What causes vaginal yeast infection?
Most women will feel uncomfortable and embarrassing when they have vaginal yeast infection, it can affect their quality of life. Yeast infections commonly caused by a fungus called Candida albicans. Vaginal yeast infection is overgrowth of normally growing fungi in the vagina. It make the vagina becomes inflamed and a white cheesy discharge results.
There is a strong odor, irritation and itching. Naturally occurring bacteria in the body usually control the yeast fungi. But sometimes the amount of bacteria in our body cannot control the fungus. This condition may occurred if we use antibiotics, have diabetes problem, weak immune system (like person with HIV/AIDS, steroid use, pregnancy, cancer chemotherapy or other drugs that weaken the immune system), use of douches or feminine hygiene sprays, tight or non cotton underwear, hormonal changes, ovulation, menopause, pregnancy, use of birth control pills, use of hormone therapy. If the populations of fungus exceed the body ability to destroy it, the fungus grows out of control.
All kind of conditions that lower our immunity make our body possible to contract other illness also make it possible to contract yeast infections.
Stress is a major contributing factor. When we are is a stressful situation, or living a stress filled life, our bodies concentrate on dealing with the stress. When this occurs, our ability to fight disease, any disease, is lessened.
Some women experience an increase in yeast infections at menopause due to the tremendous hormonal changes that are occurring.
Taking excessive antibiotics is a contributing factor. Antibiotics kill not only disease causing bacteria, but helpful bacteria that help our bodies fight disease.
Other contributing factors are excessive douching and use of scented feminine hygiene products. Any external product poses a risk for an individual who is susceptible to infection.
Tight fitting clothes that don’t allow adequate blood and air circulation at the infected area are a problem.
It’s much easier to prevent a yeast infection than to cure one, so remembering all of these potential causes is the first step to preventing the problem in the first place.
(If you are susceptible to yeast infection, avoid bubble baths, irritating soaps and perfumed toilet paper. Avoid harsh detergents used to wash undergarments. Rinse your laundry thoroughly so that there is no detergent residue. )
Yeast infection symptoms that you must know
Yeast infection can affect several sites in the body, including our mouth, skin, genital area, and intestines. Mostly yeast infection in human body caused by an organism called Candida albicans, although there are other species that can cause yeast infections. The yeast infection symptom a person gets depends on where the infection is located and on how bad the infection is.
Yeast infection commonly occurred in genital area that usually called vaginal yeast infection (for female) or male yeast infection (for male). Yeast infection easily triggered by antibiotic use, diabetes, high blood sugar levels, douching or being allergic to perfumes or dyes used in underclothing. Even tight, bad air circulation underwear can trigger a yeast infection because Candida breeds in warm moist area.
Yeast infection can affect our mouth as well. The condition is called oral thrush and the infection usually attack newborn babies and in those who are has weak immune system. It looks like a whitish coating around the mouth and on the tongue. The yeast infection symptoms can be none or can involve a soreness of the mouth where the lesions are. The mouth can itch a little bit.
Yeast infection symptoms of a skin infection include itching and burning of the affected skin. It most likely occurs in warm, moist areas of the skin including groin folds, under the breast and in the diaper area in babies. The primary yeast infection symptoms include skin itching and burning. The skin is usually moist and macerated. The key to treating such an infection is to clean and dry the affected area and apply a cream that is applied two to three times per day. The infection is usually cured by about a week.
There can be yeast infections of the intestines, primarily involving the colon. The yeast infection symptoms can include diarrhea, constipation, cramps and abdominal pain as well as systemic symptoms. The yeast take over and wipe out the healthy bacteria in the gut so that yeast is the predominate organism. This can cause a ‘leaky gut syndrome’ which makes holes in the gut large enough for undigested particles of food and yeast particles to travel to the bloodstream. The yeast infection symptoms you’ll get from that include chronic fatigue, headaches and joint pains. Food allergies can occur as well.
Yeast infections can vary depending on where in the body they affect. Most yeast infections are self limited with only a minimal amount of medication to treat them.
