Vaginal Yeast Infections

All you need to know about the symptoms, causes and prevention of Vaginal Yeast Infections

Usually caused by a naturally occurring fungus Candida, vaginal yeast infections are common in most teenage girls and women between the ages of 16 and 35. Yeast infections can occur in girls as young as 10 or 11 and, less commonly, in women over 35.

Contrary to common belief, yeast infections are not exclusively a condition affecting women. Men can also be affected, usually after sexual intercourse with an infected partner.

	Quick and easy test for Candida
	Symptoms of a Vaginal Yeast Infections
	Causes of Vaginal Yeast Infections
	How to avoid Vaginal Yeast Infections
	Treating Vaginal Yeast Infections

Quick and Easy Test for Candida

This is by no means a "scientific" approach and SHOULD NOT be substituted for a doctor visit. Having said that, Candida can be detected using this method.

1. Leave a glass of clean water next to your bed when you go to sleep at night

2. First thing in the morning, spit into the glass and leave for a couple of minutes

3. Hold glass up to light and gently swirl

If your saliva floats on the top of the water and gently dissolves, your Candida levels are probably at normal levels

If your saliva starts to look like little tentacles, sinking to the bottom of the glass (think jellyfish) then the candida concentration in your body is reaching infection levels

If your saliva flat out sinks - the candida concentration in your body is high. If this is the case, you will probably have one or more of the symptoms as well.

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Common Symptoms of Vaginal Yeast Infections

• Intense itchiness
• Soreness
• Rash on the outer lips of the vagina
• Burning sensation (particularly during urination)
• Vaginal discharge - not to be confused with discharges many women experience during their period. Vaginal discharges due to a yeast infection are thick almost curd like and generally white coloured
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Vaginal dryness

The intense itchiness is the hallmark of a yeast infection. If you don't have the itchiness, then any other symptoms are most probably caused by something else and not a yeast infection.

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Causes of Vaginal Yeast Infections

Also known as Candidiasis, a Yeast Infection is caused by one of four varieties of the Candida fungus:

• Candida Albicans
• Candida Glabrata
• Candida Tropicalis
• Candida Krusei

By far the most common--causing nearly 80 percent of vaginal yeast infections--is Candida Albicans.

Candida Albicans lives in most parts of the body as a normal flora. When an imbalance occurs (due to hormonal changes for example) Candida Albicans multiplies. This causes a mucosal or skin infection, which is the yeast infection.

Candida Albicans thrives in mucosal systems. This is one of the reasons it shows up so much as a vaginal yeast infection. Your vagina has a mucus lining (which is what keeps you moist). Candida Albicans multiplies in this lining. This causes vaginal dryness, one of the symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection.

The fungus increase has also been reported following a significant change in diet habits. Using antibiotics to treat another infection, such as acne or strep throat, could also be the cause.

Certain broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as Penicillin or Tetracyline often kill off the helpful bacteria you have in your genital tract, encouraging the increase of the yeast organism. Certain underlying conditions such as diabetes, have also been shown to contribute to yeast infections.

A general weakening of your immune system also contributes to yeast infections. Your immune system can be compromised due to a number of factors such as:

• Illness
• Other Infections
• Physical or Stress
• Lack of Sleep
• Poor Nutrition
• Using Medications (such as birth control)
• Hormonal Imbalances during Pregnancy

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How to Avoid Vaginal Yeast Infections

• Wear loose, natural-fiber clothing and underwear with a cotton crotch
• Limit wearing of panty hose, tights, leggings, nylon underwear, and tight jeans
• Don't using deodorized tampons and feminine deodorant sprays, especially if you feel an infection beginning
• Dry off quickly and thoroughly after bathing and swimming
• Although not strictly classed as a sexually transmitted disease, yeast infections can be passed during sexual activity, so use of a condom is a good step to take

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Treating Vaginal Yeast Infections

Any of you who have ever experienced a Yeast Infection will know how difficult it can be to get rid of this. Various OTC drugs are available, mostly from the "azole" family of drugs. Medications such as Clotrimazole and Miconazole Nitrate have been effective in the short term treatment or prevention of yeast infections.

Recently though, the trend has been towards more natural remedies. Why combat a naturally occurring fungus with an artificial drug when drugs such as Penicillin are already contributing to the infection anyway ?

New studies have shown that chronic yeast infections do not react well to drug treatments, but have a very high success rate using naturally occurring ingredients. Fighting a natural fungus such as Candida is much more effective using the natural "enemy" of the fungus.

For more information on natural cures have a look at our Natural Cures for Vaginal Yeast Infections.