Yeast Infection

YEAST INFECTION

August 24th, 2006

The Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) reports that about 75 percent of women will experience a vaginal yeast infection at least once in their lives. What kind of infection is it and why is it so common?

Candida, which is a type of yeast or fungus, is normally found in the human body. When things are in balance it usually causes no problems. But, when the internal environment is offset, this yeast can proliferate. Symptoms include:

 

• thick, white, odorless vaginal discharge (often described as resembling cottage cheese).
• vaginal itching and burning.
• pain or discomfort with urination or sexual intercourse.
• vulvar redness or irritation.

About 80 percent of yeast infections are caused by a specific species of Candida, called Candida albicans. The remaining twenty percent of yeast infections are caused by other types of Candida. These infections may require treatment with special medications that are different from the usual treatment. While yeast infections are not considered sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), they can still be transmitted between partners. Try to avoid intercourse until you have completed treatment and the symptoms have subsided.

Antifungal medication
Since yeast is a fungus, treatment involves an anti-fungal medication. Several vaginal creams or suppositories are available over the counter. Sometimes an oral medication is prescribed by a physician, if the condition is more severe or not responding to initial treatment. Treatment just for the irritation and itching will not cure the infection. If using an oral medication, you may also need a topical vaginal cream to soothe the discomfort until the infection has been properly treated. If using vaginal creams or suppositories, don’t use a tampon. They can absorb the medication. Use sanitary pads instead.

While nonprescription, over-the-counter medications for yeast infections are readily available, be sure that you do indeed have a yeast infection before using them. As described below, other vaginal infections can have symptoms similar to those associated with yeast infections. If these infections are not treated properly, they can have serious consequences. If this is your first infection, be sure to have your doctor check the discharge under a microscope to make an accurate diagnosis. Symptoms such as pain or burning with urination could indicate a urinary tract infection, which would require prescription antibiotics. If you have recurrent yeast infections, do not continue to self-medicate: Go to your healthcare provider.
Self-diagnosis of a yeast infection may not be as obvious as one would think. A 1997 study at Temple University Medical School reported in the July issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found that only 28 percent of female participants presenting with recurrent yeast infections had candidiasis. Eleven percent actually had bacterial vaginosis (BV, see below), a more serious condition. This study also reported that 15 percent of these women had irritant dermatitis , a skin reaction from coming in contact with an irritating product or substance. This condition was exacerbated by using over-the-counter medications for a problem they did not have.

In a 1996 Israeli study, reported in the November/December issue of Archives of Family Medicine, researchers found that some women reporting a history of yeast infections and BV had instead contracted trichomoniasis, chlamydia, or herpes simplex.

Predisposing factors
Yeast feeds on glucose, which is the body’s form of sugar, so anything that increases the blood sugar or alters the hormonal balance that regulates blood sugar can encourage yeast to grow out of control. These conditions include:

• diabetes
• pregnancy, especially in the third trimester
• birth control pills
• steroids
• antibiotics
• immunocompromised states, such as with HIV infection

Prevention
To decrease your risk of a yeast infection, make the environment less favorable for its growth. Here are some tips:

 

• If you are diabetic, keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible.
• Keep the genital area clean, cool, and dry.
• Avoid tight-fitting clothing that retains heat and traps moisture.
• Use white cotton underpants to allow for better air circulation and to decrease the risk of a dye-related irritation.
• Dry off well after a shower or swimming, using a cool hand-held hair dryer if needed.
• Change as soon as possible out of wet clothes, including bathing suits.
• After urinating, wipe from front to back: yeast can exist in the intestinal tract and be swept into the vagina, along with E. coli and other bacteria, when wiping from back to front.
• Avoid douching and using other irritants such as perfumed bath products and colored/scented toilet paper.

 

Entry Filed under: Yeast Infection Articles