention include
- Avoid Scented bath products
- Avoid tight cloth and wear loose cotton clothes
- Skip wearing synthetic or silk underwear
- Frequently change your pad, tampon and panty liner.
- Use lubricant during intercourse to avoid irritation
- Use precautions to skip transmitting your infection to your partner
- Maintain a healthy diet for a strong immune system
Yeast infection in men
Men also get a yeast infection, Candida. It happens due to the same reason antibiotics. Men may not get symptoms like a woman. But their genital parts become red and have yeast around.
Men with diabetes or individuals who are consuming medicine for a long time are more likely to develop a yeast infection.
Maintaining cleanliness can help to prevent yeast infection in men. If the condition becomes severe, then consult a doctor.
Untreated vaginal yeast infections
Many women hesitate to speak about vaginal health problems. Some women never diagnose themselves and leave a yeast infection untreated. Yeast infection can grow outside and spread to other organs.
Therefore, care about yourself enough to prevent yeast infections. Maintain hygienic lifestyle.